Calusa Garden Club Presents: Butterfly Gardens - Anyone Can Have One

Master Gardener Donna Kay will give a PowerPoint presentation about butterfly gardens on Monday, October 9th at 12:30 PM at the meeting of the Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island (CGC) at Rose Hall at the Marco Island Library. The public is invited to join the meeting for Kay’s presentation at 12:30 PM.

Kay’s program will include informational handout material as well as an opportunity to ask questions. At the conclusion of the program at Rose Hall, CGC Butterfly Garden Chairperson Susan LaGrotta will lead a tour of the butterfly garden on Winterberry Drive, providing some history and future plans for the space.

Kay has been a Master Gardener in Collier County for 20 years, and started butterfly gardens at the Extension Center, Rookery Bay and other community areas. She has maintained a Florida friendly yard, planting nectar and host plants to attract a variety of native butterflies. For many years Kay was a docent in the butterfly garden at the Naples Botanical Garden. Kay is a member of the Calusa Garden Club on Marco, helping at our Butterfly Garden in Calusa Park.

Susan LaGrotta has been a resident of Marco Island after moving from Long Island 26 years ago and a member of the Calusa Garden Club since 2012. On Long Island, Susan had extensive experience in community beautification, serving as project manager for planting beds in two public spaces. As a member of the City of Marco Island Beautification Advisory Committee (2005-2020), LaGrotta was tasked with the design of a butterfly garden by Chairperson Syd Mellinger (member of the Calusa Garden Club) to be installed in Calusa Park. Presently, LaGrotta works with a committee of volunteers to maintain the butterfly garden.

Calusa Garden Club is a member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs and membership is open to those interested in horticulture, floral design and environmental matters residing five months or more in Collier County. 

Calusa Garden Club meets the second Monday of the months of October and November, and January through March, at Rose Hall at the Marco Island Library. Business meetings begin at 10:30 AM and programs begin at 12:30 PM. Calusa Garden Club welcomes visitors interested in our educational programs and visitors interested in membership. Contact the Garden Club at calusagardenclubcommunication@gmail.com, or on the Garden Club’s website, calusa.org, or visit the Club’s Facebook page Calusa Garden Club.