Planting the path for pollinators!
WildCare is Oklahoma’s oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center taking in over 7,000 animals each year. We welcome hundreds of visitors each year as they drop of wild animals in need of help and our entry garden has been created as a pollinator and wildlife garden to demonstrate the importance and beauty of creating and maintaining wildlife habitat in home, business, and school landscapes.
At Mark Twain Elementary, we have 2 raised beds each measuring 5’x10′ ft. amounting to 100 sq ft. total. We have 40 plants (milkweed, Echinacea, verbena, salvia, native grasses, etc.) purchased from Prairie Winds Nursery and Sanctuary Gardens and Wellness. The zoo provided a grant for initial materials. The garden is easily viewed from both the street and playground.
I removed 3 Capitol Pears (related to Bradford Pears) from alongside my driveway and planted the area with a pollinator garden.
We have created to small pollinator gardens. The first was planted in the fall of 2019 and the most recent in February 2021. The newest habit was planted in our flower bed right in front of the office. We plan to add a rain barrel and different varieties of milk weed.
Creating monarch and pollinator habitat for the Choctaw, OK community.
The Three Forks Nature Center located within Sequoyah State Park has a 1/2 acre pollinator patch. This patch is viable from the spring through the summer and a path is mowed through it for visitors to be able to stroll.
This project was so much fun! Can’t wait until we are safe to have our elementary students help us continue to plant seeds for our habitat in the future. (this was the original plan until Covid-19 changed our plans just a little). We marked off a 24’X24′ plot for our seeds to grow. This is near the road so our community can drive by or get out and observe our accomplishments. Myself, my son and his friend (Ty & Dakota) planted this plot just West of our office building. Even the older kids can have a lot of fun with this awesome project.
Salem’s Butterfly Garden is 650 sq foot, intentionally managed garden that provides food and habitat for monarch butterflies. It is located at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church and includes native milkweeds, native nectar producing perennials and native stone benches. Signs have been placed that identify the over 20 varieties of plants that meet the needs of the monarchs and other pollinators. It is a pocket garden that provides a welcoming space for butterflies and pedestrians and a visual statement of our commitment to care for creation.
With a focus on Monarchs, I’ve setup a garden dedicated to butterflies and their posterity. Monarchs, Black Swallowtails, Emperor Hackberry butterflies, Painted Ladies, Pearl Crescents, Red Admirals, Question Marks and Hairstreaks visit. With a focus on host plants, I’m hoping to see Giant, Spicebush, and Pipevine Swallowtails, Commas Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, Mexican Fritillary, Zebra Longwing and Julias.
Back in June 2020, I revived an unused, neglected corner garden in our backyard in order to provide a waystation for monarchs and other pollinators. I used the “Okies For Monarchs” central Oklahoma blend of seeds available from Johnston Seed Company. This mix includes: Goldenrod, Partridge Pea, Prairie Coneflower, Illinois Bundleflower, Maximilian Sunflower, Plains Coreopsis, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Annual Sunflower, White Yarrow, Leadplant, White Prairie Clover, Purple Prairie Clover, Indian Blanket, Verbena, Purple Coneflower, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Showy Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Pennsylvania Smartweed, Wild Bergamot, Gayfeather, Pale Purple Coneflower, Lemon Mint, and Rattlesnake Master. Additionally, I threw in a few various packets of wildflowers I had on-hand, as well as some seeds from wild milkweed growing nearby. The photo I’m including was taken August 25, 2020, so it’s been about 2.5 months.