AMES, Iowa – The butterfly is the featured highlight of the 2020 Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Garden Calendar, available for purchase through the ISU Extension Store, and at some county extension offices.
This 12-month calendar showcases the beauty and importance of this colorful, welcome visitor to backyards and gardens across Iowa.
Along with attractive photos, the calendar also includes important information on planting, harvesting, and other lawn and garden cultural practices. The calendar also offers space to create a gardening journal, so growers can record their own progress.
Richard Jauron, horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, said the garden tips and dates serve as a general timeframe for completion of specific garden tasks.
The combination of artwork and educational information help make the calendar a valuable resource.
“It’s a very attractive calendar and it has gardening tips that are helpful,” Jauron said.
Each month features a different butterfly photograph, with some special creativity for the winter months. The final couple pages include links to publications and resources that gardeners may find useful. There are 28 pages total.
The calendar costs $7 and is a well-recognized, annual production by the horticulture specialists within ISU Extension and Outreach, and the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State.
Jauron said he’s hopeful that the calendar will help people better appreciate butterflies and pollinators in general.
“Hopefully this calendar helps people understand and appreciate that butterflies and other pollinators are a vital part of our environment,” he said.