Butterfly Garden

"He drew a circle that shut me out
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
But love and I had the wit to win;
We drew a circle that took him in."
Edwin Markman

The Butterfly Garden is designed to attract and sustain butterflies with whole life cycle plants such

as Asclepsias syriaca (Common Milkweed), Asclepsias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed), and Malva sylvestris (Mallow). These plants provide food for the caterpillar, homes for the chrysalis and eggs, and food for the butterfly. Look for monarch caterpillars feeding on the common milkweed.

A special feature of the Butterfly Garden is the Markham Circle Garden, based on the poem The Heretic by Edwin Markham. It is planted in interlaying circles of

Panicum vrigatum (Switchgrass), Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells), and Tricytris formosana (Toad Lilies), each with its own season of beauty.

The Butterfly garden is the contained area to the right of the path, as you head to the playground. It is bordered by the playground and parking lot.