Saving the Butterflies One Garden at a Time

This is the butterfly garden at Drakes Branch

Everyone likes to see a butterfly flutter around from time to time. Butterflies are beautiful creatures and unfortunately some species are quickly disappearing. Creating an environment with hopes of attracting all types of butterflies and an inviting place for them to lay eggs can be done simply by choosing an area with full sunlight and choosing plants with nectar and plants that are good food for caterpillars. Your butterfly garden can be as small as a window box which would be great for getting kids involved and watching the life cycle of a butterfly. The garden could also be as large as a landscaped part of your yard or an unattended place that the flowers can grow wild. By creating a colorful sanctuary for butterflies, you are helping with the conservation of these disappearing species.

Education Coordinator, Julie Hamlett, created a project two years ago to enhance the area in Drakes Branch adjacent to the pavilion. The Southside Soil and Water Conservation District office tends to the butterfly garden and Girl Scout Troop 1154 has done a wonderful job planting annuals each year to provide additional beauty and food source for the pollinators. Anyone driving through the area, stop by and check out this beautiful landmark!