Discover Greensboro Fall 2022

environmental organizations advocate for the preservation and restoration habitats that contain milkweed and nectar plants suitable for both breeding new butterflies and providing food sources for migration. Parks and Recreation supports monarch butterflies by maintaining long-standing pollinator gardens at Price Park and Greensboro Arboretum, which has a certified monarch waystation with dozens of nectar-rich flowers growing in summer months. The Arboretum more recently developed an ornamental grasses and pollinator meadow featuring plants that attract birds and insects and two honeybee hives. At the meadow on a recent balmy afternoon, green shoots of new grass and early flower buds were popping up from the ground. Botanical Garden Superintendent Matt Hicks pointed out the tiny green flowers on the massive holly trees were flush with pollinating flies. The meadow was meant to showcase alternative ways to landscape that provide better habitat for local species. “It’s becoming a push back against what our society has deemed the right kind of lawn,” Hicks said. Other new editions to park habitat restoration efforts include the Bee, Bird, and Butterfly Pollinator Garden at Woven Works Park on the Downtown Greenway. The Keeley Park Community Garden is also expanding its safe spaces for butterflies. “For the last two years our butterfly populations have been very skimpy at the Keeley Garden, but not for lack of trying,” said Community Garden Manager Julie Hale. “We created a couple of beds that were devoted to pollinator plants. Last year they did really well. It’s a work in progress and there is the potential to expand.” Hale planted joe-pye weed, a favorite of a wide range of butterflies native to this region,

Cole Family Butterfly Garden

Want to Go? Get locations, hours, and rental information at www.greensboro-nc.gov/lakes The science center already has nectar-rich plantings that support pollinators throughout its property. Now this dedicated exhibit will educate visitors about the disappearance of butterfly species and foster interest in conservation efforts. The exhibit will include a greenhouse for growing hundreds of flowers. Seven butterfly speci s wil be raised in the butterfly h use. “It just made sense,” Zarecky said. “We know the way to evoke a passion for change is to bring people face to face with the specific species in need.” Agastache, a purple perennial also favored by hummingbirds, and the maypop vine, a host plant for fritillary butterflies. She said anything in the cabbage family is also beloved by pollinators if allowed to bloom. The garden hosts a lot of spicebush swallow tails and skippers butterflies. As part of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, the City committed to adding more milkweed or native nectar producing plants to community gardens, like Keeley, and to consider the use of butterfly-friendly plants in landscaped areas of City property. The Parks and Recreation Department’s master plan already aims to re-establish native plantings in areas that are currently mowed open space grass. The pledge seeks to expand as well. It’s a perfect time to talk about butterfly preservation, as the Greensboro Science Center opened its Cole Family Butterfly House andt Monarch Conservation Project exhibit in June.

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