Butterflies of Sayen Gardens, Hamilton Square, Mercer County, New Jersey

DIRECTIONS: Take NJ Turnpike Exit 7A to I-195 West. Take I-195 exit 3B, Yardville-Hamilton Square Road north toward Hamilton Square. Turn left at State Route 33 and go one block to Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road. Turn Right on Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road and go one block until it ends at Nottingham Way. Turn right on Nottingham Way and go one block to a light. Turn left at the light onto Mercer Street. Follow Mercer Street to Hughes Drive (less than ½-mile). Turn left onto Hughes drive and take your first left into the Sayen Gardens parking lot.

By Public Transit: From the Trenton Train Station take the #606 Bus and request a stop along Nottingham Way. As you approach Mercer Street from the west, the three preceding streets are: Paxon Avenue (light), Herbert Avenue and Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road. Check with the bus driver and request a stop as you approach Mercer Street. The driver will stop near Herbert or just past Mercer Street. You will have to walk about ¼- to ½-mile to get to the park.

HABITAT: 28 acres of cultured garden and wooded areas, with man-made ponds. Several butterfly bushes and flowering plants in sunny garden areas provide ample habitat for nectaring butterflies.

BUTTERFLY LIST:

Abbreviations are:
A, abundant, likely to see more than 20 individuals per visit to the right spot at the right time
C, common, likely to see 4-20 individuals per visit to the right spot at the right time
U, uncommon, likely to see 0-3 individuals per visit to the right spot at the right time
R, rare, unlikely to see any individuals even at the right spots at the right time
S, stray, vagrant, not seen most years

E, early in month
M, middle of month
L, late in month

Numbers refer to months. For example, the first species, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, is uncommon to common from May through September.

BEST TIME AND SPOTS TO VISIT: Sayen Gardens is open to the public all year. Visit in the height of summer for the best diversity and sheer number of butterflies. Butterfly bushes are in the main garden and near ponds along Mercer Street. . The adjacent property to the north is Hoagland's Nursery. Several patches of uncut grasses in the back of their property provide possible host plant and nectar sources for many species. Those seen are: Checkered Skipper (1 individual observed), Clouded Sulphurs, Viceroys, Least Skippers, Gray Hairstreaks, Eastern Tailed Blues, Pearl Crescents, Spring Azures, Monarchs, Cabbage Whites and various skippers (data from July to October only).

SPECIALTIES: This location is excellent for a beginner, due to the diversity of habitats and variety of species to be seen. On a typical visit in mid to late summer, 10 or more species will be present.

NOTES: Aerial Photos on Google® Earth and NJ Geographic Information System (GIS) websites from 2002 show Sayen Gardens as a relatively undeveloped municipal park with a finished parking lot and a pond. Hamilton Township has transformed the former estate of the owner of Mercer Rubber Company into an excellent park and garden. The ca. 1910 home sits in the middle of the property and restrooms have been provided in the park as well. Most of the trails are easily accessible to wheelchairs. The area is fairly flat, which makes for easy walking. All areas of interest can be covered in 2 to 3 hours of leisurely strolling through the park. A variety of places to eat can be found within a 5 to 10-minute drive from this location. Dogs are permitted as long as they are picked-up after and leashed.