Frequently Asked Questions
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The large swallowtail butterflies are commonly at peak activity during spring, making April - June the most popular months to visit. Later in the year we see more butterfly species and stages of the butterfly life cycle but less abundance of large butterflies in fight.
Please visit our Butterfly Information page to plan your visit relating to butterfly behavior and enhance your experience.
The weather, season, time of day, and butterfly species all play a role in guessing what butterfly activity to expect. On certain days of the year, we could be considered more of a caterpillar or chrysalis garden—the species and number of butterflies in flight constantly fluctuate.
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Do not pick plants or flowers.
Do not touch caterpillars/butterflies and leave other animals as they are.
Stay on paths.
Strollers are not permitted on trails.
Pets are not allowed. We love your pets, but please leave them at home.
Pack out trash with you.
No Smoking anywhere on the HBG grounds.
No Release Policy of outside Butterflies and caterpillars due to virus prevention.
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A Gate Code is sent with a confirmation email and again before the appointment. The gardens can not be entered without a gate code unless specified for a special event.
Be sure to press the # key before numbers and press the buttons firm and fast.
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We welcome individuals, small groups, and classroom visits by appointment in April- October. Hours and days vary depending on appointment type. Please review our Public Tour or School Tour page for further info or to book a tour.
Tour options include a Guided or Self-Guided experience.
Cost: All tours and most Events are donation-based. Donations are accepted online or on location.
Suggested Donations for Tours: Kids $3. Adults $10. Seniors/Students $7.
Events are updated throughout the season. Visit our Calendar of Events to see what we have to offer!
Garden Workdays are offered year-round. Visit our Garden Workdays page to join us!
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Donations can be made at any time.
Donations are accepted online or on location (Cash, Check, QR code for card payments, or Venmo).
Suggested Donations for Tours - Kids $3 - Adults $10 - Seniors/Students $7.
Venmo: @HallbergButterflyGardens
Checks can be made payable to:
Hallberg Butterfly Gardens
8687 Oak Grove Ave
Sebastopol, Ca 95472
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Please note the parking instructions while signing up (instructions will also be sent in the tour confirmation email).
Garden parking is limited per appointment—public parking is available for excess cars or large vehicles. Carpooling encouraged.
Parking Maps:
Garden Parking (along the apple orchard).
Public Parking (street view).
Bus parking map for teachers is sent in tour confirmation email.
Parking Directions:
Garden Parking - along the apple orchard - this parking space is within the garden grounds and is reserved for tours and small events. After entering the Gardens gate, turn right and pull off the side of the gravel road at the end of the apple orchards (parking signs are visible). Please be sure to leave space for passing vehicles. This space is limited to 5-10 cars in the apple orchard, depending on the working season. See Map with Garden Parking
Public (street) Parking: Along the road or within a small gravel lot located near the HBG entrance sign along Oak Grove Ave. Please pay attention to posted street parking regulations. Guests are asked to walk in through the gate and enter the Gardens on foot. Roughly a 3-5 min walk. This space is limited to 7-10 cars. Please reach out if you require accessible parking within the garden grounds. See the map for a view of public parking.
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The gift shop in Pipevine Theater will remain closed until the barn repair is finished; the date is TBD. We will sell Fold-out butterfly guides at our information kiosk during tours and sell books, patches, cards, and other merchandise during our plant sales and Open Gardens Day Celebration—go to our Calendar of Events to learn more.
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Garden Trails are narrow dirt paths and gravel roads. There are benches throughout the gardens to rest.
We finished our first installment to make the gardens' entrance and picnic table area more accessible with pathway gravel replacing the less accessible option of wood chips.
Wheelchair access is very limited. We are not ADA Certified. We are working on an accessibility plan & fundraising for the future.
Please contact us for more information at info@hallbergbutterflygardens.org
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Please visit our Schools page to plan your field trip today!
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Please review our websites Resource options in the menu bar for Butterfly information, printables, videos, and more!
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The Hallberg Nursery is where we grow mostly native plants for our Gardens, habitat projects, and plant sales by appointment.
Please visit Our Nursery page for the current list of plant sale appointments and to sign up for a 30-minute appointment.
During tours, we have a small selection of plants available at our Pollinator Plant Stand, which is located in front of the vivarium.
We have three official plant sales during spring, summer, and fall.
Guests can take a self-guided tour of the Gardens after your plant sale appointment.
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We will begin accepting request in January 2025!
Reservation is required with sliding scale compensation. Limited availability. Please contact to inquire!
Birthdays & Small Events
20-person maximum.
1 adult per 4 children is required.
Picnic tables are available for gathering, while garden rules and precautions are required while navigating the Gardens.
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Our volunteers keep us going!
Visit our Volunteer page for more info and to sign up!
Garden workdays are the best way to learn about butterflies and habitat gardening from a hands-on approach. Enjoy the beauty of the Gardens while helping them thrive. Signing up for our workdays is a great way to see if Hallberg Butterfly Gardens is right for you.
Lead a Tour
Volunteer docents add incredible value to our visitors' experience. If you would enjoy leading groups through the garden and teaching about butterflies and wildlife, we would love to have you on our docent team!
Share your skills
One of the greatest gifts to offer is your time and energy. What skillsets or experience do you have? From outreach, fabrication, to event planning and more! We would love to hear from you!
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We Do Not Sell Butterflies, Caterpillars, or Chrysalids. Live or deceased.
We appreciate your patience!
Please do not hesitate to contact us, but keep in mind we are a small team often working in the Gardens. We generally take 1-5 days to respond.
Contact
8687 Oak Grove Ave
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Office Hours
Wednesday – Friday
9 am–3 pm
Phone
(707) 823-3420 (leave a voicemail!)
Email
info@hallbergbutterflygardens.org