Native Gardens: Paint Like a Butterfly

Nuts for Natives
2 minutes ago
3 min read

What happens when an artist and pollinators get together.

Jean Brinton Jaecks is a professional artist with a career full of notable accomplishments. Teaching at the Corcoran, the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian, and showing works in exhibitions across the world are just a few. The daughter of talented wood carvers and organic gardeners, she gravitated to painting and made art her life's work and joy. Her husband and children are well recognized artists as well. So what happens when you bring all of that artistry to the garden? Well, magic!

Jean gardens on 2 acres in Millersville, Maryland. She and husband Harry, upon first arriving at the new home on former farmland, planted three wind breaks to the sides and rear using white pines (Pinus strobus) provided by the Maryland Extension Service. Wondering whether the new trees would fit in her station wagon at the time, she was surprised to see the seedlings were so tiny, they would likely fit in her handbag! Nevertheless, Jean and Harry had vision. They nurtured those little seedlings along and now the trees are majestic in scale and grace.

Jean surrounded the house with gardens, ornamental and native, at first, and now adds pollinator friendly native plants wherever she can. Her favorite parts of her butterfly garden are the pollinator beds she created. Her artist's eye always looking at details quickly led her to the little things that power the world. And the insects, of course, led her to native plants.

Organic Shapes

Jean's newer garden beds take on elegant shapes an artist would create. No rectangles here. The smooth curves and cohesive patterns create islands of buzzing activity and glowing beauty through the 2 acre garden.

Placing beds close together creates inviting paths allowing close-up immersion into the world of pollinators. Initially Jean favored pebbled paths but now believes grass paths allow for softer landings for both feet and larva.

Mountain Mint to Let the Eye Rest

With deep appreciation for the depth and variety of hues in nature, Jean uses mountain mint (Pycnanthemum) liberally. Both the aesthetic of a long lasting silver green color in the garden and the incredible number of pollinators it attracts make it a favorite.

Cultivating in a Butterfly Garden

These beds produce so many caterpillars that Jean uses a trellis for chrysalides. The day I visited we saw one. Jean says this is unusually low for August. Jean is also one to bring caterpillars indoors as cold weather arrives to ensure their survival.

More Butterflies!

I visited Jean's garden on a cloudy, cool August day. I have never seen so many butterflies in one place. This is completely anecdotal information, of course, but I couldn't help but repeatedly remarking on it. Jean assured me this was a fairly quiet day for butterflies given the cool temperature and clouds. Now, Jean has a number of garden beds throughout the 2 acre lawn but I have seen far more in other gardens. Is Jean's garden part of a pollinator pathway? She actively participates in the pollinator pathway program. Whether Jean's garden is in a pathway is for trained scientists to determine but for gardeners, wow, it was something!

Paint Like a Butterfly

After witnessing the 1990 Monarch migration in Cape May, New Jersey, Jean was inspired to write 'Paint Like a Butterfly.' Paint Like a Butterfly, recently published by Brinton Jaecks Studio and edited by Sandra Olivetti Martin of New Bay Books, is part memoir, part gardening how to and filled with inspiring artwork and writing. Jean talks about favorite natives such as raydon's favorite aromatic aster (Sympyotrichum oblongifolium "Raydon's aster) and dutchman's pipe vine (Aristolochia tomentosa) and non-natives like bluebeard (Caryopteris) and Brazilian verbena (Verbena bonariensis). I have never read anything quite like it. Her artist's eye and inspired writing capture the most intimate details and beauty of a garden's story. Perfect for a winter night's read!