Pollinator Patches

photo © Brian Grant

The Coral Gables Garden Club is excited to fund pollinator patches throughout the city's urban landscape. 

These gardens are another testament to the value of partnerships. On September 25th, 2021 The Pollinator Palooza was a fantastic event sponsored by the City of Coral Gables and the garden club.  Young families came out that beautiful Saturday morning to the War Memorial Youth Center to hear expert Dr. Jaeson Clayborn talk about pollinators and plant butterfly plants in the youth center's raised beds. We thank the Parks and Recreation department for coordinating a great event, especially Carolina Vester and club member Linda Waldron for all their work.

Families gathering at the Pollinator Palooza
Ribbon Cutting with Commissioners Anderson and Menendez, Mayor Lago, President Susan Rodriguez, and Linda Waldron
Dr. Clayborn lecturing on the differences between butterflies, moths and skippers.
Partners of the event
Club members, Linda Waldron, France Ingraham, Ana Lam, Susan Rodriguez, Deena Bell-Llewelyn, Sharon Trbovich, Marlin Ebbert, Judy Mangasarian and Commissioner Anderson
Families enjoying the day. Planting firebush, ruella, lantana, native milkweed 

The Macfarlane District pollinator patch.

The pollinator garden on the corner of Jefferson Street and Florida Avenue is dedicated to the legacy of Dr. Julia Morton a University of Miami, economic botanist.  Louis Duncanson the owner of the property, had one condition for our garden, that Julia would be honored. So with that in mind we have gathered the community of the Macfarlane district, Coral Gables High School garden club members, the UF Miami-dade extension office, and the City of Coral Gables to create a pollinator paradise.

Volunteers from the CGHS garden club, creating paths.
Seated our Barbara McAdam and Dalton Goolsby from the UF/ Miami-Dade Extension office. Standing City staff with Kenny Larkin
Maclay Campbell adding coconuts and coral rocks to line the paths.
Louis Duncanson with our garden club friends.
Marina and Lucia eating the moringa leaves that are bountiful all around the property.
Doug Ingrams Nursery.  We shopped by following the butterflies.
Barbara McAdam shopping for the right plants
Swallowtail cat on a dutchman pipe vine.
Commissioner Anderson, doing a great job removing grass.
Enjoying the visit looking at all the plants at Doug Ingram's nursery
Louis Ducanson, CGHS Garden 
Club President Marina Devine and CGGC President Susan Rodriguez
The Crew of the day. Maria, Lucia, Denise West, Marina Devine, Marlin Ebbert, Susan Rodriguez, Louis Duncanson and Rhonda Anderson.
Louis helping us dig the holes.
The Crew of the day. Maria, Lucia, Denise West, Marina Devine, Marlin Ebbert, Susan Rodriguez, Louis Duncanson and Rhonda Anderson.

The Coral Gables High School Garden Club Enhances the Mcfarland Pollinator Patch with Hand-Painted Rain Barrels

 

In March 2022, the garden club of  CGHS came to have a workshop with Barbara Mcadams to learn about rainwater collection and to paint the rain barrels at the Mcfarland patch. The Miami-Dade Extension office donated three rain barrels, and the kids were delighted to paint three different themes.




Weekly maintenance at the Macfarlane garden

It's fun to get together and observe what's happening in the garden. The summer of 2022 was very dry, so watering was very important to get the plants established.

 

Watering Duty with Maria Teofilo
Lovely monarch under the moringa trees.
The lignum vitae tree
Watering Duty with volunteer  Maria Ason
Natives, Bahama strongbark, ruella and native salvia.

A landscape in the middle of the Macfarlane district.

Maintaining the Macfarlane Garden post-Hurricane Ian

Lots of fun pruning and straightening up some plants that needed a little tender loving care.

Volunteer Grace Carricarte
Louis Duncanson, Susan Rodriguez and Grace
Harvesting moringa leaves for his friends
Florida Thoroughwort a native that bees love.
Bloodberry, a favorite nectar plant for the Atala Butterfly.
Louis and Susan discussing the new locust berry plant , a fond memory of Louis as a child.
Locust berry, larvae host for the Florida Duskywing butterfly and nectar plant for a variety of butterflies. Birds eat the berries.
Firebush, great nectar plant for hummingbirds and butterflys.

 

Presentation with residents at the Macfarlane Homeowners Association Meeting October 26th.

Talking about planting for wildlife.

Susan Rodriguez introducing residents to the garden at an HOA meeting and inviting them to participate.
Dennis Olle President of the Miami Blue Chapter talking about our native butterflies
Address of the pollinator garden, in the Macfarland district
Photo Credit: Bonnie Masdeu
Photo Credit: Bonnie Masdeu
Photo Credit: Denayer Mueller
Photo Credit: Alfred Forns
Photo Credit: Sherry Jordan
Photo Credit: Sam Dubrow
Photo Credit: Beatriz Portela