Some people call them "flying flowers". Butterflies have always delighted all age groups with their beauty, agility and amazing adeptness. In the last several years many Butterfly Gardens have been established at schools, homes and Institutions, in the interest of helping these lovely creatures survive and thrive. They have been hit hard by pesticides, habitat loss and unfriendly weather. (Recently, in the mountains of western Mexico, where the Monarchs migrate from the U.S. and Canada, many millions froze to death.) We can help them recover and do well.
On Sunday, August 24th, at 2:00 PM, Dolly Foster will give a presentation using live butterflies at the Butterfly Garden in International Friendship Gardens in Michigan City. She has been interested in and helping butterflies for many years. She will help us understand what is needed in a garden to attract and help them, like which locations are best and which plants are necessary. Dolly Foster, Landscape Horticulturist for the Oak Lawn Park District, has been a Master Gardener for 14 years, an Indiana Accredited Horticulturist for 12 and a Certified Arborist since 2008. For the past 13 years, Dolly has been presenting lectures on many gardening topics. She spent four years as an adjunct faculty member of the Joliet Junior College Agriculture/ Horticulture Department and is currently adjunct faculty at Moraine Valley Community College. She has been butterfly gardening from the very beginning of her gardening career. She is an avid butterfly gardener and her passion has led her to raising monarch and swallowtail butterflies for five years. Several LaPorte County Master Gardeners will also be present to show off their butterfly raising 'cat house' and talk about their experiences with raising monarch butterflies.
Children’s activities will include crafts and lessons relating to butterflies. This entire afternoon program is free and partially sponsored by a grant from Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation and Friends of IFG.
The Gardens are located on the eastern edge of Michigan City, 2055 Highway 12. For more information, you may call 219.878.9885 and leave a message.
