Extension Office Butterfly Garden

Another early project in 2001-2002 was planting a Butterfly garden at the Extension Office.

This project originally included the help of some 4-H members in Marion County who helped with the planting. They helped for a few years and it was fun working with the kids.

We invite you to stop by he Extension Office to see how this garden has grown.

June 16, 2025 - First of Summer Look

June 16, 2025 - Back Garden Cleanup

When the red barn was installed, the back area of the Butterfly Garden was removed. Then last year the flooding on the Shawnee Town Branch of Crooked Creek really tore this area up. The lot the Extension Office sits on is an odd shape and has a triangle area that gets very weedy in the summer. So the Extension Office had the landscapers come back and clean this area up with a permanent solution that will be easy to maintain and easy to access. They even installed a custom Butterfly Trellis for the Pipe Vine.

June 4, 2025

The Extension Office had irrigation installed for the Butterfly Garden as our partner in this garden project. It will be so nice to have this as the weather gets hot and dry this summer!

Garden Notes:

2025-05-19 Planted Tricyrtis Hirta 'Toad Lilies' in the shade of the Pee Gee Hydrangea. Planted Liatris Spicata 'Dense Blazing Star' flanking the butterfly bush near the steps.

2025-05-14 Fertilized new butterfly bushes with water soluble all-purpose fertilizer. Also fertilized the winecup that is trying to re-establish itself.

2025-05-01 Planted annual seeds for Teddy Bear Sunflower; Planted seeds for Calendula 'Dwarf Fiesta Blend', Gaillardia aristata 'Blanketflower', and Asclepias tuberosa 'Butterfly Flower'

April 30, 2025 Work Party

We had a great work party this morning after the storms cleared. The Extension Office Butterfly Garden is looking her best again after weeding, some new plantings, and 15 bags of mulch! Ted also dug out the old privet root the size of a giant watermelon!!! Thanks to our wonderful Master Gardeners Ted, Carol, Charita, Ilene, Dan, Tom, and Tammy for all the effort!

Installed 3 new butterfly bushes: Miss Molly, Cranrazz, and Black Knight.

Installed 3 new coreopsis

Installed new Ozark Natives: Senna Marliandica 'Wild Senna', Blephilia ciliata 'Ohio Horse Mint', and Liatris Pycnostachya 'Prairie Blazing Star'

Mulched with 15 bags of mulch

March 20, 2025 Cleanup & Install New Metal Edging

Ilene, Dan, Ted, Carol, Tom, and Sunny came to weed the Extension Office Butterfly Garden this morning and install new metal edging to retain mulch. We love our Master Gardeners!