Sandy Hart, a retired teacher of the deaf, wasn't quite sure what to do with herself when she retired and moved to Florida.

But her lifetime love of gardening (which had been put on hold living in a condo) eventually led her to create a wondrous peaceful haven for butterflies and wildlife in her own backyard.

"I remembered visiting my parents in Florida in the early 1970's and wildlife was still abundant." Sandy says. "But when I purchased my Palm Bay home in 1986, birds were scarce and butterflies were practically non-existent. That's when I started planting and planning my garden to help bring back the wildlife. I would spend my vacations and summers transforming the yard a little more each time. When I retired in 1997, I started collecting native plants and raising butterflies. Since that time, my husband, 'Chappy' and I have been transforming additional grassy areas into flower beds and walking paths. Slowly, the grass has just kept disappearing and more and more plants have appeared."

As Sandy's gardening interests grew, she joined a garden club and the Brevard Rare Fruit Council. "I met botanists and teachers and other environmentalists who shared my love of nature and the more I learned, the more excited I got about the whole process."

"My first huge infestation of caterpillars turned out to be monarchs eating my milkweed. That started my interest in raising butterflies. I currently raise and release 8 different species and teach others how to do the same."

Sandy received her National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat™ certification because she provides nectar and larvalhost plants as well as water to as many different species of butterflies as she can.

Sandy and 'Chappy' truly love life in their habitat. "We delight in having breakfast with the butterflies, hummingbirds and other local wildlife that come and visit. I look forward to watching the garden mature as I plan more areas for wildlife to enjoy throughout the year."