Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Butterfly Garden Schedule

The process has begun for installation of the new Native Butterfly Garden at the corner of Sycamore and Cherrywood! This weekend, I pulled more Johnson grass (it grows back darn fast) and lay down a piddly amount of black plastic to try and fry some of the grass and weeds. (This is more of a gesture than anything.)



Fall approacheth and that means it's time to plant plants!

There will be 2 workdays coming up, and I really hope that neighbors will come out and help. Here's the potential schedule for the butterfly garden prep and installation:

9/29 (all day); Saturday
  • Rototill/scrape planting area (I'll try to get a Rototiller on loan from KAB)
  • Install steel edging for beds and paths (I'll buy this the day before)
  • Have soil, decomposed granite and mulch delivered (ordered the week before)
  • Install the above trio
10/13 (half day); Saturday
  • purchase plants at Wildflower Center fall plant sale (on Friday)
  • install and water new plants!
  • wait for the plants to grow and the butterflies to come forth....
I'm working up a planting plan, which I'll share ASAP. Until then, here are a few of the native perennials and etc. that I'm considering so far:
  • lantana
  • zexmenia
  • blazing star/gayfeather (Liatris)
  • butterfly weed (various species)
  • purple coneflower
  • mistflower
  • blackfoot daisy
  • indian blanket
  • standing cypress
  • verbena
  • monarda (bee balm, lemon balm)
  • rock rose
  • purple prairie clover
  • woolly ironweed
  • mexican plum (tree, but host for Cercropia moths and the monarchs LOVE the flowers in spring)

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