You would be forgiven for not immediately conjuring up images of butterflies upon hearing the word “Amazon.” Yet, that might change thanks to the new pollinator garden at Metropolitan Park, the public green space on the grounds of Amazon HQ2 in Arlington.
Plans for the garden began over a year ago when Amazon’s horticultural team (yes, the company has a dedicated horticultural team of 22 people) started flapping its wings about filling the corporate campus and surrounding public park with an abundance of native plants that would allow local wildlife to thrive. Amazon HQ2’s sustainability ambassador Tricia Wines spearheaded the plans for the park’s dedicated butterfly garden, drawing inspiration from her own experience creating a pollinator garden at her home.
Fast forward to June 2024 and Amazon’s horticultural team, together with a group of volunteers, planted an array of butterfly-loving flora including varieties of milkweed, phlox, echinacea, and aster that resulted in a 250-square-foot pollinator garden people can visit.
The North American Butterfly Association certified the garden, a process that involves a commitment to not use herbicides or pesticides and ensures there are nectar sources for at least three different butterfly species and at least three different food sources for caterpillars. With these guidelines in place, plants went in the ground last June, allowing ample time for butterflies to enjoy before they migrate farther south in November.
The garden fits into the larger sustainability goals of the 2.5-acre park. In addition to its commitment to provide a home for butterflies and caterpillars, Amazon created the park and garden to be a haven for native bees that have seen a decline in population. Also, the park uses soil types and irrigation methods designed to reduce water usage, a real and practical concern in the hot and humid Northern Virginia summers.
The hope is that the garden and the park will be “a surprise and delight moment” for the community. “You can sit on a bench and just enjoy watching the butterflies, or maybe even listen to a concert on the central green or attend a farmers market,” says Jenny Pramuk, who oversees Amazon’s horticulture programs on both coasts. “This just provides an immersive, natural surrounding that everyone can enjoy.”
Feature image courtesy Amazon
This story originally ran in our October issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
