In 2012, the Whitefish Bay Garden Club rescued a butterfly garden next to the playground area in Cahill Square Park.
This garden, which had been created many years ago by a group of elementary school parents, had since been neglected after their children moved on, and, with no one to maintain it, was slated to be plowed under. The Club redeveloped this garden to create an educational space for children and adults to appreciate and learn about butterfly gardens.
The garden boasts over 40 varieties of butterfly-friendly plants, including native perennials, cultivars, and annuals, all clearly labeled using all-weather plant markers. Designed for all seasons, the garden includes early spring flowers such as Solomon’s seal and mayapple, to late summer and fall bloomers such as cup plant, rudbeckia, and asters.
Shallow vessels to hold water and rocks are also part of the design, as well as stones to provide a warm landing place for the butterflies. And these aren’t just any rocks and stones. Most are “Celebration Stones.” A fundraiser for the Garden Club, Celebration Stones are purchased, custom engraved, and placed in our community or home gardens to commemorate loved ones who have passed, honor a special group or person, or simply inspire!
The Cahill Butterfly Garden has become a welcoming habitat for many species of butterflies, including the endangered monarch butterfly. With so many plant varieties to choose from, we hope to motivate residents to create their own butterfly habitats at home. We are “Growing a Greener Village, One Garden at a Time.”