Habitat Happenings

Welcome back to Hill’s families from the courtyard gardeners.  Eight of us spent 82 hours since school was out to maintain the pond and garden. We did a lot of watering, especially during the nine consecutive days of 100+ and no rain.  Then the week of July 27 six-plus inches fell and seemed to break the worst of the drought. Patrick Hoelscher is coming to our rescue on watering issues as he begins an Eagle Scout project to install a sprinkler system this school year.

In June we welcomed Barbara Adams and Johnette Tingley to our gardening group of Monica Daily, Julia Burgen, Lucy Barnes, Lynda Ballou, Becki Campbell, Mary Ann Curtis, Robbyn Steele and Christi Wilson.

Over the summer Monica and grandson Garrett Walker have painted several plant signs plus four garden statues: two squirrels, lady bug and frog. Our large frog statue disappeared last May.  We keep hoping that it will turn up around the building somewhere.

Lynda Ballou started a dozen milkweed plants from seed last spring and put them in the garden in May. On August 17 a monarch caterpillar was seen on one. We are very anxious to fulfill our commitment as a Monarch Watch location in order to help this unique species to survive its annual migration from northeastern U.S. and Canada to Mexico and back each year. There are lots of opportunities to involve students and families in geography, history, language, culture and certainly science in following the monarch migration via Journey North on the internet.  Check out  www.learner.org/jnorth

There are pumpkin plants coming up from a jack-o-lantern left for that purpose by Mrs. Hoelscher’s kindergarten class last year. Mrs. Whiteley plans to have her class plant radishes and lettuce. There are green onions growing nearby that could be added for a salad. The herb garden is doing well also, but we need to add some parsley to the sage, mint and rosemary.

The pond is home to two red-ear sliders, a mud turtle plus numerous goldfish, koi and three shubunkins (calico-colored small fish). Other garden residents include anoles and geckos. Birds and butterflies visit regularly. Our giant passion vine is a main source on which Gulf fritillaries lay their eggs. The giant swallowtail has recently laid eggs on the prickly ash tree and the black swallowtail often checks out the garden. Birds observed this summer include doves, cardinals and mockingbirds.

We always welcome volunteers. Please contact us for information about gardening.

Garden Coordinators:                                                                                                                               

Julia Burgen            jburgen@sbcglobal.net

Monica Daily           onid2@sbcglobal.net