Butterfly Garden
Our school has been aware of the plight of Monarch Butterflies since the establishment of our Farm to School program. Butterfly habitat is diminishing across the country and the numbers of Monarch butterflies in the world are plummeting. To change this situation, schools and other organizations around the country, are being asked to plant butterfly (pollinator) gardens. One of our learning communities, Team Incredibles, sought a grant to build and install a butterfly garden outside of their classroom. The pictures show the garden freshly planted and then in full bloom. It contains milkweek plants, a favorite of Monarch butterflies, among other butterfly attracting plants.
LINK TO A LOCAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT OUR BUTTERFLY GARDENS
LINK TO A LOCAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT OUR BUTTERFLY GARDENS
Team Incredibles' butterfly garden
Hatching and releasing butterflies
Every year the kindergarten staff have children observe painted lady butterflies emerge from chrysalis in their classrooms. The butterflies are then carried out to the school's butterfly garden for release. It is always a special moment for the students.
Milkweed patches around the school
In recent years we have been harvesting milkweed pods and seeds and planting milkweed around the school. The hope is to attract and feed monarch butterflies. We want our school to be a safe haven for this species. In 2017 a half dozen Monarch caterpillars, chrysalis and butterflies were observed in our butterfly garden spaces. In the summer of 2019 many monarch caterpillars have been spotted by the farm to school coordinator and her assistant gardener. We are hoping for an abundance of butterflies this year.