This class is an attempt to assemble quantitative data on monarch and other butterfly numbers at critical times during the breeding season. The data from these observations will be used to assess their value in predicting trends in the population. The data received will help explain some aspects of monarch migration and "pre-migration".  

Students will allow plants to grow madly and flower their hearts out, to allow them to entangle with other plants in the beds so the overall effect is a glorious intermingling of different colored flowers. This saves them from having to mulch, there is no weeding (in this class there is no such thing as a weed), and not much need for feeding, as the prunings take care of that by rotting back down.

The garden becomes an expression of each of the students.  Every garden is created and cared for in a way that is an expression of its owner.  Students will be able to decide if they want open spaces; neat rows of flowers;   straight lines with all plants spaced exactly evenly, or a garden with no straight lines at all.  

Example Class Schedule:

Week 1 :  What happened to the bees and who is  Rachel Carson?
Week 2 :  How to establish your 1st Low Maintenance Garden
Week 3 :  Planting your garden by knowing the county laws
Week 4 : Conduct a 2 year survey of your yard to find out what your pollinator garden has become over the years.



Permission was granted to use animal puppets from The Puppet Company Ltd. and ©Folkmanis, Inc.
Personal Video Clips and photographs of Lake Artemesia in Berwyn Heights, MD are used.