CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/04/17

UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteers help restore butterfly garden for Rosalynn Carter

By Clint Thompson

The butterfly garden at former President Jimmy Carter’s home in Plains, Georgia, has received a much-needed restoration thanks to a group of University of Georgia-trained volunteers.

Earlier this spring, representatives for former first lady Rosalynn Carter sought help from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. UGA Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteers, who are trained to help UGA Extension staff deliver research-based information about gardening and related topics to the public, began work on the project.

Dougherty County Extension Coordinator James Morgan, who coordinates the Master Gardener program closest to the Carters, worked with Master Gardeners in Sumter County to put in the sweat equity needed to add to the existing butterfly garden, part of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail.

“We came in and enhanced the butterfly garden at the Carter home by adding more plants and doing some maintenance work,” Morgan said. “It was really like a restoration project.”

After an initial meeting in April with Rosalynn Carter and representatives from the National Park Service to discuss plans, exchange ideas and visit the site, the Master Gardeners began redesigning the garden.

The volunteers have conducted maintenance work on the garden, including weeding, laying pine straw, pruning and removing some plants. They have now restored native and butterfly-attracting plants and established many plants with color, including Knock Out roses.

The installation process is still ongoing, Morgan said, and upkeep of the butterfly garden will gradually be turned over to the grounds maintenance crew at the Carter home.

“The Master Gardeners did a superb job of restoring our butterfly garden, and I am deeply grateful to them,” Rosalynn Carter said.

The Master Gardeners and Morgan were honored to be asked to work on the project.

“It was pretty exciting from the standpoint that we were asked to do it and got the opportunity to go onto the site and meet and interact with the former first lady,” Morgan said. “I considered it to be an honor to work on this project for them.”

For those interested in learning more about the Master Gardener program, see caes2.caes.uga.edu/mastergardener/.

Clint Thompson is an agriculture writer based in Tifton, Georgia.

Authors:
Clint Thompson
Experts/Sources:
James Morgan
After an initial meeting with Rosalynn Carter and representatives from the National Park Service, the Master Gardeners began redesigning the butterfly garden on the Carter Compound in Plains, Georgia. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter pictured with Dougherty County Extension Coordinator James Morgan and other Master Gardeners at the Carter Compound in Plains, Georgia.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
A mug of UGArden's chamomile tea. CAES News
UGArden herbal tea program launches sales in campus dining halls 03/21/24 Jordan Powers
The door to UGArden’s herb drying room leads to an olfactory explosion — sharp peppermint, earthy tulsi, sweet calendula and floral chamomile mix into an herbal perfume that would undoubtedly have tea drinkers reaching for their kettles. Now University of Georgia students will be able to get a taste of UGArden’s chamomile tea, along with a selection of the student community farm’s other herbal teas, with their campus meals as the UGArden medicinal herb program expands into UGA dining halls this spring.
The Great Georgia Pollinator Census was launched in 2019 as a citizen science research project inviting Georgians from across the state come together for two days in August to document pollinator populations. South Carolinians will join the count this year. CAES News
South Carolinians join the Great Georgia Pollinator Census 06/01/22
The citizens of South Carolina will be joining the Great Georgia Pollinator Census for the August 2022 count, expanding the reach of the pioneering project in the Southeast. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension launched the Great Georgia Pollinator Census in 2019 as a citizen science research project inviting Georgians from across the state to document pollinator populations.
Healthier Together hosted a community-wide planting day at Richland Community Garden in Richland, Georgia, southeast of Columbus. CAES News
Rural communities rebuild healthy habits 09/30/21 Paul F. Brown
Obesity affects millions of Americans and increases the risk of stroke, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other causes of premature death. The percentage of U.S. adults with obesity has risen steadily from 13.4% in the early 1960s to the current average of more than 42%.
UGArden Containers become works of art CAES News
Military shipping containers at UGArden become works of art and coolers for Campus Kitchen 09/14/21 Shannah Montgomery
Surplus military shipping containers have new life as food storage units at UGArden, thanks to students from the Lamar Dodd School of Art and a few gallons of paint.
Spalding County was recognized earlier this summer with a 2021 County Excellence Award from Georgia Trend magazine and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) for the Healthy Life Community Garden (HLCG) project in Griffin, Georgia's Fairmont community. CAES News
From food desert to community oasis 08/10/21 Ashley N Biles
Labeled a food desert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Fairmont community in Griffin, Georgia, has historically had slim options for sourcing fresh, nutritious food nearby. But this desert is becoming an oasis of fresh fruits and vegetables thanks to a group of dedicated agencies and volunteers who have worked hard for nearly 10 years to create a thriving community garden.
Camden County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Jessica Warren (pictured) worked with Martin Wunderly, area water agent for UGA Extension’s Northeast District, to develop the Georgia Green Landscape Stewards curriculum. CAES News
New UGA Extension program offers green landscape certifications 03/15/21 Maria M. Lameiras
For some residents, a pristinely manicured lawn free of weeds and undisturbed by insects is the ultimate goal. However, a new program from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension encourages creating a more natural landscape that reduces chemical use and incorporates native plants to promote biodiversity and protect the environment.