Bursting with black-eyed susans, butterfly weed, and dahlia, the national plant of Mexico, the new pollinator garden surrounding Como Park Zoo & Conservatory’s seasonal Gates Ajar sends a strong signal: Monarchs Welcome Here!
Designed by Como horticulturist Marie Day, the historic mosaiculture features a high-contrast mix of more than 10,000 alternanthera and echeveria plants arranged into the shape of a butterfly’s wings. The surrounding bed is a pollinator garden full of monarch-friendly plants that keep these beneficial bugs going on their extraordinary 2,500-mile migration from Minnesota to central Mexico each year.
A Como tradition with roots that date back to 1894, Gates Ajar was a favorite turn-of-the-century attraction that reflected the strong influence of European floriculture fashion of the time. Each year, the display requires more than 100 gardener hours to fully install, and more than 45 minutes a day of dedicated watering. With your support for Como Friends, this Minnesota mosaiculture tradition is still growing strong more than 125 years since its start. Thank you!
Located near the Como Park Pavilion, we hope you can take a stroll to mingle with the monarchs soon. Thank you!
PLANT LIST
Walls and pillars of Gates Ajar | Succulents: Echeveria (hens and chicks); Graptopetalum (ghost plant); Graptosedum; Moss (rose portulaca)
Flower beds and base of Gates Ajar | Cardinal flower; Marigold; Butterfly weed; Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan); Salvia (North American native cultivar); Dahlia (Native plant of Mexico); Cosmos (Mexican native cultivar); Zinnia (Mexican native cultivar); Sweet potato vine; Sunflower
Background and Draping | Alternanthera (Joseph’s coat); Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny); Vinca vine; Dichondra; Ivy
