Rosedale School Butterfly and Wildscape Garden

In March of 2002, Cybil, a school volunteer, approached me for assistance and suggestions for a butterfly garden at Rosedale School.  Rosedale is an Austin Independent School District (AISD) school for children with multiple handicaps.  A new accessible playscape was being installed, and we quickly realized that this would be an ideal location for the garden.  As the plans progressed, many other individuals have become involved including William, BSA troop 256, who adopted the garden as his Eagle Scout project.  Don, Rosedale community teacher, coordinated contacts between the school, and helped generate enthusiasm for the project throughout the Rosedale School Community.  Native Texas Nursery donated the majority of the plants.  Barton Springs Nursery and TexZen donated additional plants.  The Garden was dedicated on August 30th, 2002

The theme of the garden is a multisensory wildscape.  Native and some naturalized non-native plants were chosen for their color, scent, texture, and sound.  (While many of the plants are edible, taste is not part of the garden.)  Plants that attract butterflies and other wildlife were given special priority.  For example, native lantana provides butterfly nectar, berries for birds, brightly colored flowers, and aromatic and rough textured foliage for the students.  Nonnative crepe myrtle provides little for wildlife, but the brightly colored flowers, smooth bark, rattling seed pods, and cooling shade enhance the students experience of the garden.  Over twenty lantanas in four subspecies were included, while only one crepe myrtle was included. 

Since many of the students are in wheel chairs, it was decided to build a sitting and retaining wall that would bring the plants up to the students while also providing a place for other students and staff to sit ‘eye to eye’ with those in wheel chairs.  Many nature themed objects (rocks, fossils, sculptures, tiles, and glass beads) were collected from the school community and the neighborhood.  These objects were then mortared into the wall.

We installed a standard sprinkler system (including a rain sensor) rather than a soaker hose or drip system due to lower initial cost and ease of long-term maintenance, but every effort was made to minimize the use of water.  The soil was amended with compost to encourage healthy plants with deep roots in biologically active soil.  Water conserving plants were chosen and placed according to water, light, and soil requirements.  Native hardwood mulch was spread to a depth of three inches over the entire garden to cool the soil and slow evaporation.  By shading the soil, the mulch will also reduce weeds. Based upon past experience, we anticipate that the garden will only need to be watered every ten days in summer to keep it looking great, but most of the plants should be able to survive without any supplemental water once they have gotten their roots established.

To enhance the wildscape potential of the garden, we placed several terra-cotta saucers around the garden.  When the sprinkler is activated, the saucers will fill, holding a drink of water for afternoon butterflies and evening toads without holding enough water for mosquitoes to breed.  Another garden at the school, The Memorial Garden, has several water fountains that provide additional water for birds and other wildlife.

The Rosdale Butterfly Garden is open to the public.  Rosedale School is located at 2117 West 49th Street, one block west of Lamar Blvd.  The butterfly garden is most easily accessed from 48th Street. 

John Barr

Native Cottage Gardens

Austin, TX

(512) 469-0121