We had fewer volunteers for our Habitat Workday, the Sequel, but those who came really brought determination. Many more plants made it into the ground — at the front of the school, at the back of the school, and off in the woods. Plus, we found and removed more Ligustrums and Nandinas. Thank you to our dedicated Eagle Scout Ben K. and to Habitat Stewards Dale B. and Sue A. — you have made such a tremendous difference in our school grounds and our students’ nature opportunities. Thank you again to the Wildflower Center for your amazing support of our native plant endeavors. And of course, thank you to all of our volunteers for your muscle power!
Off in the woods we found exciting native discoveries, including Kidneywood, Agarita, Twisted Leaf Yucca, Yellow Passionflower, Elbow Bush, Virginia Creeper, and more. And we have increased our native plant diversity with Betony Mistflower, Rock Rose, Mexican Silk Tassel, Shrubby Boneset, Lyre-leaf Sage, and yet others. I’ll be adding descriptions and wildlife info of these plants to our blog as soon as I have a chance.
Our other exciting news is that several Girl Scouts in one of our 5th-grade troops have been working hard to plan and implement a new butterfly-hummingbird garden for the students in our preschool program. This project was made possible by a Home Depot grant for Building Healthy Communities. Thanks to the grant, we were able to purchase the pavers, benches, and other hardscape materials to allow us to have a new native garden for wildlife and our young students to enjoy. Thank you, Girl Scouts and Troop Leader Jen V.M., Home Depot, and all the volunteers who have made this new garden possible.
Thank you also to Geo Growers for your contribution of wonderful ThunderDirt, a perfect soil for native plants. Geo Growers soil is also in our Outdoor Wildlife Lab, and the native plants there are simply thriving.
The preschoolers’ garden is not quite finished, but is very close — the Girl Scouts should have plants in the new bed next week!
