About

Christopher Hefter, a Bluffton resident for more than ten years and a graduate of the College of Charleston, is the Vice President of Product Development for Optimum Resource, Inc. He has been responsible for over sixty award-winning pre-k through 12 educational software programs. www.stickybear.com

He has another pastime. It is a combination of gardening, outdoor recreation, and photography. This photo launched Chris's photographic curiosity.

Six years ago, Chris and his wife, Natalie planned a raised-bed butterfly garden. It has had exceptional results. With a variety of plantings, water, sunlight, and the Low Country's climate and long growing season, the garden teems with an amazing variety of these beautiful insects.

"I like to call it my outdoor fish tank." Says Chris, "It is always a great feeling when you see a species you have not seen before, or you look out in your garden and you see 30 butterflies floating around. There are hundreds of varieties that take advantage of the great weather and living conditions. I started bringing out my camera and capturing the butterflies digitally and have taken thousands of pictures over the years."

The butterfly garden is a raised bed, ten by twenty-five feet, with about twenty-five different flowering host and nectar plants which provide the food and shelter butterflies need to survive and reproduce for future generations.

"If you plant it they will come. You will find that many of the same plants that attract butterflies also attract hummingbirds so I get to see them every day throughout the fall."

Now getting a superb photo is always a treat, you try and frame up your shot but the subjects don't always cooperate.

All photographs are printed on archival Fuji paper and all mats and backing materials are acid free.