sterlingmade Spring 2026

into my yard at home,” Sue said. “Now here I am sharing it with the public and enjoying seeing the excitement and how it promotes questions and inspires ideas.” On days when the Conservatory was closed, she would spend hours tending to the young native plants inside and around the Conservatory — watering, weeding and prepping them for visitors and butterflies to enjoy. She was always ready to help anyone who curiously approached the garden fence with questions about this new space in their neighborhood. “I am always eager to open the gates and give

Parks & Recreation

COMMUNITY GARDEN

A Year Taking Flight From chrysalises to community connections, “The Butterfly Lady” helps the garden spread its wings. T he warm summer sun beams down on rows of fresh pollinators with the garden’s visitors.

This eventually led to her current roles as a Nature Center instructor and commissioner on the Sterling Heights Beautifi cation Commission. They don’t call her “The Butterfly Lady” for nothing. Her personal experience with these creatures makes caring for them at the Community Garden second nature. “I’ve raised an assort ment of butterflies as a hobby for almost 20 years and released them back

“My love of native plants and the butterflies, bees and other pollinators has made the Conservatory and native garden almost a second home,” Sue said. She comes to that second home with plenty of experience. A former greenhouse worker and MSU extension master gardener volunteer, she began volunteering with the Sterling Heights Nature Center in 2017.

fruits, vegetables and native plants growing roots at the Community Garden. Beside them is Sue Hobig, better known as “The Butterfly Lady,” pulling weeds and watering plants at the Conservatory. During the first year of the new Community Garden, Sue spent time tending to the plants, caring for butterflies and sharing her passion for

them a full tour of the garden, all the many

“I’ve raised an assortment of butterflies as a hobby for almost

20 years … Now here I am sharing it with the public and enjoying seeing the excitement and how it promotes

questions and inspires ideas.”

SUE HOBIG “THE BUTTERFLY LADY”

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10 • SPRING 2026

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