Blackland Prairie Chapter Grant Update – Leadership Prep School – Majestic Garden Elementary – Monarch Butterfly Garden

Our garden is coming along nicely after a delayed start due to construction. We have spent $320.06 on plants and mulch and have been reimbursed. We planted at the end of September and in October. Overall, the plants are doing well, some better than others. At this point, we are assessing the soil and plant growth. We want to see how they do during a freeze since they are in raised beds.

Students have already seen Monarch butterflies and bugs! They are excited about seeing wildlife. Our goal is add a birdbath and other items to encourage more wildlife. We have an upcoming visit from the North Texas Municipal Water District (Lauren Plunk) to demonstrate the importance of native plants to the the watershed. Since parents have to attend the garden club with their students, we are inspiring them as well. 

The Kindergarten class visited the garden to see the plants. As the garden grows, more classes will use the garden to assist in learning.

Challenge – since the soil is planting mix our next task is to get more native soil in the beds and create a natural biome. Lorelei Stierlin is coming out to advise the club on how to do that. 

Future plan – our goal is to have our original plan of 500 square feet of land to create a garden area with plants in the ground (vs raised beds). We are hoping for that in the spring.