Meet the monarch whisperer

St. Vital

A multi-talented resident at Dakota House, Helen Hogue, was once featured in several nature magazines for her former prize-winning gardens in St. James. Finding out she still grooms monarchs right in her present suite intrigued me.

No, she’s not raising royalty – these are monarch butterflies.

I’ve known since grade school there are four stages in a butterfly’s life – egg, larva, pupa or chrysalis, and adult. In plain language, the larvae are worms.

Calling them caterpillars, Helen’s way, did not help me. How could anyone tolerate having worms crawling around free-range in one’s own dwelling!? When she mentioned she’d raised a total of 1,621 butterflies in her St. James sunroom, I shuddered.

I, too, loved gardening once. But if I touched an earthworm with my bare hands while planting, I’d rub and rub my fingers to get rid of that crawly feeling. A robin watching from the fence nearby would often fly in and gobble up the wriggly ‘thing‘ – thankfully.

I have learned a lot from Helen about tolerance for life other than human in the animal world, especially things that crawl. I think differently now.

Here in St. Vital I have been privileged to look inside the breathable netted cubes in which Helen confines and raises the caterpillars. She first places the collected tiny butterfly eggs on milkweed leaves supplied by her daughter. Milkweed is the only food that monarchs eat. Nurseries stock milkweed, but some like these two environmentalists grow or have grown milkweed in their own gardens.

It’s no wonder that several publications, garden tours and media outlets have seen fit to feature Helen’s achievements.

Helen won best garden twice in Take Pride Winnipeg’s Winnipeg in Bloom contest, and also finished third once for her front yard flowers.

Her garden was featured in several garden tours, starting in 2003 when The Friends of the Conservatory tour brought 129 visitors. The 2007 Winnipeg Free Press tour attracted 108 visitors; the Friends of the Garden tour in 2011 – 220; the Manitoba Master Gardeners tour in 2019 – 278; and the Gardens of Distinction in 2023 – 310.

Helen’s garden was also showcased in Canada’s Local Gardener magazine’s Beautiful Gardens section, which highlights a different garden from around Canada in each issue,

Most recently, Helen and her daughter Cathy did a video presentation at Dakota House.

Helen deplores that this fall she saw no monarchs here. Is this an indication that they might be on their way to extinction?

Right now, to celebrate Christmas, her suite is full of big and little symbols of the season –and joyful sparkles. A reflection of her artistic talents and the caring order in her life.

Merry Christmas and happy new year, everyone!