Volunteers Get Hands Dirty at Butterfly Garden

It has taken more than a year, but the at Wigmore Acres is set to bloom this summer.

Volunteers from STEM were at the site last Saturday mulching, planting and readying the site not only for butterflies, but for visitors.

Volunteers—Kathy Carswell, Kathy Huffman, Barbara Rich, Kay Smith, Kathy Hart, Margo Foster, Jerry Huffman, Jean Fox, Walt Trommelen and Jake Van Dyken—spent the morning planting shrubs, coneflowers, butterfly weed, agastache, verbana, gay feather, Joe Pye weed, blackeyed Susans, coreopsis, delphenium and other butterfly friendly and drought resistant plants.

The 50-foot-by-25-foot plot was cleared and tilled, thanks to a donation of machinery from , by Nick Poaletti, who was working on the project for his Eagle Scout. Poaletti and volunteers also installed a chain link fence to keep deer out of the garden. Vines will be planted to help conceal the fence.

In addition to the plants, the garden features two benches for visitors. There is also a picket fence entry made from pickets that were sold as a fundraiser and decorated by the purchasers.

“This is a very open, accessible and sunny area,” said Huffman, who said she hopes students can also use the garden for educational purposes.