Planting the Butterfly Highway

Join us for this enlightening workshop!

​Dive into the world of pollinator gardening and learn how to create vibrant habitats that help bees, butterflies, and birds thrive. From assessing your site to selecting the perfect native plants, this workshop equips you to design a garden that blooms beautifully and supports biodiversity. Whether you're sketching a pollinator haven or building a bee hotel, you'll leave ready to "get on the map" with NCWF's Butterfly Highway program. Let’s make your garden a stop on the highway to ecological success! 🌼🦋

Native Plant Selection

• Choose Regional Natives: Native plants are best suited for local pollinators. For example, milkweed supports monarchs, and goldenrod attracts a wide range of insects.
• Offer Variety: Incorporate plants with diverse shapes, colors, and bloom times to cater to different species and ensure food is available throughout the growing season.

Layered Planting Design

• Canopy Layers: Include trees and shrubs that flower (e.g., serviceberry, redbud, and dogwood).
• Understory Layers: Plant perennials like asters and bee balm to provide nectar and pollen.
• Groundcovers: Add flowering groundcovers such as creeping phlox or clover for low-profile pollinator support.

Continuous Bloom Schedule

• Plan for Seasons: Include early spring bloomers (e.g., wild columbine), summer staples (e.g., coneflowers), and late fall flowers (e.g., goldenrod).
• Overlap Bloom Times: Ensure there’s never a gap in nectar and pollen availability.

Create Habitat Features

• Host Plants: Include plants for caterpillars, like parsley for swallowtails or oak trees for a variety of moths and butterflies.
• Dead Wood or Logs: Leave dead wood for nesting bees and beetles.
• Stems for Overwintering: Cut back plants in early spring rather than fall to allow pollinators to overwinter in stems.

Pollinator Shelters

• Bee Hotels: Drill holes into untreated wood or use bamboo bundles to create nesting sites for solitary bees.
• Brush Piles: Stack branches and leaves for cover and nesting.
• Undisturbed Ground: Allow patches of bare soil for ground-nesting bees.

Water Sources

• Shallow Water Dishes: Provide a dish with stones or sticks for insects to land while drinking.
• Mud Puddles: Create a small muddy area for bees to gather minerals.

Avoid Chemicals

• Pesticide-Free Zones: Eliminate chemical pesticides and herbicides, opting for natural pest control methods.
• Read Labels: If chemicals are necessary, choose pollinator-safe products and apply them during early mornings or late evenings when pollinators are less active.

Clumping Plantings

• Cluster Flowers: Group flowers of the same species together to make them easier for pollinators to find and access efficiently.

Night-Blooming Plants

• Attract Nocturnal Pollinators: Plant evening primrose or moonflowers to support moths and other nighttime pollinators.

Supplemental Resources

• Shade and Resting Spots: Include shaded areas and flat rocks for pollinators to rest.
• Edible Gardens: Integrate flowering herbs like basil, thyme, and chives for dual-purpose planting.