MAMGA - Madison Area Master Gardeners Association

10/03/2026

Butterfly Gardening (Part 6)
— Choosing Plants for a Butterfly Garden
— You can fit butterfly gardens into existing gardens you already have
— Vary bloom times, heights and flower shapes
— Plants should be mostly natives, up to 30% can be non-native
— However, non-natives don’t provide larval food
— Butterflies only lay eggs where emerging caterpillars will have a plentiful food source nearby where they hatch.

10/01/2026

A big thank you to everyone who joined us at Olbrich Gardens last Sunday to celebrate MAMGA’s 40th anniversary!

Between a delicious catered lunch and presentations from Master Gardeners and the program’s directors through the years, nearly 100 of us were able to gather, and the conversation at every table was a reminder of what makes this community special: four decades of learning, volunteering, and growing together!

Thank you to everyone who joined us, to our speakers for sharing their memories, and to the Olbrich team for a beautiful setting. Here’s to many, many more years together!

09/19/2026

Butterfly Gardening (Part 5)
— Planning a Butterfly Garden
— Plants they prefer for nectar
— Have something blooming from April to October
— Think about flower shapes and colors
— Flowers that have a good landing and perching surface
— Habitat for overwintering
— Larval Support Plants
o Butterflies lay eggs where emerging caterpillars will have a plentiful food source where they hatch.
o For example, Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed

Photo credit: Susan Mahr, UW-Madison

09/08/2026

Ed Lyon, former Allen Centennial Garden horticulture director is organizing a symposium to be held at Olbrich Gardens on October 9. See link below for more details and registration.

This panel will look at the path a new plant introduction takes to market.  First, we’ll hear from Simone Crain who will discuss her work as a plant breeder and how new plant introductions are developed.  Next we’ll hear from Marcus Jansen who will share his insights into how a new plant varie...

09/05/2026

Butterfly Gardening (Part 4)
— Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association (https://naba.org/chapters/swba/)
— A local branch of the North American Butterfly Association
— holds field trips throughout southern Wisconsin every summer for experienced butterfly watchers and novices
— Wisconsin Butterfly Facts
— 155 species recorded in WI
— 118 permanent species
— 15 migrant species
— 22 ‘stray’ species

08/25/2026

A new bumble bee species has recently been observed in Wisconsin for the first time!

The Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevandensis) has a historic range including the Western United States and Canada, but was observed in Minnesota and Chicago in recent years. Last summer, this species was first documented in Wisconsin when a female was recorded in Sauk County.

Closely related to the black and gold bumble bee, this species is distinct in its large size – especially among queens and females.

Wisconsin is home to 21 additional species of bumble bees, and you can learn more about identification and contribute by reporting sightings at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/BumbleBeeBrigade

08/15/2026

Butterfly Gardening (Part 3)
Butterfly Life Cycle
— Larvae go through several instar (phase between molting)
— Molting (shedding its outer skin) as they become bigger
— Then they form a chrysalis (pupa)
— Some overwinter as pupa, some as adults or larvae

08/03/2026

If you've been thinking about signing up for Foundations in Gardening, this is the week — Early Bird pricing (and scholarship applications, for those who qualify) close Aug. 9. A great option whether you're new to gardening or looking to dig deeper!

📣 Last chance for Early Bird registration rates! 📣

Join us online this fall to learn key concepts about growing and caring for plants in Wisconsin—from trees to houseplants to vegetables (and everything in between)!

“Foundations in Gardening” is a 14-week online course for gardeners of all skill levels to learn at their own pace. The course also serves as an approved learning opportunity for the Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener program.

Find additional course details and get the Early Bird registration discount (a $50 value!) here - go.wisc.edu/cf3459

08/01/2026

Butterfly Gardening (Part 2)
Butterfly anatomy & reproduction
— Front & back wings
— Front, middle, & back legs
— Compound eye
— Proboscis
— Spiracles (pores acting as external breathing holes)
— Veins
Butterfly life cycle
— Larvae go through several instars (developmental phases)
— Then they form a chrysalis (pupa)
— Some overwinter as a chrysalis, others as larvae or adults