September meeting minutes

PROGRAM

Wild Ones at Lockwood Park in Webster Groves

Wild Ones at Lockwood Park

Thirty-two members and fourteen guests enjoyed a tour of the recently re-landscaped Lockwood Park in Webster Groves. The tour was led by Scott Woodbury who consulted on the park’s landscaping, Webster Groves Parks Manager Shawnell Faber, city horticulturalist Yvonne and seasonal park grounds-person Jeremiah.

Each of Webster Groves’ seventeen parks has a different theme based on what makes sense for each park. The theme of Lockwood Park is Sustainability, which includes native landscaping. Most of the plants were chosen for function first; beauty is a bonus.

Because the park has steep slopes and receives run-off from the adjacent College School, rain gardens, boulders and stone bridges help deal with water management.

Hand rails and a pergola were hand-crafted by an artist welder. Other features include a prairie garden and a shortleaf pine grove. There are play areas for kids of different ages, making this what the city calls an “explorer park.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Partnership with St. Louis Audubon
Our chapter has agreed to partner with the St. Louis Audubon Society on an application for an MDC Community Conservation Grant. The proposed project is in Creve Coeur Park, and Wild Ones’ initial commitment will be to assist in the layout of butterfly gardens near the Lakehouse restaurant.

2014 Landscape Challenge Planting, September 27
Marsha Gebhardt circulated a sign-up sheet for volunteers to help with the Landscape Challenge planting on September 27. We co-sponsor a yearly Landscape Challenge with Shaw Nature Reserve and the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program. This year’s winning yard is in Kirkwood on West Argonne Avenue.

NEXT MEETING:  Saturday, October 4, 2014, 10:30 a.m.
Yard tour and potluck lunch at the home of Scott Barnes in Collinsville, IL.
For directions, see our online calendar.

Recorded by:  Fran Glass, Secretary

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