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4 year old South Facing Wildflower Meadow in Swannanoa, NC
This native pollinator meadow was created in 2021 by Emily Sampson of Patchwork Meadows. It includes common milkweed, purple coneflower, rattlesnake master, chicory, showy goldenrod, little bluestem, broomsedge, liatris, black eye susan, wild bergamot, yarrow, wild quinine, narrow leaf sunflower, green headed coneflower, narrow leaf throughwort, and dozens of other species of native plants.
Pocket Meadow Near Asheville, NC
This pollinator pocket meadow was planted in 2021. Video taken 2023. Its full of native perennial wildflowers including swamp milkweed, coneflower, wild quinine, liatris, iron butterfly ironweed, queen ann's lace, large flowerd coreopsis, switch grass and native sedges.
2024 Gardens and Meadows
2023 Meadows and Pocket Meadows
Inspiring Monarch Migration Events that I've witnessed
Monarch Migration event Bald Point State Park
Monarch Migration event Bald Point State Park
Monarch Migration event Bald Point State Park
In 2018 I witnessed a spectacular Monarch Migration event on the Gulf Coast along the Florida Panhandle. It was one of the moments where I fell even more deeply in love with the natural world and strengthened my desire to make my life's work to create habitat to help reverse the population decline of many species of bees, birds and butterflies. You can hear my enthusiasm in this video
Sierra Chincua Monarch Sanctuary
Monarch Migration event Bald Point State Park
Monarch Migration event Bald Point State Park
During a once in a lifetime trip to Michoacan Mexico in January of 2020 I visited 3 monarch sanctuaries and and saw millions of butterflies. I was lucky enough to visit Sierra Chincua on a day sunny enough for the monarchs to take flight
Monarch migration event on Blue Ridge Parkway
Monarch Migration event Bald Point State Park
Monarch migration event on Blue Ridge Parkway
On Oct 2, 2021 these Monarchs were flying in masses at the Cherry Cove Overlook, moving ahead of a storm front that pushed them over the ridge and along their migration path down the Appalachian mountain chain leading them south towards TX and eventually Mexico
Monarch Migration event in Swannanoa Valley
Monarch migration event on Blue Ridge Parkway
This 1/2 acre pollinator meadow was created in 2019 by Emily Sampson of Black Mountain Recreation and Parks as a place for migrating monarchs to stop to nectar as the valley is along a major migration route through Western North Carolina. Hundreds visit annually to both lay eggs in spring and fuel up for their migration south in fall.
Black Mountain Monarch Waystation Tagging
During the monarch migration in Fall 2023 for 3 weeks in late September/early October over 1000 monarchs visited the Monarch Waystation of Black Mountain. Volunteers tag monarchs as part of an international citizen science tracking program.
Monarch Laying Eggs in a Patchwork Meadow
Female Monarch fluttering on Common milkweed in half acre pollinator meadow in Swannanoa, NC in summer 2023
