Gardening for the Birds, Bees & Butterflies

It’s amazing how much has been learned in just the past few years about the best ways to support birds, bees and butterflies … and it’s not just about finding the best food at the local store! The plants you choose and the way you garden has a huge impact on the number and variety of birds you will see in your yard. This course is based on the real-life experience of a spare-time gardener who has created 2 Certified Wildlife Habitats within colorful, bountiful gardens. Using the National Wildlife Federation’s framework and more recent findings from entomologist Doug Tallamy, you will learn gardening tips & techniques along with landscape design concepts, plant lists, and resource recommendations for increasing the joys of nature in your own yard… especially the birds!

Martha Rollefson has been an avid spare-time gardener since she bought her first house in the early 80's. After multiple moves, she settled in Connecticut. While learning all she could about how to have flowers for as much of the year as possible, she started to appreciate the value of doing more for the birds, and she achieved Certified Wildlife Habitat status for her yard there in about 2010. Then in late 2015 she "retired" and moved to Etowah. To feed her gardening habit she starting working for Wild Birds Unlimited and became a certified bird feeding specialist. That gave her even more experience with birds as well as the resources to establish her Etowah garden as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. She gets great pleasure from sharing her passion for blending garden beauty with creating a welcoming environment for wildlife using the sustainable practices that support her yard and, yes, the planet.

Host or Publisher The NC Arboretum Adult Education Programs