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Sharing Nature with Children

by Karen Stephens
May/June 1999
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Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/sharing-nature-with-children/5012754/

Butterflies. They gracefully trace blue skies with iridescent wings. Etched with designs that rival stained-glass art, they're a "symbol of the soul." There's no denying it, butterflies are the prettiest insects around!

The butterfly garden is colorful and fragrant. It will intrigue kids' curious minds and soften their hearts toward nature. With you as guide, they'll learn to care for and protect earth's creatures. And butterflies need it. By destroying habitat and using pesticides, humans put a stop to the butterfly's dance. Fell Arboretum shows us how we can change our ways, before it's too late.

The butterfly garden didn't happen by chance. It took purposeful planning. Strolling in the garden, you'll see a butterfly haven in action!

This garden gets full sun; the butterflies need it for warmth and food. Colorful flowers with varying blooming time provide butterflies food from spring through fall frost.

You can't get butterflies without caterpillars, so this garden includes "host plants." Butterflies lay eggs on them; when caterpillars hatch, they instinctively gorge on the host plant. (Some butterflies are finicky. The monarch only lays eggs on milkweed plants. Why? Milkweed is all her caterpillars will eat. And you thought YOU had a picky eater!)

Birdbaths and rocks collect rain to ...

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