Butterfly-Friendly Gardening Tour Coming To Gaithersburg

GAITHERSBURG, MD — The City of Gaithersburg has joined forces with the Muddy Branch Alliance to bring to town a free, self-guided tour for those interested in learning more about butterfly and Bay friendly gardening.

The Oct. 6 affair begins at 9 a.m. and continues until noon. The tour will showcase the range of projects that support butterflies and birds, beautify the landscape and help restore the watershed by managing stormwater runoff.

In addition to Constitution Gardens Park, the tour will include the Woodland Hills Homeowners Association, Epworth Church, Pleasant View Historic Site and a private home. Each site will be staffed by a representative who will answer questions about the gardens and how they were installed.

City staff will also be on hand at Constitution Gardens Park to provide information about rebate programs that are available for those interested in adding stormwater management practices to their properties.

“We want to showcase these gardens across our community, so people can see what their neighbors are doing to help keep our local waters and the Chesapeake Bay clean, while making their backyards and public areas beautiful areas to live and play," said Tracy Rouleau, President of the Muddy Branch Alliance. "Our goal is to see these conservation gardens in every neighborhood, which will make a real difference in the quality of the water we drink and play in.”

Maps and site information will be provided at Constitution Gardens Park and will be available online at www.muddybranch.org by October 5. For more information e-mail info@muddybranch.org or call Lauren Hubbard, Project Manager, at 631-764-6226.

To learn more about watershed restoration and stormwater management in Gaithersburg, click here or contact the Stormwater Services Division of the Department of Public Works.

Opening remarks will take place starting at 9 a.m. at Constitution Gardens Park, 112 Brookes Avenue.

The tour is funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust with support from the City of Gaithersburg and the Muddy Branch Alliance.

Image via Shutterstock