Teen takes initiative, builds first butterfly garden in Windermere

When Windermere’s Carmella Duell was just 8 years old, she was asked to babysit chrysalises — special, hardened shells caterpillars form around themselves when they are ready to transform into butterflies. 

Immediately, Duell’s mind was filled with curiosity, so she accepted. 

When she babysat the chrysalises, she found herself immersed in the process. 

“I loved seeing the butterflies grow and develop,” she said. “The whole process of it was just really interesting, and that is what got me into agriculture.” 

Now, as a 16-year-old teen, Duell still is helping butterflies. 

Recently, she planted her first butterfly garden in the town of Windermere’s Palmer Park, after receiving approval from the Town Council members in November 2025. 

Monarch butterflies already are making their way to Duell’s garden, indulging in nectar and pollinating flowers. 

Duell’s goal is simple: provide a garden for monarch butterflies to lay eggs, consume nectar and act as cross-pollinators, aiding them from becoming extinct. 

Duell planted milkweed and salvia plants in the garden, which will act as the perfect source of nectar for adult butterflies, as well as a place for them to lay their eggs. 

According to the most recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Monarch Species Status Assessment, by 2080 the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56% to 74%, and the probability of extinction for western monarchs is more than 95%. 

Threats to the species include an increased use in herbicides and pesticides, overwintering habitat destruction, and climate change. 

“I felt like now was a good time, because monarchs are endangered,” Duell said. “It would be best to help them sooner rather than later.”

And the process was easier than expected, she said. 

The town of Windermere was excited about Duell’s initiative, but the issue was finding the right location. 

Although Windermere has multiple parks, many of them are undergoing projects, which caused some hiccups along the way. 

Duell’s initial idea was to plant the garden at Pocket Park, but because of an improvement project, she had to pivot. It wasn’t a problem for her, because she was granted the chance to make a difference right in her town. 

During the winter months, more hiccups came. 

Because of the cold weather, some of her milkweed did not survive, but she persevered. 

We’ll just do it again, she’d say. 

“She was unflappable,” said Kelley Duell, Carmella Duell’s mother. “She saw the process through from start to finish, and she was really happy about it. I feel like this is her happy place and where she feels comfortable. She finds joy in helping, and you couldn’t ask for much more.” 

With this garden, Carmella Duell hopes to not only help monarch butterflies but also educate others. 

Her ultimate goal is to have multiple butterfly gardens in town, as well as the Ward Trail. 

But to accomplish that, she’ll need some volunteers. 

By teaching others how to care for the gardens and why monarch butterflies are essential for our ecosystem, she hopes to continue her legacy making an everlasting impact in the environment. 

Her interest in the environment goes far beyond monarch butterflies, though. 

At Olympia High School, she is a part of FFA, a program designed to promote agricultural education, leadership and personal growth. 

She plants plants around her house and cares for them. 

She takes time out of her day to research ways she can be of help. 

In the future, she hopes to attend the University of Florida to study pharmacology.

Her life’s mission always has been to help people, and through pharmacology, which includes botanical pharmacology, she hopes to do just that. 

“I just like planting and watching things grow and knowing that I helped create it,” Carmella Duell said. “I like watching my plants and see how they just develop and know that was something that I started.” 

The process to create and execute her garden was impactful, not only to her but also those around her.

“It makes me aware of what’s going on around me, and it’s giving me the skills to take initiative and know that there is room for growth in every aspect,” Carmella Duell said. 

It also showed those around her that people can make change as long as they act on it. 

With the intent to help those who need it, Carmella Duell knows as long as she stays tenacious, she can do it. 

Carmella, the author

Carmella Duell also wrote and illustrated a children’s book.

“Connor and The Colossal Case of the Crummies,” follows a dinosaur named Connor who is sick and fearful of the doctor. 

The fictional 6-year-old dinosaur visits the doctor and the pharmacy, overcoming his fear. 

The book gently introduces children to basic health concepts and prevention strategies, while helping them overcome their fears through a success story. 

Where to buy: Barnes & Noble, $19,99; Amazon, $12,99

All proceeds will go to Shepherd’s Hope Health Center, aimed to provide health care to the uninsured.