Vista Pollinator Garden Call for Volunteers

Searching for the best spot for the first Vista pollinator garden

Maybe this is the place

Maybe out here

Found a wild azalea while looking for a good garden spot. Photo by John McPherson

On Friday, February 9th, several Friends and other supporters met at Vista to plan how to design our Vista Camp Pollinator garden, as envisioned by those who attended the recent retreat of the Friends' board of directors.  We looked over the magnificent space we have at Vista for our garden and tried to imagine the best possible presentation to delight and inform Refuge visitors. Claudia Larsen, of Micanopy Wildflowers, is our expert botanist and mentor. She is working on a 25 x 25 foot lay-out for the garden now. 

The Friends can't wait to get our hands in the dirt and plant some plants. If you would like to be part of the work team, your participation would be much appreciated. We also need work time to build some picnic tables, chairs and fencing. 

And, we are wishing for donations to purchase native plants and the materials for the tables, chairs, and fences. When we know what we want and what they cost, we will add the specifics to the Wish List.

With over 90 species of butterflies in the Refuge as well as all the moths, bees, and other pollinators, our garden will be full of different wonders every day.

The picture, by Barbara Woodmansee, who is the Friends' Champion for this Vista Camp Pollinator Garden, is just to let everyone know that spring is here!  Redbuds and plums are blooming and lunas are on the wing!

Barbara will lead a Butterfly Walk on the Refuge on Saturday April 13. Save the Date. More information will be posted as the time nears.

Luna moth by Barbara Woodmansee