In 2013, former first lady Rosalynn Carter quietly launched a butterfly garden at her childhood home in Plains. It was the first stop on The Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail, a network of monarch butterfly-friendly public and private gardens across the United States.
Today there are 22 in-ground and container pollinator gardens around Plains — like on Main Street, the Georgia Visitors Center, the Plains High School Museum and the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm — providing nectar and host plants for butterflies.
More than 1,400 private and public gardens across the world have joined the trail.
So it seems fitting that Carter, a long-time advocate for monarch butterfly conservation, will celebrate her 96th birthday quietly at home Friday with her husband Jimmy and family releasing a few butterflies in her own garden.
Credit: Jack Bacon
Credit: Jack Bacon
Last year, on her 95th birthday, “Dancing Monarchs,” a massive sculpture featuring 400 steel leaves and 18 glass butterflies, was installed in the Rosalynn Smith Carter Childhood Garden at the home where Carter grew up, on what is now Rosalynn Carter Trail.
The former first lady also will enjoy cupcakes and peanut butter ice cream with former President Jimmy Carter at home on Friday, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based Carter Center said.
For one of Georgia’s most celebrated couples, birthdays and anniversaries have been quiet and private for the last few years.
The Carter family announced in May that Rosalynn had dementia. The family announced in February that Jimmy had entered home hospice care.
Credit: Jill Stuckey
Credit: Jill Stuckey
Even though the Carters will celebrate privately, there will be several public events honoring Rosalynn.
On Friday, the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park and Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving will screen the feature film “Unconditional,” about caregiving and mental health. The free event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Plains High School.
At the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, admission Friday will be .96 cents in honor of Rosalynn and visitors will be treated to birthday cake.
On Saturday, the town of Plains will host Butterfly Daze, a day of butterfly releases and live performances beginning at 10 a.m.
The Carters celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in July. Jimmy Carter will turn 99 in October.
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