Monarch Waystation | Mayfield Congregational Church

Partnering for Pollinators 2025

In collaboration with U of I Extension, Mayfield Church is hosting the fourth annual series of Partnering for Pollinators programs. Learn about native gardens and our pollinators by joining us for one or more of the programs listed below.

All programs take place at the Mayfield Monarch Waystation located at Mayfield Congregational Church, 28405 Church Rd, Sycamore, IL. Programs will take place rain or shine so be sure to dress for the weather.

Free of charge. No registration necessary.

Schedule:

June 7, 10 – 11 a.m.
Shade Gardening for Pollinators
Learn about choosing native plants to create beautiful pollinator gardens in shady conditions.

June 21, 10 – 11 a.m.
Habitat at Home: Backyard Bird and Butterfly Sanctuaries
Join Jamie Arntzen, Director of Land Stewardship for the Illinois Audubon Society, to learn what these sanctuaries look like, how to create one in your own yard, and how to register it as a certified Bird and Butterfly Sanctuary through the Illinois Audubon Society.

July 19, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Open Garden
Enjoy the flowers, butterflies, bees, and birds at your own pace during Mayfield Church’s Summer Stop. Waystation gardeners will be available to answer your questions. Plus, learn about the Underground Railroad in DeKalb County, see inside our lovely country church, and enjoy other events of the day.

August 2, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Sunset with the Butterflies
Butterflies love the late afternoon/evening, when the temps are warm and the winds are mild. Come enjoy the Monarchs and more! Bring your cameras and cell phones for photo taking!

Illinois Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists from Boone, DeKalb, and Ogle counties who attend can count the time as CE hours. Other counties should check with their coordinator.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact DeKalb U of I office at 815-758-8194. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs.

********************************************

Are you looking for information about what plants attract and provide food for both caterpillars and butterflies? Click here for the Mayfield Monarch Waystation Plant List, providing names, bloom times, and other information you’ll need.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS AND PROGRESS UPDATES!

The Mayfield Monarch Waystation provides habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinating insects and a beautiful, peaceful spot for people to slow down and connect to nature and to the divine.

You are welcome to visit the garden to enjoy the beauty and to learn about the plants and shrubs, all of which are native to northern Illinois. The Waystation is open during daylight hours.

The Waystation began in 2014 as we learned about the dangerous decline in monarch butterfly populations. For initial support, Rev. Martha Brunell, pastor of Mayfield Church at the time, wrote a successful grant application to the Abbey of the Arts, Earth Monastery Project, an online monastic community. Abbey of the Arts “believe[s] that small, thoughtful, and carefully stewarded programs can make a big impact on the world.”

Since that first grant, many volunteers have contributed time, sweat equity, and funds to create and maintain the Waystation.

Peggy Doty, Energy and Environmental Stewardship Educator with the University of Illinois Extension and a member of Mayfield, explains the environmental value of the project for DeKalb County in particular. “Waystations for butterflies and other pollinators are critical oases in a highly agricultural landscape. A waystation makes perfect use of remnant land and buffer spaces.”

Gardener Diana Swanson comments that “In our little spot on this Earth we can do something real to support one of the miracles of the Creation — a butterfly that travels thousands of miles and depends on Midwest milkweed to survive.”