Ward understands butterfly hospitality because she's the chairman of Zebulon's Steel Magnolia's Garden Club that recently unveiled a butterfly garden in a sunny spot along the Zebulon park nature trail. The trail meanders from the new community center to the town park.

For several months, Ward and her seven member committee combed books on butterflies and hummingbirds for a recipe of sorts for their habitat.

"The main thing -- we had to make sure to have plants that provide a nectar source for the butterflies and larval food plants for the caterpillars," Ward said.

Many times, the caterpillars are forgotten, but to have a bonafide butterfly garden you've got to take care of them too, Ward said.

The women also learned that butterflies like dense gardens with flowers of varying heights.

"So they don't have to spend as much energy going from plant to plant," said Ward. "It also provides a little protection from predators that might be around."

Ward said they quickly learned that for the butterfly and hummingbird garden to flourish, there needs to be a water source and shelter.

The women made a "sand bath" for this purpose, just a little concrete with sand and water. Surrounded by mulch, the sand bath looks like a low spot with water, reminiscent of the mud puddles on dirt roads which are gathering places for butterflies,Ward recalled.

Robert Edwards, whose wife Nancy was on the nature trail committee, made a butterfly house from old barn wood. It fits right in the rustic setting, Ward said. The garden has over 100 plants, at least 70 nectar and larval plants, and the rest for color and height.

Ward said the effort was truly a community endeavor. The women raised $2,500 to create gardens along the nature trail from their annual plant sale. The club members donated flowers from their gardens as well as members of the community and local garden centers.

The women have other plantings in mind for the trail. Ward said they've planned a perennial garden and a hill full of wildflowers. All of these plants will be marked with metal markers and identified, she said.

The garden will satisfy the senses and the mind for those who want to know more, she said. The club is planning to create brochures showing where the plants are and information on them.