During the height of the pandemic, Carolyn Livingston was inspired to make a difference in her community. "I started thinking, 'What is this world going to be like for my grandchildren? Is there anything I can try to do to make a change?'" recalled the resident of St. John's Herr Estate in Columbia.

When she received money from COVID relief funds, she decided to act. "I put my money where my mouth is," she stated. "Why just talk about doing something if you're not actually going to do it?"

Carolyn spearheaded an effort to transform an unused space at the retirement community into a garden full of native plants. She hoped the project would not only beautify the grounds of the facility but also inspire other people to consider planting native plants.

Carolyn reached out to Elyse Jurgen, owner and founder of Waxwing EcoWorks Co., a Lancaster-based organization with a mission of promoting ecological gardening experiences, and she recruited a team from St. John's as well as two of her grown children to help with the project.

In early fall 2021, the group - which included residents Anita Perrone and Audrey Hibner, St. John's staff members Steve Weisser and Ed Rodriguez and Carolyn's daughters Gwen Livingston and Susan Staugaard - gathered at St. John's to plant 1,500 "plugs" or small plantings, all of which are native to this part of Pennsylvania. Jurgen selected 15 native species, including coneflowers, asters, wild petunia and butterfly weed.

"The native species that were selected for this plant palette were chosen based on the stark site conditions of the site," Jurgen said of the garden that abuts an exterior wall of St. John's personal care wings. "Given that it is a south facing slope, against a brick wall, the space is very dry and sunny. This makes for the perfect site conditions to grow a low-growing little bluestem meadow."

Carolyn noted that the garden is always evolving, featuring new colors and flowers seasonally. "The residents love it," she said. "They tell me they love to watch it because it keeps changing."

Along with plants, the garden features several bee boxes, and Carolyn has noticed many varieties of bees pollinating the plants. That's one of the many benefits of using native plants in a garden.

"Native plants pack the greatest punch for regenerating habitats and struggling wildlife populations," Jurgen noted, adding that the monarch butterly is among these populations. "Indigenous plants to this region have co-evolved with treasured wildlife - birds, butterflies, etc. - so they can recognize it as a nutritional food source or as a host plant to raise their young."

Carolyn said she was pleased to discover that not only did the garden come back to full beauty for its second summer, but it also attracted monarch butterflies.

The St. John's property is surrounded by the community of Columbia, and Carolyn hopes local residents will consider incorporating native plants into their yards as well. "I've always been fascinated with the idea of pocket gardens," she said, referring to gardens in small spaces. "Anybody can put a native pocket garden in their yard and create a pathway for the monarchs."