In April 1999, we initiated our butterfly garden. We used a commercially available wildflower mixture that is formulated to attract butterflies. The mix we used is by D.M. Ferry’s Seed Company (of Fulton, Kentucky). It is packaged to cover 300 square feet-- 9,400 seeds (conveniently the same size as the garden bed).

We prepared the patch by raking out the wood bark mulch that had previously been in the same area for many years. Then using shovels we turned over the top four inches or so of soil. Next, a hoe was used to break the clods of earth. We mixed the contents of the seed container into a 2 gallon bucket filled with dry sand and about eight ounces of bone meal (an slow-release organic fertilizer). We broadcast the sand-meal-seed mixture over the area of the garden. By walking over the garden bed, we firmed down the seed. We watered the area well 30 minutes nearly every day for about ten days, until most of the seedlings emerged. After that, we watered about once a week for 30 minutes. We determined that using the lawn sprinkler for about an hour was equal to about an inch of rain. We make sure the butterfly garden gets about a half inch of water weekly. If nature doesn't provide it, we water in the early morning for about a half hour. If especially hot weather is forcasted, we water a little more often than once a week (better to water more frequently than lots at once).

Links:
view the Flower Image Gallery.
read instructions for caring for the NKU Honors House Butterfly Garden
An interesting U.S. Government website that has many images of Butterflies.
Return to the Honors Garden Home

Here is what composes the D.M. Ferry mixture:

By James Goldschmidt
This Page Last Modified: 5 July 1999.