September Program Recap Soil Amendments – Beyond Compost Presented by Tom Wilkinson, author Tom Wilkinson was concerned that too much organic material was being sent to landfills. He began composting the organic material from his household waste and then improved his compost with red worms, creating a vermicomposting system. He sold his vermicompost at the… Read more »
National & Chapter Forum August 2019 Download the 2019-08 National Chapter Forum INTRODUCTION Somehow August has flown by, and here at the WILD Center, Monarchs are dining on Blazing Star Liatris, Sweet Brown-Eyed Susan, and Joe Pye Weed to fuel up for their journey south. It’s a beautiful time of year to enjoy natural landscaping,… Read more »
August 19, 2019 Program Recap Restoring Native Habitat in an Urban Setting Presented by Justin Heslinga, Stewardship Director, Land Conservancy of West Michigan It was a warm August evening when Wild Ones River City Chapter members and friends met at The Highlands on Leonard St NW, Grand Rapids. There was a great turnout of 60… Read more »
National & Chapter Forum July 2019 Download the 2019-07 National Chapter Forum INTRODUCTION Much of July has focused on technology and communication to help us reach more people and teach them about the importance of native plants. By working together, Membership Chairs and other chapter officers, members, and staff have enabled Wild Ones to reach… Read more »
Wild Ones Volunteers Made the Event a Success! A thank you note from Marti MacArthur, Vice President and chairperson for the NPEG Garden Tour and Plant Sale. Although the temperatures were high and the winds at times gusty, the sixth annual Wild Ones River City Chapter Garden Tour & Plant Sale was a fun evening and… Read more »
JUNE 17, 2019 PROGRAM RECAP by Ruth Oldenburg, Communication Chair If We Build It They Will Come: Research Results on Prairie Management Presented by Dr. Rob Keys, Professor of Science, Cornerstone University It was an overcast evening, and 16 Wild Ones members made the hour drive to the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute near Hastings. Enthusiasm… Read more »
The Politics of Planting Natives: How One Village Went Wild Part 2 of 2 By Darcy Dye, Wild Ones Member Photos by David Dye The Story of the Adopt a Garden Program in Spring Lake Continues To read part 1 click here. 6. Creating a Working Plan Each summer brings its own share of “complications,” things… Read more »
May 20, 2019 Program Recap Spring Ephemerals Through an Artist’s Eyes By Ruth Oldenburg It was an enjoyable evening with the talented artist Georgia Donovan at the Izaak Walton League lodge and grounds. Georgia talked about a “different way of seeing” nature. She explained it as seeing through a child’s eyes or as a meditation…. Read more »
The Politics of Planting Natives: How One Village Went Wild Part 1 of 2 by Darcy Dye, Wild Ones Member Photos by David Dye The Village of Spring Lake is a Charter Village in Ottawa County. It takes up less than 1.915 square miles on the map, is home to about 2,500 residents, and has the… Read more »
A Tale of Two Poppies Compiled by Joyce Tuharsky Rarely do you find two plants that look so much alike, with similar names, but have such different management concerns. That is the case with two plants commonly known as Celandine. The Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), also known as the Wood Poppy, is one of our… Read more »