For immediate release

Jenny Pung - Waste Management Community Outreach                                                                        E- mail:   JPung@wm.com  

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent                                                                                           E- mail:  dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

Florida Friendly Landscaped Butterfly Garden

A beautiful new scenic experience for Okeechobee residents is now complete. Flagler Park, number 6, has been transformed into a butterfly garden featuring four colorful gardens (white, blue, yellow and red), complete with new benches, made from recycled plastic, for admiring the bright flowers and gentle butterflies.  This project was made possible through a $5,000 Waste Management Keep America Beautiful Target City grant, which is part of a national initiative designed to improve communities and promote sustainability.  Main Street of Okeechobee recognized the perfect match between the Waste Management grant to be used on a green-up or clean-up event and the University of Florida’s Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) goal of establishing a butterfly garden and the project took off!

 

The announcement of the butterfly garden and Waste Management’s check presentation to Okeechobee Main Street were made at UF’s FYN Arbor Day tree planting in Park 6 on January 16^th. The planting of these two new live oak trees officially marked the enhancements that would take place in the park. Local youth read two poems about Arbor Day and rain barrel exhibits were set up for informational purposes and to help the new trees flourish.  Although the planning of the garden began much earlier with the hard work and expertise of the butterfly design committee, including Angela Sachson, Sheri Fherimacchia, Casey Trent, Terri Lane and Fran Everly. The South Florida Water Management District helped extend the funds for the local experts that handle UF’s FYN program in Okeechobee.

 

The next phase of the project mirrors the generosity and cooperation found in Okeechobee.  The City of Okeechobee Public Works helped prepare the site and added temporary drip irrigation lines. Local Master Gardener Wendy Watts set the water valves.  Home Depot discounted and donated some materials including several plants and the lumber used for the trellis. John Lane, husband of Master Gardener Terri Lane volunteered to construct the trellis.  Wendy Watts also contributed to the trellis by carving and painting four flowers, which are mounted on its four corners. Nine Home Depot volunteers were at the park bright and early on Friday, February 13^th enthusiastically volunteering their time to plant over 300 plants. 

 

For several weeks beforehand, local business owner Tara Boshell of Tree Locaters, Inc. worked diligently to help locate the specific plants requested for the butterfly garden.  Tree Locaters was very generous providing most all of the plants and trees used in this project at only the wholesale cost plus procurement expenses. Next, Stan Speed from Lykes Brothers donated 640 yards of organic Eucalyptus mulch, as well as the labor to spread it over the new plants.  The City staff returned to install four new benches. The eight-foot benches are resinwood; the bases and benches are made of 100% recycled plastic. They are touted as extremely durable, and an ultraviolet stabilizer protects the color and structure. Two benches sit back to back on each side of the garden and each are near two new Yellow Poinciana Trees.

 

In line with Waste Management’s focus and commitment to the environment and sustainability, the new butterfly garden exhibits six of the nine principles of Florida Friendly Landscaping, including:

o       Right plant right place.  The butterfly garden’s plants are sun lovers planted in the sun and grouped together with the same minimal water needs (when established), so they can be watered at the same time.

o       The next principle centers around watering efficiently.  With the garden’s emphasis on native and non-native drought tolerant plants it is designed to exist on rainfall alone once the plants are established.  In the meantime, the watering system uses drip irrigation with soaker hoses on a timer set to optimize water use.

o       The third principle, fertilize appropriately, is exhibited by the garden’s slow release fertilizer, which fertilizes small amounts for a period of time. The fertilization will be minimal once the plants are up and growing.

o       The fourth principle is to use mulch in order to keep weeds down and help the soil retain moisture.  Plentiful amounts of Florida friendly eucalyptus much was used.

o       The fifth principle of attracting wildlife is already very obvious in the butterfly garden. Five different species of butterflies have already been noted in the garden.

o       Managing yard pests responsibly is the sixth principle. These plants are pest resistant. They will be checked regularly.  Non-chemical approaches will be used as needed and when pests have to be destroyed; environmentally friendly approaches will be used.

 

The new butterfly garden has only been in place for about two weeks and already the community is utilizing and enjoying it. At a recent UF/IFAS Extension Office Master Gardener training, a class was able to use the butterfly garden as a practice site to critically evaluate landscapes based on the amount of Florida Friendly practice adoptions. Yards that achieve a rating of more than 36 inches are recognized as a Florida Friendly Yard.  The butterfly garden achieved a rating of more than 60 inches.  To date, five different species of butterflies have been noted in the garden.

 

City Council Member Dowling Watford said the butterfly garden is “a great addition to the City and Flagler Park, and is a great example of how the community works together to accomplish a worthy goal. The contributions from the business community, the City, and the hours of labor by volunteers, make this project truly a community effort.”  Already residents have sent emails and made phone calls expressing their gratefulness for this lovely new area and it has even inspired a local composer to write a song about it.

 

For more information about the garden contact the Okeechobee Extension office at 763-6469, or visit the project website at http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu and click on the FYN Butterfly page.  

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This is the new Florida Friendly Landscaped Butterfly Garden in downtown Okeechobee’s Flagler Park #6. It was funded by a grant from Waste Management. Sitting on one of the four new recycled benches in the park are Jenny Pung of Waste Management, volunteer Wendy Watts. Maureen Burroughs, president of Okeechobee Main Street, and Dan Culbert, UF/ IFAS Extension Office Agent. All three organizations were involved in the culmination of this project. Watts hand carved and painted the flowers mounted on the pergola.

 

Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Millie Ferrrer, Interim Dean. Last update: 02/26/2009.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert