University of Sioux Falls Garden Club has “Green Fingers”

For nearly four years, the University of Sioux Falls has had a garden club, also known as Green Fingers, for students to participate in and get their gardening on. The club meets a few times over several months. It is a chance to get away from all the studying and be outside.

With just a few volunteers, Green Fingers takes care of the Butterfly Garden located in between Mears Library and Jeschke Fine Arts Center. People come to the Butterfly Garden for the pleasure of seeing the beautiful monarch butterflies flying around and to smell the fresh flowers.

If you’ve enjoyed the blooms and butterflies, have you ever wondered who is behind the creation of the Butterfly Garden?

USF Art professor Ceca Cooper started the Butterfly Garden and is also the Green Finger’s advisor, She created it in response to her son’s complaint about how boring campus looked.

“When we started it we were overly eager, so the first year we took over the Butterfly Garden and then we took over the beds in front of Jeschke and the garden out here, the beds in Jordan and then the ones behind McDonald Center. It was a nightmare because there were only fifteen to twenty people but only about five would ever show up. The following year we just did the butterfly garden,”said Cooper.

With the addition of maintenance they are able to keep up with the gardens around campus. But without the help of volunteers, the Butterfly Garden would not be here. Cooper says the Green Fingers are important because they are committed and willing to help out when needed.

Not only do the Green Fingers take care of the Butterfly Garden but they also help tag the monarchs that come to the garden. The process happens in September when the butterflies come to the garden for the flowers. The Green Fingers will then tag the butterflies and track them as they move back and forth from South Dakota to Mexico.

If you are interested in gardening or love working outside with nature contact Cooper at ceca.cooper@usiouxfalls.edu or be sure to check out the Spring and Fall Club Fest where the Green Fingers recruit new people to the club. Hope to see you there!