Butterfly Garden

Return to the main Gardens & Collection Page.

The Butterfly Garden at the Bartlett Arboretum is a space designed to support pollinators and provide visitors with a close-up experience of nature's beauty. Located between the Pollarded Tree Collection and the decommissioned greenhouse, the Butterfly Garden is part of the larger Pollinator Pathways Program, which promotes habitat connectivity for pollinators across the region.

The rejuvenation of the garden was spearheaded by Girl Scouts of Connecticut Troop 505, who played a pivotal role in revitalizing this space, ensuring its ecological and educational value for years to come. It features a stunning array of native and pollinator-friendly plants, including New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis), bluestem goldenrod (Solidago caesia), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa, milkweed (Asclepias spp.), Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium spp.), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), false blue indigo (Baptisia australis), beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), blue star (Amsonia spp.), dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum), wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), among others. Each plant was selected for its ecological importance to butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.