Monarch Wings' Dedication at Sensory Butterfly Gardens

The Milkweed Circle of the Garden Club of DeLand sponsored the first Monarch Magic in the Sensory Butterfly Garden in honor of National Garden week. Attendees of all ages enjoyed the morning at Bill Dreggars Park, 230 North Stone Street in DeLand.

Miss Monarch

The following poem, Miss Monarch, written for the event by yours truly, Cheryl Floyd was read during the dedication of the wings.

Hello Miss Monarch looking so pretty and graceful with your orange and black wings, soaring gracefully against the sky of blue. We are your garden friends here to help protect you. We plant milkweed where you will lay your eggs and nectar plants to give you energy and strength. Oh look! The caterpillar appears so tiny at first. It creates a window while eating the green leaves. We watch your Monarch Caterpillar grow right before our eyes. Predators like wasps and lizards dart in and out all around the leaves of green; but your little one tucked under a leaf eats and eats and eats. Grow and grow caterpillar. Go! You can do it. Leaf by leaf, as you increase in size and arrive at your final stage; you hang upside-down and form a J. Do you wonder what to do or just know the job for you? You change into a chrysalis so green adorned with gold jewel flecks. We wait and watch in wonder. You wait and change, until that moment when you start to emerge. With anticipation we see you appear with wings unfurling. This beautiful monarch butterfly brings all such joy, whether girl or boy. Flap your orange and black wings and fly, fly butterfly fly. The event included a ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating the new Monarch Wings created by local artist, Carissa Paige. The wings offer a fun backdrop for photos in the garden that has been planted to attract butterflies. In addition to milkweed for the Monarch’s larval food, there are also host plants for Swallowtails, Sulphurs, Gulf Fritillaries, and the Zebra Longwing, our state butterfly.

Mayor Robert Apgar read the Monarch City USA proclamation and cut the Monarch Wings’ ribbon with Carissa Paige. Marshal Rawson, president of the Garden Club of DeLand, welcomed those in attendance and Karen Hall, chairperson of the Sensory Butterfly Garden, was the chief organizer and emcee for the event.

Photo Credit: Kitty Allen

Photo Credit: Kitty Allen

Enthusiastic garden club members provided entertaining and educational information for those in attendance. Representatives of The Burgess Museum and Volusia Water Alliance were also on hand to and added to the event.

Photo Credit: Kitty Allen

There are so many ways we can contribute to our community that aides in our own Healthy Living for the Soul. When we give, we receive a hundred fold. Finding a place to make a difference for others helps us to transform and soar like on the wings of a butterfly.

Enjoy the photos contributed by Milkweed member, Kitty Allen. If you would like to be a part of a team that makes garden magic happen visit gardenclubofdeland. org. Applications for making your garden a Monarch Sanctuary are available on the site. Posts and more photos for this event located at The Garden Club of DeLand on Facebook.

Cheryl Floyd, Speaker/Storyteller and Heal your Life® Coach. Cheryl Floyd is a graduate of East Tennessee State University’s Master Storytelling program. Her career includes over thirty years in education, publishing, life coaching, public speaking, and storytelling. www.cherylfloyd.com