Takes a Village

In the beginning stages of this process, our initial proposition was written out to someone in the Home Depot department. Once we were approved, Omar Lopez, Operations Manager, began working with us to determine exactly what materials we would need, how big the garden was going to be, and to get a good idea of our vision so that he could help us bring it to life. 

In April 2023, we "broke ground" on Wings and Wonder Butterfly Garden. Members from Mr. Lopez's team all volunteered their time (even some coming to the school right after a long night shift at work!) to help us. They put the garden furniture and raised beds together, they dug out the start of our milkweed gardens, painted fences, dug holes for poles to be placed into, put a new liner in our pond and helped to beautify it, etc. 

This was not just a one day job!!! Many hours were put into the planning and creating of this garden and we are all grateful for the volunteers of Home Depot FDC #5898, and espeically to Mr. Lopez!

Creating a butterfly garden has its set of challenges. One of those challenges is deer! After we purchased a whole flat of milkweed and planted it in the garden, the deer out back started getting interested. Not only did they hop the fence and check out our newly planted milkweed sprouts, they ate them!! Every single one of them in fact! After reaching out to New Moon Nursery explaining what happened and asking to purchase another flat, they donated one instead!! Our school is very grateful for this donation and allowed us to replant milkweed to provide food for the Monarch caterpillars.