During the month of May, one way we celebrate Garden for Wildlife Month is by spotlighting our Community Habitat team leaders and asking them why they garden for wildlife. Kelly Long is the leader of Greer’s Community Wildlife Habitat, which earned their certification in October of 2021 and recently renewed their certification in April! Kelly has a special place in her heart for monarch butterflies and shared her story with us:

Why Kelly Gardens for Wildlife

“Gardening for Wildlife has never been more important to me than now! I have recently moved to my forever home and have set my home and yard to be successful in attracting all sorts of wildlife! I do not use pesticides at all, which is hard on the back but great for the soul! We located our new home in the middle of our horse pasture and set aside an area for our home, a large garden, a meadow to wildlife to come (deer, turkeys, groundhogs, birds, and butterflies come here daily), and my flower beds are full of milkweed, native plants, and all things that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. We also have a small farm pond that is full of fish, turtles, and frogs, as well as dragonflies, ducks, Canada geese, and other water fowl of all types! I have spent my spring going to garden clubs all over the state of South Carolina educating about the plight of the monarch butterfly and how we can plant to attract them and save them. I have given out over 600 packets of free milkweed seeds that I obtained from the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, which will be planted in gardens all over the state to help our Monarchs have a place to lay their eggs and hopefully have a great year! There has never been a better time to Garden for Wildlife and make a difference for our native wildlife and a big difference for our communities and environment!
Won’t you join us!
”

— Kelly Cason Long, Garden Clubs of SC Wildlife Habitat Chair

Check out Greer’s Community Wildlife Habitat page to see all the hard work their team has done to help create wildlife habitat!

Learn more about how to get your community certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat