Wednesday Walk: NCBG

Meet up for this walk will be in the plant sale area near the Visitor’s Center. On this walk you can opt to dress for comfort as the pathways are easy to walk. There are public restrooms and a water fountain in the Visitor’s Center. There are numerous restaurants near the Gardens. Parking is free.

The NCBG is renowned for its collection of native plants. If butterfly activity is sparse, there will be plenty of spring ephemeral flowers to enjoy. They have an impressive collection of Baptisia plants that are always buzzing with fuzzy bumblebees. Honeybees can be observed foraging in the large clumpings of Aquilegia canadensis.

In the herb garden is a mass planting of fennel and if conditions are right, we might see an Eastern Black Swallowtail lay eggs on the delicate fronds. Once we sighted a Zebra Swallowtail in the Gardens during the spring. Not unusual as there are two large paw paw trees near the carnivorous plants. In the fall we sighted a Brazilian Skipper foraging on phlox–a very unexpected sighting as they usually are seen near species of Cannas, their host plants.

Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with NCBG or have a partnership with them.