Every year hundreds of millions of butterflies embark on a marvelous migratory phenomenon. You can help them on their journey by creating a Monarch Way Station.
Creating an oasis that turns your garden into a certified Monarch Waystation is easy to do. Calgo team member Jean has made it her mission to help save the Monarch butterfly by creating a beautiful garden that provides the resources that Monarchs require to reproduce and to complete their migration. Jean specifically designed the Monarch Waystation for Monarchs, but it also invites other butterflies, bees and hummingbirds into the colorful environment.
A Monarch Waystation is an intentionally designed garden that provides food and habitat for the Monarch population. The following requirements will let you create your own waystation and help increase the diminishing population of these majestic butterflies.
- Garden size needs to be only a minimum of 100 square feet. (Easy to find an area in your yard).
- Must have a minimum of ten milkweed plants from a combination of at least two varieties. Monarchs need the milkweed to lay their eggs and provide sustenance to the caterpillars. If you don’t have the room for an official waystation, just adding one or two milkweed plants will help the butterflies on their journey.
- Nectar plants that bloom throughout the summer. Waystations should have an assortment of annual and perennial plants that produce nectar for the butterflies.
- An area that gets a minimum of six hours of sun every day.
- Plantings should be close together to provide shelter from both predators and the elements.
- For more information on creating and registering your own waystation see Monarch Watch .
This year the first Monarch at Calgo was spotted a week earlier than last year. In August, the garden is alive with the Monarchs, other butterflies and bees. Make sure you enjoy this seasonal delight when you are at Calgo gardens and don’t forget your camera!
Join us on August 4 from 10:00 to 10:45 as we discuss the life of the Monarch and we observe the various stages of development. We’re hoping to release some butterflies which have been raised in the safety of our greenhouse!
