We spoke with Lori Heiden, English Gardens West Bloomfield Garden Coach, seminar speaker and butterfly extraordinaire, about one of her greatest passions-monarch butterflies!

Lori became passionate about pollinators when she started to notice a decline in their populations. After conducting some research, Lori realized the decline in the pollinator population is partially due to a loss of habitat. “Home owners are no longer planting a wide variety of nectar plants for pollinators. That’s when I started looking at my backyard, not as landscape material, but as a habitat,” explains Lori.

After investigating pollinators and how to build a suitable habitat for them, Lori came across the Monarch Waystation Program. From then on, she committed herself to building a Monarch Waystation.

What is a Monarch Waystation?

A Monarch Waystation is a registered monarch habitat that meets or exceeds the general guidelines defined by the Monarch Waystation Program. For migrating butterflies, a waystation is a stopping point on their long journey. Homeowners can register their gardens by visiting http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/. Once registered, your habitat is added to the Monarch Waystation Registry, you will be awarded a certificate and you may choose to purchase a weatherproof Monarch Waystation sign.

What are the guidelines for a Monarch Waystation?

Size: A Monarch Waystation can be incorporated into any garden. There are not any size requirements, but a suitable Waystation will be approximately 100 square feet. This total area may be split up throughout your yard.

Exposure: Butterflies, host and nectar plants require lots of sun. Monarch Waystations must be in a space that receives at least six hours of sun daily.

Shelter: To allow monarchs to survive in your habitat, you must provide adequate shelter. Plants should be relatively close to each other. However, be aware of planting guidelines to ensure you don’t crowd plants.

Milkweed Plants: To maximize the use of your Waystation, the Monarch Watch suggests incorporating at least ten Milkweed plants, or two or more species. A large number, more than ten, of one species is sufficient as well. However, if you do wish to utilize multiple species, more is always better as they flower at different points in the season. Providing multiple varieties with different blooming times will allow for an extended period of monarch breeding season.

Nectar: Butterflies and fellow pollinators require nectar sources. Monarch Waystations should contain several annual, biennial and perennial sources of nectar.

Water Source: Pollinators need water for multiple purposes. If you don’t have a natural water source, such as a pond, you can create one! Simply, incorporate a birdbath into your backyard.

Management: Possibly one of the most overlooked requirements of having a Monarch Waystation, is maintenance and management. Sustainable management practices include:

• Adding other features, such as fruit feeders or insect houses.
• Amending the soil before planting.
• Eliminating the use of insecticides.
• Mulching at the base of the plant to reduce weed growth.
• Use natural compost for fertilization.
• Water the areas to maintain growth.

What are examples of host plants for monarchs?

• Butterfly Milkweed
• Common Milkweed

What are examples of nectar plants for monarchs?

Annuals or Biennials:

• Cosmos
• Lantana
• Mexican Sunflower
• Zinnia
• Pentas

Perennials:

• Bee Balm
• Butterfly Bush
• Catmint
• Coreopsis
• Hollyhock
• Phlox
• Purple Coneflower
• Sedum

To learn more about pollinator friendly gardening and plants, visit our Expert Tips page.