Gardens of Hope
A garden growing in support of others needing respite and hope
Sweet Summertime!
"It has always seemed to me, ever since early childhood, that, amid all the commonplaces of life, I was very near a kingdom of ideal beauty."
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Sunset on the north shore
One of PEI's infamous red dirt roads
Lucy Maud has summed up how I feel about Prince Edward Island so perfectly. Sometimes I have to pinch myself just to make sure living and working here is real life. We love welcoming so many guests to the Preserve Co. and hearing about their love for our Island.
I love each season for the unique gifts that they bring. But there's something special about summertime here. The beaches, the sunsets, the sites, the visitors, the gardens, the food! It's an exciting time to be here. There's a certain buzz and energy that's absolutely infectious.
We're so thankful to have the Gardens of Hope and continue developing this 12-acre space into a sanctuary of beauty and peace for all who visit.
For those of you who might not be able to make it here this year, I wanted to give you a little snippet of the gardens at this time of year.
I'd recommend steeping a pot of tea and sipping on it while imagining you're here!
Follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook to see even more photos of life here!
Welcome to the Gardens of Hope
Hope you can come visit in person someday! Our Butterfly House is open from June - September and the Gardens of Hope are full of beauty each season.
Yellow-edged Giant Owl Butterfly
Common Name: Yellow-edged Giant Owl
Scientific Name: Caligo Atreus
Wingspan: 140–160 mm
Location: Mexico to Peru
The Yellow-edged Giant Owl (Caligo atreus) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. The larvae feed on Musa and Heliconia species and can be a pest for banana cultivation. Adults feed on juices of rotting fruit.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
White Angled-Sulphur Butterfly
Common Name: White Angled-Sulphur
Scientific Name: Anteos Clowned
Wingspan: 70–90 mm
Location: South America, Central America, & Southern North America
From the Pieridae family. They are strong fliers and noted for their migrations. They are the only white butterfly of this size, though could be mistaken for the rare white form of Anteos maerula Yellow-angled Sulphur. Males can be distinguished by the yellow patch on the forewing though this needs close views to be visible. It rarely settles with its wings open so pictures showing this are usually taken in flight on a speed of 1/1600 sec. On females this patch is blurred or absent.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
Variable Cracker Butterfly
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Common Name: Variable Cracker
Scientific Name: Hamadryas Feronia
Wingspan: 7.3 - 8.3 cm
Location: Southern parts of the United States south to Brazil
The butterflies are commonly known as Crackers due to the ability of the males of several species to produce a sound similar to the crackling of bacon in a frying pan. The sound is produced as the butterflies take off, and is made by twanging a pair of spiny rods at the tip of the abdomen against bristles on the anal claspers. Only males can produce the sound, but both sexes can detect it - their wings have tiny hollow cells covered in membranes that vibrate in response to sound, and stimulate nerve endings. The purpose of the sound is not known. It may possibly deter competing males from occupying the same territory, or could act as a trigger to initiate the first response from a female during courtship. All Hamadryas species have a beautiful calico pattern on the upperside. In several species the ground colour is greyish and the pattern acts as an extremely effective camouflage against the bark of trees. In others, the wings are velvety black with a blue sheen and a pattern of bright blue spots.
Tiger Longwing Butterfly
Common Name: Tiger Longwing
Scientific Name: Heliconius Hecale
Wingspan: 42-50 mm (1.65-2 in)
Location: Mexico to the Peruvian Amazon
All Heliconius species have long black wings bearing simple but striking patterns, typically featuring streaks or patches of red and cream, or blue and cream. Several including hecale have subspecies which mimic 'tiger complex' orange and black Ithomiines. Heliconius butterflies are characterised by having a very delicate fluttering flight, particularly when hovering around flowers. They commonly nectar at Hamelia, Lantana and Palicourea. Unlike other butterflies, Heliconius females feed on pollen as well as nectar.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
Tiger Leafwing Butterfly
Common Name: Tiger Leafwing
Scientific Name: Consul Fabius
Wingspan: 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in)
Location: Neotropics (South and Central America, the Mexican lowlands, the Caribbean islands, and southern Florida)
The upersides of the wings have a bright orange and black pattern, with two yellow bands across the angular forewings. The hindwings are tailed. This butterfly is part of a mimicry ring, as a matter of fact the cryptic undersides of the wings mimic a dead-leaf. This species is present in deciduous forest, rainforest, and cloud forest. It usually prefers the forest canopy, the banks of rivers and the forest edges, at elevations between sea level and about 1200 m.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
Tarricina Longwing Butterfly
Common Name: Tarricina Longwing
Scientific Name: Tithorea Tarricina
Wingspan: 75–80 millimetres (3.0–3.1 in)
Location: Mexico & Central and South America
The Tarricina Longwing is a species of butterflies belonging to the Nymphalidae family. The pattern of the wings is quite variable. Usually the dorsal sides of the forewings are black with white spots, while the hindwings are orange with black margins. The underside are similar, with many small white spots along the black margins. The antennae are black. The beautiful chrysalides are completely golden. It can be found at the edges of forested areas in lowlands and mountain slopes, at an elevation up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
Starry Night Cracker Butterfly
Common Name: Starry Night Cracker
Scientific Name: Hamadryas Laodamia
Location: Mexico to the Amazon Basin
The butterflies are commonly known as Crackers due to the ability of the males of several species to produce a sound similar to the crackling of bacon in a frying pan. The sound is produced as the butterflies take off, and is made by twanging a pair of spiny rods at the tip of the abdomen against bristles on the anal claspers. Only males can produce the sound, but both sexes can detect it - their wings have tiny hollow cells covered in membranes that vibrate in response to sound, and stimulate nerve endings. The purpose of the sound is not known. It may possibly deter competing males from occupying the same territory, or could act as a trigger to initiate the first response from a female during courtship. All Hamadryas species have a beautiful calico pattern on the upperside. In several species, the ground colour is greyish and the pattern acts as an extremely effective camouflage against the bark of trees. In others, the wings are velvety black with a blue sheen and a pattern of bright blue spots.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
Silver-Spotted Flambeau Butterfly
Common Name: Silver-Spotted Flambeau
Scientific Name: Dione Juno
Wingspan: 70-75mm
Location: Central and South America, from Mexico to Paraguay
Dione Juno, or The Silver-Spotted Flambeau, is found in Central and South America, from Mexico to Paraguay. The dorsal wing surface is a brilliant reddish- orange edged and veined with black. The wing underside is light reddish-brown and patterned with silvery-white streaks and spots. Each ventral forewing has a large light orange patch. Unlike other Heliconian species, the Silver-Spotted Flambeau does not feed on pollen. The adults fly quickly and erratically. They prefer open, sunny areas, and may be found up to 2500m in altitude.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
