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On  Sept. 2 the Mocksville Garden Club held their first meeting for club year at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in downtown Mocksville.

This was the first face-to-face meeting since the COVID pandemic started. Everyone who attended was excited about seeing each other.

The new officers: Allison Wiedeman, president; Kathy Klimkosky, vice president; Becky Peters, secretary; and Jean Harpe, treasurer.

Allison welcomed everyone and introduced the newest member, Marge Walls-Walker.

Becky Peters gave the inspiration, discussing inspirations realized during the pandemic.

A total of 19 members present and one guest attended. After the business meeting, Kathleen Cartner and Becky Peters provided refreshments.

The program was presented by Kevin Campbell from Campbell Family Nursery in Harmony. Campbell grows native plants for pollinators, along with many cacti. Campbell presented a program on the migration of the Monarch butterflies. These butterflies are pollinators and should be protected.  Campbell says that gardeners need to have a butterfly garden filled with  flowers and shrubs that attract butterflies.

For the Monarch, that would be the common milkweed that grows wild, along with many other native flowering plants. The butterflies feed on milkweed and flowering plants, but will only breed where milkweed is found. This is the only butterfly known that migrates from Canada through the US and into Mexico for Eastern migrations and Southern California for Western migrations. The Monarch stops in the United States to breed and  lay eggs. It may take two or more generations to complete the migration north to Canada or to it’s southern location.

If interested in learning more about the Monarch butterfly, contact Campbell Family Nursery. They can help you develop a  butterfly garden that will attract more butterflies and other pollinators.

“But most of all, try to protect the butterflies and remember a butterfly presents itself in many stages and could be misconstrued for a worm or a chrysalis sac hanging on a limb or many odd places,” said club member, Linda Sechrist. “The butterfly population is dwindling and needs our help.”

The club will have a fall plant sale on Wednesday, Oct. 6 (rain date Oct. 13) at the Mocksville Farmer’s Market at Junker’s Mill. The market is open from 3-6 p.m. Perennials that can be planted this fall will be offered, as well as house plants. Orders will be taken for Christmas greenery.

On Oct. 7 at  6:15 p.m.  at The Loft at Sunflower Trail on Eatons Church Road, the club members will hold their October meeting.

To attend a meeting or learn more about, contact Allison Wiedeman at 410-858-6846.