Hosting Organization: Folly Beach Civic Club

Meeting Location: Folly Beach Library and Community Center (55 Center St)

Free and open to the public!

As an ecologist, Sharleen focuses on much more than just the plants when gardening: microscopic and macroscopic life in the soil, critters in the leaf litter, herbivorous and pollinating and predatory insects, and larger wildlife including lizards and birds. All organisms are dependent upon a specific set of environmental conditions and a balanced network of other organisms to thrive. Coastal South Carolina habitats are rapidly being converted into housing developments, and unfortunately most yards provide low quality habitat. Therefore it’s not surprising that many bird and pollinator species are undergoing concerning population declines. So… what can we do? Ensure that our yards and neighborhoods have real habitat value! Sharleen will provide an introduction to gardening with native plants to support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, with an emphasis on plants that thrive in sandy soils, and that are tolerant to salt exposure and/or deer.