From Jane Bailey to Davis Vivarium: A Butterfly Garden Loop
Begin in Jane Bailey's planted beds, follow Discovery Garden's native habitats, then finish with live-winged encounters at Davis Vivarium for an easy family outing.
Three habitat sightings
Start with a planted welcome
Begin at Jane Bailey Memorial Garden, where senior gardeners tend eggplants beside a dedicated pollinator bed. Butterfly bushes, verbena, and Echinacea give the opening stop its color and motion. Walk the perimeter first, then pause near the entrance to watch small visitors work the blooms. Choose the sunny edge for the clearest view, especially after late morning. The garden also offers shaded seating and a reservable lawn when the group needs a reset.
Follow the meadow clues
At Discovery Garden, trade tidy beds for a living field guide. Native grasses and flowers draw butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees along narrow paths. Raised platforms bring the woodland canopy closer, while split logs and boulders turn the marsh into a hands-on detour for children. Follow the meadow loop before exploring the lessons and activity stations. Give this stop the longest daylight window so you can linger when a butterfly settles nearby.
Finish where wings take over
Finish at the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium for a warm, close-range finale. Up to 80 butterfly and moth species move through tropical and native plantings, with a dedicated area showing how new adults emerge. The room runs noticeably warm and can crowd up, so pack light and watch your step. Arrive before mid-afternoon for more space around the feeding stations and a calmer look at each wing pattern.
