Garden at Moor Children's Home To Be Dedicated Saturday

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The Heinz Duerkop Hummingbird and Butterfly Habitat at the Lee and Beulah Moor Children's Home will be dedicated on Saturday, June 5, at 10:00 a.m.

The habitat has been designed and built by the El Paso Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico in cooperation with the El Paso Cactus and Rock Club, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, Franklin High School Junior ROTC, Ft. Bliss Sergeants Major Academy, the Franklin High School Business and Professional Class and Sam Jensen, Eagle Scout. Work has been going on for more than a year.

The project includes two garden areas with seating. The gardens are designed as labyrinths - spiral paths based on Native American tradition that lead to the seating areas. Native plants, shrubs and trees that attract hummingbirds and butterflies have been planted and are blooming. A solar powered fountain provides a quiet background sound for visitors. Expansion and construction of an arroyo will help control water runoff on the property. The hummingbird and butterfly habitat and an earlier cactus garden have helped the children's home reduce the amount of grass requiring water and maintenance.

Heinz Duerkop died in a bicycle/vehicle crash last fall. His wife, Margo, and friends in El Paso and his native Germany provided financial contributions to create the Hummingbird and Butterfly Habitat as a lasting memorial commemorating his love of native plants and nature.

Mrs. Duerkop and their son will be at the dedication ceremonies.

Virginia Morris, president of the El Paso Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico spearheaded this effort. She coordinated the design and development and received donations of plants, construction materials and monetary donations for the project.