Locklear Pollinator Garden Wins Fort Walton Beach Award

Mary Ann and Kirby Locklear's Kenwood home earned the June 2026 Yard of the Month award from the City of Fort Walton Beach for its pollinator-friendly gardens.

The couple transformed their corner lot since moving in 1995. Their front yard features beach sunflower, penta, black-eyed Susan, lantana, coreopsis, and milkweed. "Everything here feeds either hummingbirds, butterflies, or bees," Mary Ann Locklear said. She avoids herbicides and harmful chemicals.

Pollinator plants surround the house and fill the backyard. The National Wildlife Federation certified the property as a wildlife habitat. The Locklears raise Monarchs on the property; Mary Ann has released approximately 200 this year.

Mary Ann tends the garden several hours daily during spring, then steps back around mid-July when heat and humidity intensify. Kirby provides mulch for the beds.

The city's program recognizes residents who maintain properties above average standards. Residents can nominate any yard within the city limits, including their own, at fwb.org/yardofthemonth. Winners receive an official sign and appear on the city website and social media.