DAGSBORO — Butterflies & Blooms class will be held at 9 a.m. Thursdays beginning July 20 through Aug. 31 at Delaware Botanic Gardens.

Preregistration is required. This is a family-friendly program welcoming butterfly lovers of all ages. Members free admission and $10 class fee. Non-members admission $15 plus class fee of $10. Children 16 and under, when accompanied by an adult, have free admission and free butterfly tour. Reserve tickets at delawaregardens.org.

Stephen Pryce Lea, director of horticulture and education programs, said, “The summer breeze carries the hungry pollinators inland to the abundance of our DBG blooms. DBG is fortunate to have a well-established Piet Oudolf 2-acre meadow, with native plants that attract essential pollinators. We have seen an upturn in the numbers of bees and butterflies visiting the gardens and woodland trails. Now is the best time to visit.”

Guests will have a chance to explore the Piet Oudolf Meadow in a new way, searching for and identifying the butterfly species that take advantage of the nectar offered by the blooming perennials. 

Monarchs, Spicebush Swallowtails, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, American Ladies, Painted Ladies, Variegated Fritillaries and Silver Spotted Skippers are some of the most frequent visitors to the Meadow. 

Volunteer docents help guests identify the butterflies and their “favorite” nectar plants in the meadow. 

The necessary host plants, where hungry caterpillars eat their way to the next stage, are also discussed so that gardeners can be sure they are supporting the entire lifecycle of the butterflies.

A summer meadow garden tour will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, July 22. The guided tour is a stroll through the 2-acre Piet Oudolf Meadow.

Members free admission and tour and non-members admission $15 admission plus tour fee of $10. Children 16 and under, when accompanied by an adult, have free admission and tour. Reserve tickets at delawaregardens.org.

The Delaware Botanic Garden is open to the public Thursdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided Tours are available at 10 a.m.