Blenheim Palace transforms Butterfly House
This year, Blenheim Palace has partnered with Butterfly Conservation in support of their annual Big Butterfly Count which takes place between 14th July and 6th August 2023.
Visitors to Blenheim are being encouraged to spend time in the Palace’s stunning Butterfly House which has undergone a huge transformation over the last six months. With newly installed smart technology and an improved environment for its inhabitants, the Butterfly House now has the addition of new plants and different fruits – part of a trial to potentially provide the butterflies with everything they need to thrive and live a longer life.
Each plant has been meticulously chosen from countries including Africa, Madeira and South America, by head gardener Andy Mills, who has worked closely with Chris Horne, senior gardener, who has looked after the Butterfly House for over 10 years.
Credit: Pete Seaward
Each year, Butterfly Conservation invites amateur spotters to download their butterfly ID chart, go outside and see how many of the stunning winged creatures they can see in their own garden. The initiative aims to assess the health of the environment by simply counting the amount of butterflies spotted over the summer period.
Dr Zoë Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation explains: “We’re delighted to partner with Blenheim Palace as part of this year’s Big Butterfly Count. The data collected during this year’s Count will help to give us a valuable insight into what the effect of the last year’s extreme weather has been, particularly as butterflies and moths are key indicators of the health of our wider ecosystems. With climate change here to stay, we need people to take part more than ever before and we look forward to seeing how many different butterflies are spotted by Blenheim Palace visitors.”
Chris points out that there is no better way to start your count than by walking through the Butterfly House or the surrounding grasslands in the Walled Garden: “The lawns in this area have been allowed to grow unchecked to support the entire cycle of a butterfly’s life,” he said.
Blenheim Palace has been home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1705 and is set in over 2,000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland and designed by Vanbrugh in the Baroque style.
for information on the Big Butterfly Count please visit: https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
For information on Blenheim Palace please visit: https://www.blenheimpalace.com/
Images credit: Pete Seaward.
