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>> ENJOY THIS 'WALK ON THE WILD SIDE' EXPLORE ART, GARDENS AT BELMONT

July 31, 2008 4:25 am

By COLLETTE CAPRARA

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Butterflies may not grow on trees, but it's definitely possible to plant a butterfly garden.

This weekend for First Saturday in the Garden at the Belmont estate, members of the Master Gardeners Association of the Greater Rappahannock Area will be on site to show just how it's done and how it works.

Plants are carefully selected for a butterfly garden in accord with the appetites of various species of butterflies, which are attracted by the nectar, and the larvae, which like to chomp on their leaves.

"Butterflies perform a service in our environment just like bees do," said Terry Drew, a MGAGRA volunteer who helped plant Belmont's garden four years ago. "This gives children an opportunity to see how that all mingles together."

Belmont's butterfly garden was created in the form of a butterfly and includes zinnias, black-eyed Susans, Shasta daisies, fennel and milkweed. Bright-winged visitors include monarchs, tiger swallowtails and fritillaries.

Each spring, the garden is reviewed to incorporate new flowers, and the pathways are refurbished.

"It's so good to get kids outside and be introduced to the different plants, critters, and insects that are all around us," said Ann Gorrell, the association's First Saturday liaison. "It's amazing to see their eyes brighten as they touch this or that plant and smell its fragrance. It's an all-senses experience of the real world."

Members of the Virginia Master Naturalists program will also be on site to lead tours along the creekside walking path and through the woods and fields of the estate.

In addition to the First Saturday activities, guests will have an opportunity to participate in one of Belmont's ongoing Summer Family Tours, which are especially designed to elicit young visitors' interaction and exploration.

The tours will include the studio where internationally acclaimed artist Gari Melchers painted and the 1790s Georgian house he and his wife, Corinne, shared.

"We wanted to provide a unique experience where the children had input about what they wanted to explore," said Michelle Dolby, Belmont's educational coordinator.

"For example, we have an old Atwater Kent radio in our library, and we let them pick recordings of commercials from the 1920s, '30s and '40s that they'd like to listen to. And the children are encouraged to look into the rooms upstairs on their own and come back with questions about whatever sparked their interest."

As a catalyst for conversation, upon entering the house young visitors are encouraged to pick an item from a basket; it will be highlighted in the course of the tour. For example, a little stuffed cow might provide an opening for a conversation about the livestock the Melcherses owned, and scented candles can be used to identify the various fruits in the giant Frans Snyders market scene in the dining room.

For the Studio Tour, Dolby has created special "student exploration baskets," with items for a variety of family activities. The basket includes earphones and a tape recorder that plays recollections of a gentleman who used to work for the Melcherses, a mannequin that children can pose to imitate the stance in the painting "The Fencer," and clipboards with paper so families can spend time sketching in the studio or outside on the grounds.

"The tours are a great multigenerational experience," said Dolby. "It introduces children to things from the past--and provides a starting point for discussions with their parents and grandparents."

Collette Caprara is a local artist and freelance writer.