Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Butterfly Garden - Colorado Springs, CO - Butterfly Gardens on Waymarking.com

The garden is in front of the Lodge at Moose Lake inside the zoo. There is a fee to visit the zoo, of course.

From their webpage: "The Butterfly Garden dates back to the summer of 1996 and was the first garden designed and constructed by Horticulture Curator, Bob Chastain. Visitors can experience the garden while walking the path or sitting in the swing.

•The initial planting included very few host plants because of the abundant native larval material in the vicinity.
•Existing willows and cottonwoods that border the garden have presented a challenge by drawing most of the available soil moisture away from the herbaceous plants, creating a dry shade situation. Therefore, the central raised beds are more densely planted and attractive to butterflies.
•Perennial Butterfly Weed is hardy to zone 4 and serves as both host and nectar source for some butterfly species including the Monarch.
•Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum) is hardy to zone 4 and can reach heights of five to seven feet, but maintains around three to four feet in our garden.
•Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam,' recently named Perennial Plant of the Year, is slow to emerge in the spring, but displays quarter-sized pale yellow flowers all summer that make it well worth the wait.
•Yarrow is another hardy perennial that attracts butterflies. Here, "Moonshine" is planted because the gray foliage is attractive and it is reported to be less invasive than many other varieties.
•Allium species, especially the giant variety 'Ivory Queen,' have drawn attention because most people don't expect to find them in a butterfly garden.
•Shrubs in this garden include Spiraea japonica 'Little Princess', which grows two to three feet tall and blooms pale pink flowers in mid- to late-summer and the Caryopteris False Spireas.
•Caryopteris clandonensis "Blue Mist' and "Dark Knight' are the most popular and have blue to purple flowers that last most of the summer. This plant is hardy to 9,000 feet, but may need to be pruned to the ground each winter. Beware that bees are fond of the false spireas, and it is not recommended to plant this near a deck or main entry.
•Last, but certainly not least, is the Butterfly Bush. Over 45 cultivars of Buddleia davidii are being grown in the United States. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo relies primarily on 'Nanho Blue', 'Nanho Purple', 'Black Knight', and'Royal Red', although nearly ten different types have been planted on the grounds."

Address: 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, Colo Springs, 80906 Parking?: N 38° 46.233 W 104° 21.102 Types of Flora: Perennial Butterfly Weed, Moonbeam, Yarrow, Allium, Blue Mist, Butterfly Bush, and others

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