Other butterflies to look for this summer include the easily recognized monarch, American painted lady, viceroy, red-spotted purple and mourning cloak. The Butterfly Garden is located near Our Backyard exhibit by the Children's Zoo. The newly expanded Our Backyard originally opened in 1992. It shows visitors how to plant flowers, trees and shrubs to attract wildlife to your own backyard. Our Backyard is designed with landscape timber terraces, decks, container and flower gardens, as well as ponds and prairie grasses.
Visitors can enjoy a stroll along the walkways to view the half-acre natural landscape garden.
The garden was created by the zoo's horticulture department, the 1990 Beastly Ball Committee raised funds for the construction and Bachman's donated the trees, shrubs, plants, feeders and houses. The Butterfly Garden is open Father's Day weekend through Labor Day, and is free with zoo admission.