August Event Posted

August 2009 Event

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Rick’s Prairie Garden Visit & Plant Swap

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Saturday, August 15, 2009

10:00am to 12 noon

Downingtown, PA

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Come join Rick for a visit to his NWF Wildlife Habitat Certified Prairie Garden, located in Downingtown, PA. Rick is an ornamental horticulturalist from Chicago, who has planted mostly native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants over the past 7 years to transform the existing lawn into a wildlife friendly prairie habitat.

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Bring any extra plants from your garden to share

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Pre-Registration Required, Visit HRN website for details

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Prairie Garden by Rick

Was anyone else excited to see the sun still in the sky this evening during the commute home? Warmer temperatures, the sun, birds chirping! Am I dreaming?

While I'm rather certain that we may still get at least one more cold snap of the season, I'm definitely thinking Spring. As we sit back pondering all of the yard chores that is ahead of us this coming season, and trying to figure out what we're going to conquer next in the garden, perhaps we can get some suggestions or ideas from fellow members and their wonderful plantings.

These photos are from Rick W. capturing his backyard prairie garden in Downingtown, PA, which he began six years ago. His main herbaceous plants are:

• Big and Little Bluestem
• Switchgrass
• Culvers-Root
• Butterflyweed
• Queen-of-the-Prairie
• Purple Coneflower
• Blackeyed-Susan
• Rattlesnake Master
• Gayfeather

He also has some woody plants on the east side of the garden:

• Serviceberry
• New Jersey Tea
• Virginia sweetspire
• Summersweet
• Spicebush
• Smooth Sumac (volunteers)

He includes birdfeeders with black sunflower seed and thistle seed and a bird fountain.

Summer 2005

Summer 2008

October


Rick, your pictures are lovely and the gardens are beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing these with the other members.

Everyone, continue sending in emails that you would like to see posted.

Homeowners Course Completed

It may have been cold outside on Saturday, but inside the walls of the Brandywine Conservancy Trust we were talking gardens, trees and critters. Our first Homeowners Wildlife Habitat Course for 2009 is now complete. Don't worry if you missed it, there is another one being held on March 7th at Penn State Brandywine.

For those of you who had the opporunity to come out this past weekend, please do not hesitate to share your experience and your habitat plans here. You can even post pictures and get suggestions from other members!