Congratulations to Besa Schweitzer for MONPS award

The Missouri Native Plant Society (MONPS) has recognized St. Louis Chapter Member Besa Schweitzer for her native plant writing! Besa received the Erma Eisendrath Memorial Education Award. Besa’s recent book, The Wildflower Garden Planner has introduced many new gardeners in the St. Louis area to native plant landscaping and she…

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August 2023 Garden Gathering Highlights

post and photos by Donna Short, Chapter member and volunteer   Nee Kee Nee – The East Stream at Tower Grove Park Saturday Aug 12 (33 attendees) Wednesday Aug 16 (42 attendees) We visited the East Stream at Tower Grove Park –  Nee Kee Nee, or “revived water” in the language…

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2000: Keystone Member Jane Schaefer

Jane Amid Her Purple Poppy Mallow   I was excited to get the chance to interview Jane Schaefer but I didn’t quite realize how much she has helped the native plant movement in University City. Jane and Mary Ann Shaw started the organization, U City in Bloom in 1985. At…

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2000: Keystone Member Barbara Brain

A Native Plant Lover from Abroad   Barbara grew up in England where she learned an appreciation of nature and native plants from her mother who loved wildflowers.  She moved to the U.S. when she was 21. She and her husband moved a couple of times before settling in St….

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2001: Keystone Member Betty Struckhoff

A Learner and Sharer of All Things Native…   “In 1999, looking forward to retirement, I decided to become a Master Gardener.  It was in my DNA.  My mother always had a huge vegetable garden when I grew up on a farm near Augusta, Missouri.  Some of my favorite childhood…

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2001: Keystone Member Sue Reed

From Weeds to Native Plants …   “As a gardener my entire adult life, I have always wanted to help attract wildlife. Herbal bee (attracting) plants were favorites from my time in the St. Louis Herb Society. Garden club membership included many talks on wildflowers and tours of Shaw Nature…

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Fall 2023 Plant Sales

Did you know that fall is a good time for native planting? The soil and temperatures of fall bring great conditions for root establishment. Planting in the fall can also give you a jump on the spring gardening season. If you know of a native plant sale that isn’t listed,…

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Seeds – a closer look

post and photos by Kathy Bildner, Chapter Member and Grant Committee Chair “A seed is a flowering plant’s unit of reproduction, capable of developing into another such plant” (Oxford dictionary) It is time to collect seeds for the St. Louis Wild ones November seed exchange. Or maybe like me, you…

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July 2023 Garden Gathering Highlights

post and photos by Donna Short, Chapter member and volunteer   Home of Jan Ward        Wednesday Jul 12 (57 attendees) Saturday Jul 15 (52 attendees)    Jan’s yard is a haven for the birds, bees and butterflies! Her native plant journey began in 2018 when she signed up for the annual Native…

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