“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” ― Audrey Hepburn

Can Lily Scott Reclaim the Sparkle of Fireflies? Can You?

Lily Scott’s Firefly Garden

Those of you who’ve read my novel, Dream Stalker, know about Lily Scott’s remarkable relationship with fireflies, including a mystical firefly that leads Lily into the dreams of suspected murderers.

In Dream Stalker II, Lily seeks to recreate the firefly habitat she remembers from her childhood. The nights she sat in her grandmother’s garden sanctuary and watched fireflies sparkling around the goddess Scathach’s statue.

It isn’t just Lily who worries that fireflies are disappearing. Avoiding their extinction presents a real-world challenge. Light pollution, pesticide use, and losing firefly-friendly plants have taken their toll.

I, like Lily, remember the glow of fireflies in the meadow behind my grandmother’s New Jersey farm and worry that my grandchildren might never see fireflies.

Luckily, there is a way that we can support these bioluminescent beetles. We can create a backyard garden that encourages firefly repopulation. The requirements: no outside lights, pestacide-free soil, a water feature, and plantings of native shrubs, nectar-rich flowers , and native ornamental grasses .

After establishing such a garden, we can even visit firefly.org website to buy a sign proclaiming our new Certified Firefly Habitat. 

That’s what my friend Lily wishes to do. Maybe I should try it? How about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

P.S. Lily asked me to tell you that herbs such as lavender, basil, borage, dill, fennel, and catnip can attract all kinds of pollinators.

P.P.S.  Scott Radke captures the glow of the firefly in this short video

https://youtube.com/shorts/RrvPT7fyGFU?si=axYenhqUnxYLgb82

Cheers,
Nancy