Children from private schools, camps, scouting troops, and local neighborhoods have been arriving for a tour of the gardens. Adult butterfly enthusiasts make frequent visits, and even the local camera club arrived to take pictures. I am a photojournalist, and our tours often include a slideshow in our livingroom which vividly illustrates all the stages and varieties of butterflies which I have captured on film. Colleen is also scheduled to speak at local schools and has been conducting classes at the Okeeheelee Nature Center four times a year. She also serves as science education advisor for the butterfly discovery zone at Dreher Park Zoo in West Palm Beach.
Many visitors ask about the plants.
One of the secrets is container growing. Ninety percent of the enclosure is composed of plants in containers. This allows for the rotation of plants to provide optimum blooming periods and also to make better use of space. Plants that have been eaten by caterpillars can be transferred outside, and fresh plants can be moved into the house to insure a constant supply of leaves for the laying of eggs and for food to insure healthy caterpillars and chrysalises. Our enclosure is in a low-lying area, so potted plants are also better protected from the threat of flooding during the rainy seasons.