DURHAM REGION FIELD NATURALISTS
DURHAM REGION FIELD NATURALISTS
BUTTERFLY GARDEN
The Butterfly Garden is located on Rossland Road W. Oshawa, Ontario
(Just West of Oshawa Creek)
A Partnership of the Durham Region Field Naturalists
and the City of Oshawa
Established June 5, 2004
History
Garden #1 planted June 5, 2004
Garden #2 planted May 27, 2006
Garden #3 planted August 25, 2007
Please visit anytime! Parking is on the sidestreets off Rossland.
Volunteers maintain the gardens – tidying, planting, weeding, mulching, and litter pick-up in the area.
(We always need more volunteers!)
For more information, contact Dianne Pazaratz at 905-433-7875.
About the Garden
The Butterfly Garden began as a project related to the objectives of both the DRFN and the former Canadian Organic Growers-Durham Chapter. It provides habitat for some of nature’s little wonders in a time when their natural habitat in this area is disappearing due to urban sprawl, and is kept healthy using organic gardening practices. It also provides beauty in the community.
A committee of six people from both groups began planning in 2003. Research was done to determine plants that would pro-vide nectar for adult butterflies and/or food for the larvae. Club members who were experts on butterflies and plants were consulted.
We met with City of Oshawa Parks Staff to review our plan, then submitted a formal request. The Director of Parks and Facilities Maintenance Services took our proposal to City Council and it was approved.
The first two gardens are 40’ in diameter and contain seven pie-shaped plots full of perennials which attract butterflies. Members of both groups donated the starter plants for these gardens. A few annuals are purchased each year, mostly marigolds to light up the borders.
The third garden in the centre is a butterfly-shaped xeriscape (drought tolerant) garden measuring 45’ by 33‘ at its furthest points. It is raised three feet on the north side to slope down to Rossland Road.
BUTTERFLY SPECIES WHICH MAY VISIT OUR GARDEN
Black and Tiger Swallowtails
Alfalfa
Monarch
Plain Ringlet
Little Wood Satyr
Northern Pearly-eye
Great Spangled Fritillary
Pearl and Northern Crescent
Question Mark
Comma
Red and White Admirals
American Lady
Mourning Cloak
Acadian Hairstreak
Coral Hairstreak
Spring and Summer Azures
Eastern Tailed Blue
Silver-Spotted Skipper
Long Dash Hobomo
European Skippers
Tawny-edged Skipper
Clouded Sulfur
Cabbage White
Some Host Plants in the Garden for Butterfly Larvae:
Parsley, Dill – Black Swallowtail
Pearly Everlasting – American Lady
Swamp Milkweed – Monarch
False Nettle – Red Admiral, Comma, Question Mark
Aster – Pearl & Northern Crescents
Hackberry – Mourning Cloak
LEARN MORE ABOUT BUTTERFLIES AND BUTTERFLY GARDENING