The Butterfly Garden
Come and see what the flutter is about!
The Friends of Washington Market Park and NYC Parks established the park’s butterfly garden in 2017. It has since become a welcoming stop for thousands of butterflies and other pollinators, some of which are endangered in New York state. The garden provides an educational opportunity for children and adults alike to learn about butterflies, their life cycles, and the plants with which they interact. It is located in the northwest corner of the park, between the Community Garden and the BMCC stairs.
NYC Parks gardener Richie Haugland developed the master plan for the Washington Market Park butterfly garden in the fall of 2016. Funding and support was provided by local families, the NYC Parks Department, Green Below 14 and Partnership for Parks. The butterfly garden was planted in the spring of 2017.
How can we help butterflies and pollinators in New York City?
- Butterfly “Waystations” : Establish habitats in your home garden or patio, at schools and in other public spaces. These can be as simple as adding milkweed and nectar plants to existing gardens.
- Shelter : Provide shelter from wind and predators with shrubs, trees or tall grasses.
- Water : Offer a shallow dish of water with pebbles or marbles for butterflies to land on and drink from.
- Avoid Pesticides : Pesticides can harm butterflies directly and indirectly by reducing their food sources.
Would you like to attract certain butterflies?
The experts at the New York Botanical Garden have created a list of flowers and plants that specific butterfly species enjoy.
Did you know?
One of the biggest benefits of gardening with native plants is that it’s great for wildlife, in our case for butterflies and other pollinators! The National Wildlife Federation has designated our butterfly garden as a Certified Wildlife Habitat® . We are proud to have earned this certification for the park, its creatures and our community.
