Tag: butterfly garden Gloucester

O’MALEY INNOVATION SIXTH GRADE BUTTERFLY GARDEN A SMASHING SUCCESS!!!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Plant and They Will Come!

The proof is in the caterpillars!

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2nd Instar Black Swallowtail Caterpillar ~ Willa Brosnihan Photo

Monday I had the great joy of being given the grand tour of the O’Maley Innovation School Butterfly Garden recently installed by Mrs. McGrath’s sixth grade class. We first had a screening of my film Life Story of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly and then went out to the garden to see the very same caterpillars!

The garden hits all the right notes with caterpillar food plants and colorful nectar-rich, butterfly attracting flowers. With the bed dug entirely by the students (you can see by the surrounding beds that the soil must have been incredibly compacted), prepped, and all planting done by the kids it is truly a fabulous accomplishment. You’ll see amazingly adorned handmade and beautifully painted informational signs and butterfly baths.

The garden was made possible though an award winning project created by students Emma Duckworth, Willa Brosnihan, and Kelsey Lowthers. For more information see the Awesome Gloucester Foundation O’Maley Butterfly Garden project page here .

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Emma Duckworth Photo

Emma, Willa Kelsey Butterfly Garden ©Kim Smith 2015

Project creators Emma, Willa, and Kelsey

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Hand painted water dish for butterflies and birds. 

Willa photographing caterpilarsWilla photographing caterpillars

O'Maley Sixth Grade Butterflyy Gardeners ©Kim Smith 2015

See More Photos Here

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Come Join Me for a Guided Tour of the Butterfly Gardens at the HarborWalk

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Please come join me on Saturday, July 13th, at 1:00 and at 2:00, for guided tours of the butterfly gardens at the Gloucester HarborWalk. The guided tour is included in the cost of the ticket for the Gloucester Garden Tour. Please feel free to email me with any questions about the butterfly garden tour at the HarborWalk at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com.

One of my favorites, and in bloom now at the HarborWalk Gardens, is the stunning North American native wildflower Culver’s Root or Veronicastrum virginicum. The plant typically grows to five feet and, when in flower, creates a lovely, airy candelabrum effect. Culver’s Root prefers full sun and moist well-drained soil. When I was there checking on the gardens several days ago all manner of bees and butterflies were nectaring from the diminutive florets of the spikey racemes of the Veronicastrum.

Veronicastrum virginicum Culver's Root ©Kim Smith 2013Veronicastrum virginicum and Cabbage White Butterfly, Gloucester HarborWalk Butterfly Garden