“We looked at this area and said, ‘Okay what can we do to make it more attractive, more inviting, more welcoming to the neighbors, the people, the community as a whole?’” said Jim McGuire, the executive director of the DuPage County Fair Association.
That question drove McGuire to build the DuPage County Fair Association’s butterfly garden, which is now teeming with pollinators like bees, birds, and, of course, butterflies.
The garden is constantly changing due to the different flowers blooming at different times of the year.
Though not all of the plants are native to Illinois, the garden still qualified for a Conservation@Work award from The Conservation Foundation.
“The idea is that with help, anybody can do this on any kind of property,” said Jim Kleinwachter, a program manager for The Conservation Foundation. “It’s a really positive thing for the environment, it’s positive for the people that come out and use it, so it’s a win-win.”
Since it was completed last year, the butterfly garden has been used for wedding photoshoots, watching fireworks displays, and relaxing on the boulders in the sun.
“We’ve created a really nice setting for the community to gather in and it’s pretty, it’s fun, and it’s inviting,” said McGuire. “It’s a nice place to be.”
The butterfly garden is located in the northwest corner of the fairgrounds and is open year round.
If you want more information about what you see buzzing about, there are signs around the garden giving extra info about the plants and pollinators.
And since the vast majority of the plants in the garden are perennial, it won’t be going away anytime soon.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
