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Deer-Proof Butterfly & Bee Garden

Never before have I seen so many butterflies in one garden as I did last October when the CTG team visited Ingrid and Doug Green’s garden west of Lago Vista.
pentagonal pond Doug Green butterfly habitat Central Texas Gardener
Director Ed Fuentes and grip Billy Driver joined me on a journey that logged countless “oh wow” moments to hear Doug’s story about building a haven for butterflies, bees, all pollinators, and birds.
Ed Fuentes Billy Driver Doug Green habitat garden Central Texas Gardener
These days, even more wildlife shares the land’s 28 acres with the Greens since Doug diversified food supplies. He also installed 13 water stations, 150 birdhouses, and several butterfly puddling stations among post oaks and live oaks.
path to enclosed deer proof habitat garden Doug Green Central Texas Gardener
Since deer populate the land, too, he dedicated an enclosed haven for pollinator plants that deer would graze before pollinators got to the floral food buffet.
path to enclosed deer proof habitat garden Doug Green Central Texas Gardener
He dedicated it to his dad Paul Green, a long-term joyful garden mentor as a member of what’s now the The Garden Club of Austin.
Doug Green deer proof habitat pentagonal pond for Paul Green Central Texas Gardener
When Paul opened Paul’s Beauty Salon on Red River Street in 1951, he styled up generations of customers. No doubt, he answered garden questions about the gardens he created around it!
Paul Green Paul's Beauty Salon photo by Doug Green
Inspired by his dad, Doug designed a 2700 square foot pentagon with drill stem pipe. Off duty firefighter Ryan Stark drove posts four feet into the ground with an air hammer, securing them without concrete.
Doug Green pentagonal garden deer proof butterfly and bee habitat Central Texas Gardener
containers and habitat fenced garden against deer Doug Green Central Texas Gardener
The fence double duties as vertical support for perennial and annual vines that flower across the seasons, along with Mustang grapes for birds.
containers and perennial plants deer proof fenced butterfly habitat Doug Green Central Texas Gardener
At the gate, he planted native crossvine and evergreen wisteria.
deer proof habitat fenced garden gate with crossvine Doug Green garden Central Texas Gardener
An original member of the Austin Pond Society, Doug applied his ponding savvy to construct a pentagonal bird bath. Bees and wasps perch on its edges while butterflies puddle in the gravel.

pentagonal pond birdbath and pollinator water source Doug Green
He designed one fountain with an upside-down container topped with a sphere, formed with concrete around a grandchild’s old soccer ball.
pentagon pond birdbath and water source for pollinators Doug Green
He’s got good sandy loam, but he nourished it with compost (now from his massive piles). Clusters of Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ attract bees and butterflies. He pairs them with butterfly-beloved Gregg’s mistflower, ruellia and Esperanza (Yellow Bells) in pleasing harmony.
Black & Blue salvia, Gregg's mistflower, ruellia, esperanza Doug Green butterfly habitat Central Texas Gardener
“But the biggest thing I did for the garden is that I bought a load of granite gravel. It’s mulch, it’s got nutrients, and it’s porous,” he said.
Decomposed granite path through butterfly plants Doug Green garden Central Texas Gardener
In just two years, his plants exploded and so did his pollinator population. Queen butterflies crowded native perennial Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium greggii).
Gregg's mistflower native perennial for butterfly gardens Doug Green Central Texas Gardener
Butterflies, bees and other pollinators love perennial Caryopteris ‘Dark Knight’, a plant I want to add.
bee on purple Caryopteris (Dark Knight) Doug Green habitat Central Texas Gardener
And countless Monarchs sipped up on their migrating fuel stop.
Monarch butterfly tropical milkweed Doug Green habitat garden Central Texas Gardener
Doug accents with containers: purchased, scavenged and modified. Others he designs and welds to hold native Hamelia patens.
Recycled culvert planter and hand welded metal container for Hamelia patens Doug Green habitat Central Texas Gardener
He cuts the bottoms out of stock tanks to allow roots to grow deep. This one holds summer blooming Pride of Barbados.
Pride of Barbados stock tank planter Doug Green butterfly habitat Central Texas Gardener
He uses 2×6 cedar for containers he builds, often in the shape of a pentagon. In fact, one of his games with kids is to find all the pentagons!
pentagon planter Penta, tropical milkweed stock tank planter Doug Green habitat Central Texas Gardener
As a hobbyist metal worker, he designs and welds mild steel into containers, butterfly chairs, and garden art.
butterfly chair, butterfly vine pentas tropical milkweed fence Doug Green habitat Central Texas Gardener
He started a website Express Yourself Austin where you can get his how-tos and arrange to order a custom piece.
metal flower sculpture with butterfly vine flowers Doug Green habitat garden Central Texas Gardener

Get a partial plant list.
Watch Doug’s story now!

Thanks for stopping by! Linda

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