Who are we?

Citizen volunteers with a common interest—create butterfly habitats to help restore the declining monarch butterfly population and provide a home for other pollinators and beneficial insects.

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What was the original plan?

Create a 1,000 sq. ft. pollinator garden and 1,000 sq. ft. prairie in Prairie Village Park that will serve as a pollinator habitat and contribute to the beauty and enjoyment of our community. 

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What's was the new plan?

After successfully implementing our original plan, we look to maintain our first garden while adding more pollinator gardens around the North Prairie community beginning with Village Hall. 

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What have we done?

2021 Accomplishments

Sod was removed and 445 native plants were purchased and planted by volunteers on the garden’s east side in May 2021. All plants are Wisconsin natives and include three milkweed varieties (swamp, prairie and Sullivant’s), liatris spicata, meadow blazing star, wild blue indigo, early and showy sunflower, sky blue aster, wild bergamot, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, rattlesnake master, stiff goldenrod, pale purple and purple coneflower. Plants were used instead of seeds to yield faster results. Many plants bloomed after only two months!

 

In April, 2021 the 1,000 square foot area next to the pollinator garden underwent solarization to eliminate existing grass and weeds. After undergoing solarization for seven months, we seeded the area in November with a special mix of 47 different kinds of plant and grass seeds native to Wisconsin. Two million acres of prairie once existed in Wisconsin but only about .5% remains today—about the size Madison’s Lake Mendota. Our goal is to foster and nurture this area into a healthy prairie ecosystem. 
Patience is key as developing a North American native prairie from seed takes 3-5 years.

 

2022 Accomplishments

The 2022 growing season was spectacular! Plants in the pollinator garden were healthy and robust, filling in the area nicely. Some varieties reached a height of six feet! Anticipation was high as we waited for he return of our beloved monarch butterfly and other pollinators. The garden did not disappoint as   20 monarch butterflies were counted at one time on a bright, sunny day in August!  We’re pretty sure they’ve adopted our garden as a rest stop and fueling station on their migration route.

 

Establishing a prairie from seed requires patience. The first growing season was successful beyond our wildest dreams. Several species were easily identified such as wild lupine, little bluestem and brown-eyes Susan to name just a few. The area was maintained at an average height of 6-8 inches throughout the summer so that the plants could put their energy into establishing deep roots. 

 

Check out the photo gallery to see photos of the new cedar fence, signs and Aldo Leopold bench!

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2023 Accomplishments

Our work was expanded to maintain the small milkweed garden at the entrance to the North Prairie Village Hall. Some additional plants were added to provide color and nectar sources for pollinators. We also held our 1st Annual Native Plant Sale in Eagle, Wisconsin in May. The sale was an astounding success! We thank all our community members for supporting our fundraising efforts by purchasing plants from us.

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What’s next?

We hold the belief that education and leading by example is key to the future of sustaining a clean and healthy environment. To demonstrate our commitment to this belief, plans are in the works to add a pollinator garden on the south side of the North Prairie Village Hall and expanding our current garden at Prairie Village Park. Stay tuned for exciting developments! We will also hold our 2nd Annual Native Plant Sale in May, 2024. This sale serves as our main fundraiser and allows us to continue our work in the community.

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