The Rountree Branch Trail will include more than just paving and lighting.

Three people have volunteered to maintain the main Trail Entrance Native Gardens near Delta 3 Engineering on the trail’s west end. Gardeners Marsha McDermott, Karen Canny and Tiffany Vance are being supported by Platteville Community Arboretum horticulturist Alexis Turman, the garden designer, reclamation intern Dan Brumm and 24 new PCA social maintenance volunteers. 

UW–Platteville Greenhouse director Dawn Lee has more than 1000 native plants cared for by Dr. Yari Johnson’s Revegetation students ready and available.

A butterfly garden will be built in phases. Turman’s design includes butterfly houses, white rocks to sunbathe on, butterfly puddler (in a bird bath), and varieties of native flowers that attract butterflies. The first phase will be 3 to 6 feet, because PCA wants its gardeners to know that their involvement is with a small plot that they can make look stunning under the guidance of the PCA horticulturist. Gardens then can be expanded as desired by the gardener or another garden volunteer group.

PCA members are available for presentations to individuals, service groups and church groups. PCA volunteers will be speaking to two groups in the next week.

Organizations and individuals interested in the possibility of maintaining future butterfly or native gardens should contact Kris Wright, pca@plattevillearboretum.org, or Gene Weber, geneweber4@gmail.com. Design and planting can be provided by PCA Interns and its social maintenance committee.