Attracting butterflies to your garden, and more

Cornwall — The Spring Evening Speaker Series of the Museum of the Hudson Highlands will offer three lectures of interest to gardeners at 7:30 p.m. on the following Wednesdays at the Kenridge Farmhouse on Route 9W in Cornwall. On Wednesday, May 3, master gardener volunteers Barbara Stewart and Elizabeth Heath, from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County, will offer “Attracting Butterflies and Beneficial Insects to Your Garden.” They will discuss ways to entice butterflies and other beneficial insects to the garden: what to plant, where to plant, and why to plant it. Visual aids will be used to make the program entertaining and informative. On Wednesday, May 10, landscape ecologist and environmental biologist Dr. Edwin McGowan will offer “Facing Invasives: How You Can Help Stem The Tide.” McGowan, the director of science at Trailside Museums and Zoo who is on the Palisades Interstate Parks commission, will discuss how to recognize and reduce planting more hazards to our native habitats. On Wednesday, May 17, museum trustee Bonnie Mangiaracina and volunteer Elizabeth Heath will offer “Going Native,” exploring the options available to gardeners wishing to plant native trees, shrubs, flowers, and more, in the backyard. The admission for each event is $7, or $4 for members. Reservations are not required. For more information, call 534-5506 ext. 204, or visit www.museumhudsonhighlands.org.