Monarch Butterflies are the “Guests of Honor” at Blanco Middle School’s student maintained garden.

The butterfly garden is lovely right now, and if you visit the garden you will see colorful pink and purple plants waving in the breeze as butterflies flutter and bees buzz.

According to Blanco Middle School 7th grade science teacher and 8th ecology teacher Pam Meier, “Maintaining a butterfly garden is very rewarding, and it is fascinating to find the tiny caterpillars on the milkweed and watch them grow as they prepare to make their green and gold cocoons and then emerge from the cocoons and make their first flights.”

There is work involved in caring for a butterfly garden, and the care includes several essential components. These are: planting milkweed, keeping the garden chemical-free, providing nectar-rich food sources (plants), growing ornamental flowering plants which attract the Monarchs and other pollinators, and providing water and minerals. Providing a natural heat source such as rocks and protective plants are helpful too.

Origins

The first student maintained garden at BMS began in 2010-2011, and contained four large compost tumblers which were placed in a fenced area. An H-E-B Green Bag grant provided funding for the compost tumblers.

The garden grew during spring 2014. That year Eagle Scout Mark Kuebel and fellow Scout helpers built raised beds and added a water collection tank within the fenced area to create a garden space for vegetables. There was additional help from Scout leaders and parents.

Terry Neill also volunteered countless hours working with the students during class as well as working at home to build items that the students needed for projects. The Scouts obtained funding from McCoy’s for Phase 1 of the garden project.

Growth and more funding

Phase One included a water storage tank, and as the garden grew a second tank was needed. Rainwater Revival, Dripping Springs provided the second grant in 2015. This tank was sold at cost by Spring Branch Water Well Services, and both tanks were installed by Blanco ISD ground maintenance workers.

The increased growth also created a need for more space for the vegetable garden, and a third grant was received from Texas Farm Bureau. The theme for this expansion was, “Learning from the Ground Up.” In addition to funding from the grant, K & C Supply supplied the lumber at cost to the students.

Monarch Garden

Blanco County is designated as part of the “Monarch Corridor,” and the students wanted to add a Monarch garden to the existing BMS garden in order to boost the embattled Monarch population. The butterfly population was crashing because of several factors, including use of pesticides and habitat loss.

“During their journey to Mexico for the winter the Monarchs pass through Central Texas, where they feed on nectar,” Meier said. “Three generations of Monarchs are needed to make the journey back up to the northern United States, with each generation laying eggs on milkweed plants along the way.”

Funds were needed to create a Monarch garden, and in 2018 8th graders Lauren Anderson and Sydney Etzel began working closely with Martha Gosnell to write a grant proposal. A former educator with an interest in the environment and helping youth, Gosnell was the perfect fit to help Lauren and Sydney.

“Lauren, Sydney and Martha worked very hard on this grant, and the girls conducted themselves very professionally,” Meier said. “Martha gave them project assignments to complete, and the girls sounded like seasoned adults as they contacted various vendors and worked to coordinate project details and obtain pricing from vendors.”

Their hard work paid off, and a fourth grant was received in 2018 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This grant would provide funding for the Monarch butterfly garden.

According to Meier, “300 square feet of space was dedicated to the Monarch Butterfly Garden Project, and was located in the previously fenced area of the vegetable garden. The grant funds were used to purchase plants, rocks to create the raised bed, soil and mulch, and a drip water system for the butterflies. This grant also provided funds for materials for a garden tool shed.”

Tony Petri, BISD director of maintenance and transportation, and the BISD grounds and maintenance crew built the shed. Meier told the BCN, “Tony Petri and the BISD maintenance staff have been a huge help with fencing, water collection installation, and anything else we needed. This has added to their workload but they are always willing to help.”

Habitat

With additional garden space and funding the students were ready to create the perfect butterfly habitat.

“Our Monarch garden is planted in drought resistant perennials which include: Antelope horn milkweed, Beebalm, Purple coneflower, Black foot daisy, four types of Salvia, Agastache, Blue mist flower, and Fragrant mist flower. Annuals include Zinnias, Marigold, Tithonia, and a Butterfly mix,” Meier said.

Meier thanked Arnosky Farms of Blanco, who donated Monarch friendly perennials for the project. Meier added, “The Arnoskys have donated many bedding plants over the years. In addition, Friendly Fredericksburg natives provided many plants at half price.”

Perennials are a perfect choice for Monarch gardens because these do not need to be replanted each year, and they produce food and bright colored flowers which attract the adult butterflies. Milkweed is an important component of the garden because it provides habitat for the Monarch eggs and larvae.

The Monarch garden measures 10’ x 30’, and contains lots of compost from recycled vegetable matter from the school cafeteria, and mulch. The BMS groundskeepers also save the leaves for the students when they rake the various school yards.

Garden caretakers

Meier told the BCN, “A lot of mulch is used because it retains moisture, and so our student volunteers do a great deal of mulching.”

The current caretaker of the Monarch garden is 8th grader Alexandria Hartman. Meier said, “Alexandria was one of our 8th grade ecology class students last year, and we will miss her when she attends Blanco High next year.” Alexandria puts in a great deal of time caring for the garden as she makes sure it is adequately watered, weeded, and does any other work that is needed.

BMS student Chloe Luna has also cared for the garden, and Meier said, “Chloe kept the Monarch garden plants alive last summer as she made sure the plants received adequate watering.”

8th grade ecology class

The student volunteers are members of the 8th grade Ecology elective class which began in the fall of 2014 under the direction of then BMS Principal Keitha St. Clair. As Meier said, “It’s just a win/win for the students. They love it, and it gives them a chance to work outside with their hands, and provides a good break for them, as well as important life skills. We have received so much positive feedback from parents, and so many hands have helped tend the garden.”

Thank you

Meier added, “Our beautiful Monarch garden would not be possible without the help of so many in our community. In addition to our student volunteers we are very thankful for the many vendors, citizens, and BISD staff who have lent their time and talents.”