We are off to a late start this year! However, on one of the few really nice warm days, about two weeks ago, there were lots of American Ladies laying eggs on Pearly Everlasting, a couple of Painted Ladies on Thistle, and Red Admirals egg laying on Stinging Nettles. With all this rain, it seems unlikely for the eggs to have survived, certainly there are no signs of caterpillars, yet.

You may have noticed a new person working at the Urquhart butterfly Garden, her name is Alicia (Ali). She comes with great training in gardening and permi-culture, and will be taking on a lot of work for the garden this year. Alicia will be keeping the daily records up to date and posting photos among many other things.

Let’s hope for sunnier days and lots of butterflies.

Take a look at our two newly posted photos by Michelle Sharp, taken this past winter in the garden.

~Joanna

Photo: American Lady on Pearly Everlasting

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/8726045-early-sightings-of-monarch-butterflies-down-in-dundas/

Spring sprung, and we have rushed into a lush summer. Jessah has been busy refurbishing some of the flower beds, because some plants were lost due to the warm spell in February, however the beds are coming together nicely now and will shortly be ready to greet butterflies and other visitors!

We will be updating the web site and showing photos of what has been seen so far this year – watch for it, any day now.

The photo contest is already open so start those shutters clicking. Flyers will be available in the Garden later this week. Good Luck.

Joanna, Jessah & Karen.

June 2018

Oregano October 1, 2016

October 2016

Summer has just slipped by, and it’s time for a general pruning and fall cleanup at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. Digging out all the goldenrod always seems an endless task in itself. Then the Korean Lilac must be protected from the deer because they just love eating all the flower buds in the spring; we must mulch with straw between the shrubs, and many other things, – so much to do, so little time!

The chief gardener for this year is Jessah Hodgins, and many of you will have met her. Just when it looked as though summer was well and truly over Jessah pointed out a Red Admiral 2 days ago. A very nice surprise. We also have seen a pair of Mockingbirds in the garden for the past week, they are very quiet and shy; busy eating the Elderberries and other fruit.

The major task this summer was completing all the new panels on the kiosk. We were lucky to get a Trillium Grant which covered the costs, because it would have been quite beyond our means. Michelle Sharp took almost all the photographs and did the design – what would the Garden do without her?

The Awards Ceremony for the Photo Contest took place on September 24 at the Air Force Club. The award winners are posted on this web site here  or under UBG photo competition drop menu. The photos are terrific and if you have not seen them already you will enjoy looking at them. Next year the Photo Contest will run for a longer period, beginning in Mid June and ending in early September.

Monarch hiding in Gooseneck Loosestrife October 1 2016

The good news for the fall is that Jessah is going to be the chief gardener again next year, plus she will be taking on additional tasks, such as keeping the web site up-to-date, helping with the Educational Programme and running the Photo Contest. Michelle will take photos once every week or so through the winter, and we shall be posting them, to give us a boost through the long months ahead.

Look forward to seeing you all next year!

JC