As part of Bacon’s Castle’s Garden Party on April 25, Master Naturalist and experienced butterfly raiser, Joni Carlson, will cover butterfly life cycles and teach how to grow plants that sustain a variety of butterfly species. She will emphasize the importance of native plants, especially milkweeds for a “natural” rather than a manicured garden to support butterfly and pollinator health. Joni addresses ways you can become a citizen scientist to monitor and tag monarch butterfly in their migration efforts and offers tips on what it takes to turn your yard into a certified Monarch Waystation.

Joni has a background in food and nuclear analytical chemistry, and currently works in the Anthropology Department at William & Mary as Administrative Coordinator. She is a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist with the Historic Rivers Chapter and is passionate about drawing, raising and releasing butterflies. She also delights in teaching local elementary school systems on the life cycle of the butterfly (with live samples!) and in maintaining the certified monarch butterfly waystation on her property in Surry, Va.  Her heart is to educate others in the ease of butterfly gardening so others might increase their gardening joy.