Fritillary butterfly, an ally in Lynn Brown’s garden. Photo by Lynn Brown.
By Pat Stinson
Editor’s note: This story has been updated from the original, published May 15, 2024. It includes an explanation of Fluttering Fields/Neighbors for Nature, Lynn Brown’s Facebook group.
Lynn Brown loves her nature. During the last two years, she turned portions of her Bear Lake area property into habitat corners for frogs, butterflies and birds. Through her Facebook group, Fluttering Fields/Neighbors for Nature, she and other group members share their joy and inspire each other by posting their experiences bringing pollinators such as insects and birds into their yards. Most importantly, they do this by planting native plant species that attract these vital creatures and others.
One day this winter while driving home from Meijer, Brown passed by the Community Art Wall in Onekama. A light bulb flashed on. Here was a space next to Yellow Dog Café that had not only a community garden but also a wall of community art that changed each year. Could that wall be used to inspire others in the community to bring nature into their yards?
Brown contacted Nikki Schneider, owner of Patina, who comes up with themes for the wall and gathers artwork from community members to hang on it. Brown said she approached Schneider because “she’s in the center” (of town and things going on) and “she’s so visible in her plan for the garden wall.”
“I reached out to her because I want this effort to be community-based. I asked her, knowing that Connie Veverica (a local master gardener) comes to the store all the time (she tends the community garden) and works in the garden behind the library with Jean Capper. Connie’s on the same page as me. Here we’re all doing this separately, working in our own spaces. So many of us in Michigan are nature-based; let’s do this all together to improve the habitat of all pollinators.”
Schneider came back with a plan to cover the wall with artwork by community members inspired by the theme “Garden Allies” — the birds, bees, butterflies and other insects that pollinate our gardens.
On June 7 and 9, from 12 p.m to 2 p.m., members of the community are invited to create their artwork in a group setting. All supplies will be provided, and refreshments will be served in the community garden at 4850 Main Street. Those who prefer to work at home on their projects may take supplies with them.
“Nikki even has wings for butterfly selfies,” Brown said in a tone of amazement.
During Onekama’s Block Party in July, Brown plans to set up a table to share information about the benefits of introducing more native plants into home gardens without going “all wild.”
“Even if plants aren’t your thing, you could plant one tree, like an oak tree, or put in one water source, a bowl of water for the birds. That’s huge. Birds and insects have lost their travel corridors. People can rethink how they can go back to nature … They don’t have to get rid of grass or stop raking,” she said.
Neighbors for Nature
Lynn Brown and her husband Scott own a retail shop of vintage items called Gasoline ReFind. (Full disclosure: The Browns are Freshwater Reporter advertisers.) The Bear Lake area shop attracts customers looking for treasures among Lynn’s sometimes-quirky finds, most — not all — from the mid-20th century. Lynn said some of their customers are also interested in the habitats she has created on the property, which is where she and Scott make their home. Sometimes, she would share native plants or bricks with her customers who wanted to create their own natural areas.
There was obviously a lot of interest in the habitats she created. The pair held a big sale in their backyard last summer. “Half the customers were videotaping hummingbirds,” she said. One area of her yard is devoted to caterpillars and is a designated Monarch Waystation.
A Facebook page and Instagram account for Fluttering Fields was created for those who had “no option to go the the store or my yard.” On social media she posted photos and videos of critters in her yard, but she said she grew tired of the one-way communication. So, she started a Facebook group where “these specific people” interested in creating natural spaces could get together and swap ideas and inspire each other. Fluttering Fields/Neighbors for Nature was born.
She began networking with other Facebook groups, not just in the area. Folks from Kalamazoo, Dearborn and other places joined her group, including garden clubs. Among its members are homesteaders and people interested in natural pest control, climate change people, and one birdwatcher in particular, Mark Greening, who she said has a lot to contribute. In fact, Greening came to the store to introduce himself to her, which she said is what’s great about the group.
“It’s diverse, she said, adding, “Everybody’s a leader. We all take equal responsibility and inspire each other. Our happy place is outside. We want to nature.”
“So many visitors teach me so much,” she continued, giving an example of “a guy living next to a defunct golf course” who asked her, “What can I do to help?” bring back a more natural habitat.
Lynn said that three years ago she had an ornamental garden, “until Matt came to town.” She was speaking of Matt LaMore, co-owner of Black Cap Farm, a native plant nursery based in Onekama. “Matt started pointing me in the right direction.” Her gardens now consist of 70% native plants, with ponds for frogs and plants for caterpillars, birds, bees and butterflies.
“I believe in the win-win for humans and nature; we need to co-exist,” she said. “We can have our beautiful (ornamental) areas.”
And even when nature throws her a curve ball, such as grackles eating her frogs, her neighbors occasionally come to the rescue by dropping off more. When the aphids start colonizing her favorite plants, she said she’s not going to “kill all the aphids.”
“Leave ’em; it’s a community.”
When asked about her use of the word “neighbors” in the name of the Facebook group, she replied: “My definition of neighbors is all of us. Wherever we are geographically, we’re all neighbors. We’re all together on this earth — not neighbors by property, just (in) spirit.”
Pat Stinson is co-editor of the Freshwater Reporter.
