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Butterfly Garden

Why create a butterfly garden?

Did you know that a large portion of what we eat is available to us only because of pollination? Among the pollinators are birds, bees, hummingbirds, moths and butterflies. Throughout the world, pollinating species are in rapid decline. They have an important role in our world. Their decline threatens the viability of commercial crops and flowering plants.

So there is good reason to build butterfly gardens…so butterflies can eat, pollinate and procreate.

There is another reason; we want our residents to enjoy the color and beauty and calm that the garden introduces to our community.

The Nature Group worked for months on the design and creation.The garden is located just East of the clubhouse and consists of a natural wandering path, a rock garden, a low level bubbling fountain and an arched arbor.

It is planted with numerous native and non-native plants and vines that are especially delectable to butterflies.

Most butterflies only live for a few weeks. During that time, they must find a mate, reproduce, seek out food and shelter and avoid being eaten. They rely on sugar-rich nectar for food. The garden is filled with nectar plants that draw butterflies like a magnet.

Florida is home to 183 different kinds of butterflies. Many of these prefer a specific host plant to lay their eggs. These host plants provide the growing larva with food, shelter, and chemicals for protection, courtship and reproduction. Butterfly larvae spend their time eating and growing, thus the host plants sometime appear shabby.

As it grows, the larva sheds its skin many times. When fully grown the larva attaches itself to a safe place by spinning silk, and molts for the last time. This shedding reveals the chrysalis. The chrysalis can look like a twig, or a leaf, a perfect camouflage in a garden. But it is actually a chamber in which the larval structures break down and reorganize to form an adult butterfly.

This is the process of metamorphosis….egg to adult. When environmental conditions are right, the chrysalis splits open and an adult butterfly emerges.

In the garden, you can enjoy the flowers and butterflies and you might be fortunate enough to spot some eggs, larva, or maybe even a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. All of this is evidence of the continuation of a very small part of life in our world.

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Why create a butterfly garden? Did you know that a large portion of what we eat is available to us only because of pollination? Among the pollinators are birds, bees, hummingbirds, moths and butterflies. Throughout the world, pollinating species are in rapid decline. They have an important role in our world. Their decline threatens the viability of commercial crops and flowering plants. So there is good reason to build butterfly gardens…so butterflies can eat, pollinate and procreate. There is another reason; we want our residents to enjoy the color and beauty and calm that the garden introduces to our community. The Nature Group worked for months on the design and creation.The garden is located just East of the clubhouse and consists of a natural wandering path, a rock garden, a low level bubbling fountain and an arched arbor. It is planted with numerous native and non-native plants and vines that are especially delectable to butterflies. Most butterflies only live for a few weeks. During that time, they must find a mate, reproduce, seek out food and shelter and avoid being eaten. They rely on sugar-rich nectar for food. The garden is filled with nectar plants that draw butterflies like a magnet. Florida is home to 183 different kinds of butterflies. Many of these prefer a specific host plant to lay their eggs. These host plants provide the growing larva with food, shelter, and chemicals for protection, courtship and reproduction. Butterfly larvae spend their time eating and growing, thus the host plants sometime appear shabby. As it grows, the larva sheds its skin many times. When fully grown the larva attaches itself to a safe place by spinning silk, and molts for the last time. This shedding reveals the chrysalis. The chrysalis can look like a twig, or a leaf, a perfect camouflage in a garden. But it is actually a chamber in which the larval structures break down and reorganize to form an adult butterfly. This is the process of metamorphosis….egg to adult. When environmental conditions are right, the chrysalis splits open and an adult butterfly emerges. In the garden, you can enjoy the flowers and butterflies and you might be fortunate enough to spot some eggs, larva, or maybe even a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. All of this is evidence of the continuation of a very small part of life in our world. Back to Amenities