Butterfly

Plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds are native species.

Are Butterflies Pollinators? Yes—butterflies are pollinators! While bees tend to get most of the credit for pollination, butterflies also play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Additionally, butterflies help plants reproduce. Their long, slender legs and proboscis (a straw-like tongue) allow them to access nectar deep within flowers, transferring pollen from bloom to bloom […]

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Baptisia tinctoria flower in a Saratoga Springs, NY butterfly habitat garden.

Butterfly Habitat + the Future It’s early spring at the wildflower farm, and we’re dreaming of summer. The annual greenhouse potting began last month, building the foundation for all the gardens we’ll create this year. And naturally, doing some new season reflections on the nature of the work happens. Generally, the world’s been in flux

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A Elfin butterfly on Rattlesnake Master native plant in the butterfly nurseries.

Butterfly Nurseries. Butterfly Nurseries: Healing the Ecosystem One Garden at a Time Imagine transforming your yard into a sanctuary where butterflies thrive, and the environment begins to heal itself. With a “butterfly nursery” in your garden, you can do just that. This concept goes beyond simply planting a few flowers—it’s about creating a habitat that

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In the butterfly garden at home.

In the northeastern US, having a butterfly garden is one of the finest life experiences possible. We need more open spaces where sun-loving butterflies can make their living. Forests cover much of the northeast. Butterflies prefer open meadows and gardens where they can sunbathe. Some people like to research how to build their own butterfly

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Wildflower lawn seed

About the Wildflower Lawns With attention to season, much of the year is the ideal time for spreading wildflower seeds. Native species perennials have unique cultural needs. Perennials in the northeast need stratification to germinate. The seeds have a tough exterior hull that needs to freeze and thaw to crack open and start growing. Some

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