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Bloom by Day, Glow by Night

Pollinator garden
The garden gets a bit fuller and more colorful with each week.

Things are always changing in the Northern Woodlands Pollinator Garden, and we love watching the season unfold. These photos capture some recent bursts of life and color, as well as a few new features that make the garden more welcoming. With generous support from the Utility Club of Lyme, we’ve added locally crafted wooden benches – perfect for sitting a while and taking in the view. Nancy also created and installed a beautiful new sign to help visitors find us more easily. Whether you’re stopping by for a quiet moment or bringing a friend for a summer stroll, we hope these additions make your visit even more enjoyable.

And if you missed our recent Moth Ball, we hope these glimpses of the evening’s magic bring a bit of the wonder to you. It was a joyful night of discovering pollinators after dark, from delicately patterned moths to the glow of UV lights drawing curious creatures from the night. It was a gathering full of awe and community connection – thank you for following along with the life of the garden. We’re so glad to share it with you.

Our thanks to the Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation, The Lyme Foundation, the Utility Club of Lyme, and the many generous neighbors who make this garden possible.

Bloom by Day Gallery

Rose milkweed Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Rose milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a showstopper. A beautiful shade of pink and pleasantly scented. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Butterfly weed Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is smaller in stature than rose milkweed, but equally as attractive. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
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The small purple flowers of downy wood mint (Blephilia ciliata) attract a large variety of pollinators. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Mountain mint bloom Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Clustered mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) has tiny, inconspicuous, white flowers but the pale, green leaves add a nice texture to the garden. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Coneflower Photo: Emily S. Rowe
We’re excited to see purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) blooming this year. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Crab spider Photo: Nancy Farwell
This crab spider had captured a bee and was also swatting away small flies that were attracted to its meal. | Photo: Nancy Farwell
Hoary vervain Photo: Emily S. Rowe
It didn’t look great last year, but hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) has made a tremendous comeback. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Seeds of columbine Photo: Emily S. Rowe
The seeds of columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) are already dry and falling out of the pods. Here we collect some and scatter them about the garden. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Rattlesnake master Photo: Emily S. Rowe
This unusual plant, rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium), is not native to New England, but we were intrigued by the name. It seems quite happy here. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
First bench Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Our new benches, built by a Vermont wood worker, arrived and we couldn’t be more pleased. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Bench views Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Having a laugh in the garden! We hope you stop by and sit for a bit too. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth ball Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Getting ready for the ball! The back yard gets dressed in sheets. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth investigations Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Enjoying some live specimens and a collection of moths while waiting for it to get dark. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth cookies Photo: Emily S. Rowe
A guest brought these delightful moth cookies. That’s some decorating talent! Can you tell what three moths are being served up? | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Fireflies arriv Photo: Emily S. Rowe
The fireflies lit up the evening as we waited for moths. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth ball introduction Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Our lepidopterist expert, JoAnne Russo, shares information about moths and prepares us for the evening’s observations. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth ball Photo: Emily S. Rowe
The first moths begin to arrive. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
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Excitement builds as photos are snapped, species are recorded, and more and more moths appear. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth ball visitor Photo: Emily S. Rowe
This year brought our first large moth visit - a polyphemus! It hung around a long time allowing everyone to get a good look. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
JoAnne Russo Photo: Emily S. Rowe
JoAnne demonstrates how to carefully hold and view a moth without hurting it. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth ball discoveries Photo: Emily S. Rowe
The moth ball delights our younger guests. It’s wonderful to see kids enthralled by the wonder of the evening. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moths everywhere Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moths land where they land! Everyone is watchful and aware to protect our Lepidoptera friends. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth studies Photo: Emily S. Rowe
The count of moth species climbs as the evening goes on. It was another record year with over 100 species observed! | Photo: Emily S. Rowe
Moth ball Photo: Emily S. Rowe
A view of the garden after the moth ball wrapped up. | Photo: Emily S. Rowe

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