PROGRAM
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Betty Struchoff’s yard is certified Platinum by St. Louis Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home program. Eight guests joined 28 members for a yard tour, after which Betty related the history of the property that she and her husband purchased in 1983.
Due to the topography of the back yard and the existence of a natural spring, Betty has transformed the site from a soggy lawn to a lovely dry creek bed surrounded by numerous species of native perennials, shrubs and trees. During the last two years, they have added several features to attract more birds: additional shrubs, a bird bubbler and an owl house . The front and side yards are also planted in natives.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
St. Louis Earth Day Festival in Forest Park
Fran Glass reported that we gave away 350 Buttonbush seedlings at St. Louis Earth Day Festival. The event attracted 50,000 visitors. We shared a booth with St. Louis Audubon, and spoke with many interested visitors about the benefits of landscaping with native plants.
School Grants
Our chapter provides grants to non-profit organizations for landscaping projects incorporating native plants in an educational setting. Kathy Bildner is our school grant coordinator. She and team members Marsha Gebhardt, Anne Horton, and Prem Barton visit applicants’ proposed project sites to determine suitability for grant.
Our chapter has awarded several grants in 2015 at the recommendation of the grants team. Wild Ones members who live near the schools are invited to adopt a project in order to watch and photograph its progress, and report back to the membership.
The grants we have awarded so far in 2015 are:
- City Garden Montessori School
- McKinley Meadows Community Garden
- Chesterfield Elementary School
- Campbell Montessori School
Spring Wildflower Market at Shaw Nature Reserve – May 8 and 9
Marilyn Chryst circulated a sign-up sheet for volunteers to help set-up, staff, and take down our native plant sale booth at the Spring Wildflower Market.
St. Louis Native Plant Garden Tour – June 20
Our chapter is partnering with St. Louis Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home program to sponsor a self-guided tour featuring ten residential native plant gardens. All the yards are in central St. Louis County including Brentwood, Clayton, Glendale, Kirkwood and Webster Groves, and are certified by the Bring Conservation Home program.
Date: June 20, 2015 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $20 per person.
Register online
Two shifts of two volunteers at each site will help during the tour. To volunteer, contact Marsha Gebhardt.
Next meeting
June 3, 2015, 6:30 p.m. at Shaw Nature Reserve
Scott Woodbury will give a tour of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden. You don’t need to stop at the gate. Park in the lot by the Bascom House, and walk behind the house to the native plant school classroom.
For directions see our online calendar.
Recorded by: Fran Glass, Secretary
