Upcoming Events
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Marylou & Bob Kramer Yard Tour
July 14, 6:30 p.m.
Marylou and Bob Kramer, 2840 E. Pennwood Circle, Green Bay, are graciously hosting our first yard tour of 2010. The Kramers' yard was planted almost 20 years ago with many native trees and shrubs.
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Debi & Charlie Nitka Yard Tour
July 21, 6:30 p.m.
Debi and Charlie Nitka, 2336 Wildwood Drive, Green Bay, are happily hosting our second yard tour this year. The Nitkas' yard contains a woodland, sun-loving prairie, natives, non-natives, and a water feature.
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Field Trip to Milwaukee's Natural Landscapes
August 7
We will carpool to Milwaukee to participate in the Schlitz Audubon Center's 32nd Annual Lorrie Otto Wild Yard tour. We will board the tour bus at 12:30 p.m. to see six different naturally landscaped yards. Tickets for the tour are $15. Watch for more details.
Green Bay Wild Store
NEW! Chico Bags
The ChicoBag reusable shopping bag reduces your single-use-bag habit with a bag that fits in your purse or your pocket. We have the Karma and Nature bags available. The bags are $9.00 each. The bags are available at our monthly meetings. You can also purchase them at For The Birds, 1040 North Broadway, De Pere, or at Grassroots Grocery, 2200 Dickinson Road, De Pere.
Books
We have limited copies of Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin for sale. This book is by Lynn M. Steiner, a native of Wisconsin and one of the Midwest's best-known garden writers. They are $25.00 each which is the normal retail price. (Lynn has sold these to us at a reduced price as a fundraiser for our chapter.)
The Midwest Book Review, May 2007
"Beautifully illustrated with color photographs -- an essential instructional guide to successful native-plant gardening in Wisconsin -- the definitive and strongly recommended reference for any Wisconsin gardener or landscaper wanting to utilize and incorporate Wisconsin native plants."
Description on Amazon.com:
"Aimed at beginners and veteran gardeners alike, this book is designed to help Wisconsin gardeners find, plant, and maintain the best native species for their specific sites, however modest or lavish. Gardening with native plants is an ever-more popular practice -- and for good reason. Naturally suited to a region's climate and soil, native plants tend to thrive, and to reflect a true 'fit' with the environment.
The Native Plant Profiles section offers comprehensive descriptions of some 600 species of flowers and groundcovers, trees, shrubs, vines, evergreens, grasses, and ferns native to Wisconsin, as well as information on planting, maintenance, and landscape uses for each plant. With advice on the process of designing a natural garden that fits each lifestyle and family, the book will guide readers to the level of native plant landscaping that is just right for them."
Please contact Ceci Kiefer if you would like to buy a bag or a book. Ceci can be reached at 336-1662 or via email at Ceci@ssprairie.com. Ceci will arrange delivery. If the books are to be mailed, there will be an additional $3 charge. We will also have the bags and books available at our meetings for purchase.
We have 2 Seeds for Education Winners
Congratulations to members Ned Dorff, Washington Middle School in Green Bay, and Peggy Loritz, Westwood Elementary in De Pere, winners of Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education grants for their schools.
In April 2009, the elementary alternative education students at Washington began a 1,000 square foot native Wisconsin garden. Dorff said, “Winning the grant means that empty spaces can be filled with native plants as they develop a prairie plant community.” Loritz indicated the overall plan aims to develop a variety of ecosystems as an outdoor classroom. The goal this year is to begin the first phase with a Butterfly Garden.
The grants honor Lorrie Otto who originated the modern era of school garden projects in the 1970s in the Milwaukee area. Stone Silo Prairie Gardens, De Pere, will partner with Wild Ones to supply seeds and plants at a discount for these projects.
Winning photography runs in the Vastag family.
Harold Vastag, Bonnie (our new President), and their grandson Jordan won prizes for their photographs in the 2009 Wild Ones National photo contest.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Harold's Blue Splendor in Wyoming won first place
in the Scenery category and also won People's Choice. |
Bonnie's photo collage Visiting Chiwaukee Prairie took first place.
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Jordan won first and second place with his photos, Grandpa's Pond and Just Beginning, respectively.
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Congratulations to all!
WILD Center Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer your time, the WILD center would appreciate your help. To find out when and how, please call WILD Center at 1-877-394-9453.
P.S. there's always lots of weeding to do!
Planting Updates
Links
Watch a clip from It's Your Environment. Donna Van Buecken is interviewed by George Curtis; the clip includes video on the WILD Center.
Facebook
Flip My Lawn Contest
Read the full press release on the contest and winner.
Recent Events
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GBBG Garden Fair
June 4-6
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Baird Creek Spring Wildflower Hike
May 16
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Plant Rescue for Wild Ones Members
May 10
Members were able to rescue a large number of shady woodland plants.
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May Meeting
May 5
GBBG Executive Director Susan Garot and Horticultural Director Mark Konlock outlined future planting plans. Two new gardens, King Shade and Jenquine Overlook, are set to open in 2011.
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Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA
May 1, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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Trail Clean-Up
Several members met at the Mountain Bay trail to remove trash. They spotted massive groups of Bloodroot blooming along the trail.
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Landscaping for Birds
Marietta Nowak, Wild Ones member, East Troy, WI
April 7, 2010, 7:00 p.m. GBBG
Long-time Wild Ones member, Nowak is the author of
Birdscaping in the Midwest which teaches gardeners that
even small steps can improve bird habitat. Nowak guides
gardeners through planning a variety of gardens using
native plants. Prairie, woodland, ponds and rain gardens
can be all designed to attract birds and other wildlife.
This class is co-sponsored by the Green Bay Botanical Garden.
Rain Gardens: Protecting Water Quality
Pat and Ceci Kiefer, Stone Silo Prairie Gardens, De Pere, WI
March 3, 2010
As forests and agricultural land are replaced by cities
and suburbs, increased storm water runoff becomes a
problem carrying pollutants into local steams and
lakes. A rain garden is one answer. These landscaped
areas, planted with native grasses and flowers, have
deep roots which soak up rain water. When the garden
fills with a few inches of water after a storm, it slowly
filters into the ground rather than running off to a storm
drain. And - there’s the added attraction of a colorful
garden which attracts birds and butterflies.
February 3, 2010 - Randy Powers of Prairie Future Seeds in Sussex, WI
Plants, Pollinators, People: We're All Connected
Randy's presentation focused on how to plant a prairie and the importance and benefits of using native plants. Members learned how their yard represents the last chance for sustaining plants and animals
that once were common throughout the United States.
    Jul 14, 2010 (Wed)    
Yard Tour at 6:30 p.m. See Upcoming Events above for details
    Jul 21, 2010 (Wed)    
Yard Tour at 6:30 p.m. See Upcoming Events above for details
    Aug 07, 2010 (Sat)    
Field Trip to Milwaukee's Natural Landscape