Garden Walkabout July 2023

Garden Walkabout July 2023

July 13, 2023
Gretchen Zuiderveen’s home in Belmont

Gretchen wrote: “I first learned about the importance of native plants from Dave Warners, a Calvin biology professor, who, along with his family, helped me plant a small native plant garden at Alger Elementary School where I was a teacher. After retiring, I began attending meetings of the Wild Ones, and became a seasonal worker for The Gardening Angel; both organizations nurtured and expanded my knowledge and appreciation for the plant world.

When we moved into our newly built house, the need for erosion prevention was immediate—I planted anything that would hold the soil—and am now planting to adjust to more and more shade from surrounding trees.

My gardens change constantly—without consulting me! I’m still trying to catch up with them and insert my choices whenever I can.”

Event Recap: Thank you to long-time WORC member, Gretchen Zuiderveen and her husband George, for opening their lovely gardens on July 13! We were treated to a prairie garden out front, near the end of their driveway. The orange butterfly weed was gloriously in bloom, along with purple coneflower, common milkweed, and other species. The Prairie dock leaves were huge!

We meandered around the right side of the house past fragrant sumac to the park-like back yard with its huge boulders strategically placed in the garden. The boulders were found on-site when the foundation was dug for their house. The backyard has tall oaks and a dry stream bed that channels rain away from the house. The black cohosh were in bloom here and there. Lupine, bloodroot and other natives carpet the backyard.

Heading back to the front on the South side of the house we walked over a carpet of moss in place of grass and then up stepping stones to a garden by the front door and a trellis of native clematis.