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Pollinator Plants for Your Garden — Part 3
This is Part 3 of a 4 part blog series describing 12 easy-to-grow plants for attracting pollinators (butterflies, bees, etc) to your garden. If you missed Parts 1 and 2, you can read Part 1 here; read Part 2 here. The 12 species discussed in the series are all available for free (while supplies last!) a locations around Petersburg–see December 12th blog, Create Your Own Pollinator Habitat at Home, for details.
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Pollinator Plants for Your Garden – Part 2
This is Part 2 of a 4 part blog series describing 12 easy-to-grow plants for attracting pollinators (butterflies, bees, etc) to your garden. If you missed Part 1 last week, you can read it here. The 12 species discussed in the series are all available for free (while supplies last!)–see December 12th blog, Create Your Own Pollinator Habitat at Home, for details.
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Pollinator Plants for your Garden – Part 1
This is the first of a 4 part blog series describing 12 easy-to-grow plants for attracting pollinators (butterflies, bees, etc) to your garden. In addition, most of the species provide birds with seed in the winter–so don’t cut back plants until late spring!! The 12 species are all available for free (while supplies last!)–see December 12th blog, Create Your Own Pollinator Habitat at Home, for details. Each Thursday through January 5th we’ll feature 3 of the 12 plants with detailed descriptions of the plants as well as specific sowing instructions. Note however, for those that say to direct sow in spring, you may actually direct sow them in late fall/winter. In nature…
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Create Your Own Pollinator Habitat at Home
Wanting to add more pollinator habitat at home? Look no further: native plant seed packets will be available in Petersburg this week! You can find displays at the Petersburg Public Library, 1st and 3rd Boutique, the Talisman, and the Crazy Daisy Gift Shop. This year we are offering a dozen colorful species collected primarily from the plantings on Petersburg’s square. The packets are free, but we welcome donations that support Menard County Trails & Greenways. The displays will be restocked until we run out! Wondering how to choose? Follow along as we highlight these 12 species in upcoming posts! Wondering how to plant them? Follow the detailed planting instructions on the…
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Sip n’ Sow Workshop
Sip n’ Sow Seed Sowing Workshop 1st & 3rd Boutique & Wine Bar January 12th from 5:30 to 7:30 Limited to 30 Registered Participants — Fill Form Below to Register It’s never too soon to think of spring! Join some adult-only fun at the Sip n’ Sow Workshop! Sip a glass of wine and sow some native flower seeds for your summer garden. Native plants attract pollinators and serve as butterfly host plants, including many species growing on the square in Petersburg. The evening will kick off with a slide presentation with photos and discussion of some of the species that will be available. Participants will then use the winter…
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Invasive Species at New Salem State Historic Site
It is very exciting to kick off our habitat restoration work at New Salem Historic Site in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources! While the site is best known and visited for the recreated village where Lincoln once lived, much of the site is forested land, from the floodplains along the Sangamon River to the upland forests crisscrossed by several miles of hiking trails. Like most natural areas, regular management is necessary to deal with invasive species that have displaced so much of our native flora.
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Planting on the Petersburg Square
Two years ago, I decided to adopt the empty planting beds on our beautifully updated square. Remaining mostly bare since their installation in 2015, I envisioned the beds teaming with beautiful native plants abuzz with colorful butterflies and other beneficial insects.
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Pollinator Waystation at Wayside Planted
Last year, Trails & Greenways received a donation from Menard Electric and Co-Bank to rehabilitate the exiting planting at the Wayside Park Council Circle with a new Pollinator Waystation. It was our intention of getting the planting installed in late April or early May. But, between the cool, wet spring and Covid-19, the planting was delayed by over a month! Finally, on Friday, June 12th, with temps in the high-80s, six of us planted, mulched and watered-in 100s of tiny plants representing 23 species. Adding to the existing plants, the circle now contains 43 native species that provide food and/or nectar for pollinators.
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Leaves of three, let it be….
Leaves of three, let it be… but leaves of three are not always a sign of danger! There are many beneficial native plants with trifoliate leaves that are completely benign. Speaking of beneficial native plants, poison ivy IS extremely beneficial for wildlife. The flowers are visited by bees, the leaves are hosts for several moth caterpillars and browsed occasionally by mammals, and probably most importantly, the white berries feed dozens of bird species. Of course, the birds are then responsible for its wide distribution, much to the dismay of all who react to the irritating urushiol oil, present in all parts of the plant. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) can form…
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Exploring Menard County (and a little beyond….)
In and around Menard County we’re fortunate to have so many places to explore nature at a safe distances from fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Here’s a snapshot of a few places we’ve been visiting this month.
