Gardner in residence

Johnston is affectionately known as "The Butterfly Expert" at The Chesapeake, a continuing care retirement community in Newport News, Virginia. Each spring, he plants seeds and butterfly host plants and releases them in August. But before he moved in three years ago, he asked Liz Gee, director of sales and marketing, if he could start a butterfly farm within the facility's farm.

"When he came to live here, he asked if he could use the funny farm to raise his butterflies," Gee said to the Daily Press. "I thought the idea was wonderful. He plants and teaches us about butterflies. The other residents have been really receptive to it, and his butterflies are beautiful."

Johnston became a Hampton master gardener in 2007 and is an active 20-year member of the Butterfly Society of Virginia.

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.