Wow!  There was a lot going on in the garden today.  Photos were being taken among the flowers and of a new garden sign.  The poppies and dill are at seed, kids are excitedly reading the new signs between themselves and to their parents, and the new plants from the grant have found their spots.  Gulf Coast Frittillaries are in caterpillar form among the Passion Flowers which, by the way were blooming today,  and a few adults were flitting about the nectar flowers.  

The flex hose purchased last year reaches the entire garden for easier watering of our young plants.  They need a thorough but gentle drinsing daily this week.  Come out to see the new color and give us a hand while you are there, if possible.

Volunteers have come along beside garden club members recently and made a big difference for the garden.  Help with weeding, rock work, transplants, watering and garden sign fabrication is truly appreciated!  Some helpers are pictured here.

 1.  Wear thorn-resistant gloves like "mud gloves" that are washable, and made of cloth covered with textured rubber.  Mud gloves should cost around $10; there are many choices of tougher and more thorn resistant (and more expensive) gloves, such as elbow-length  "gauntlet gloves", which should be available at good quality garden stores.  

2.  It's a good idea if you'll be doing a lot of gardening to be sure that tetanus shots are current - you will find yourself (joyously!) playing in dirt and may occasionally suffer a prick.  Be aware that there are metal burrs at the bottom edge of fence.

3.  Disenfect shears and lopers with hydrogen peroxide or diluted bleach to avoid spread of disease from plant to plant. 

 

Is your day care or school group interested in our Children's Butterfly Project?

Each 45-minute program features a presentation by a master storyteller of Catherine the Caterpillar's life cycle as a Monarch butterfly.  This is followed by an age-appropriate activity such as a scavenger hunt and a take-home craft project.

We have a number of programs scheduled, including the following dates and times:

Groups can have up to 21 children and must have 1 adult for every 7 children.  If interested in these or other dates, please contact us to schedule your group.

NGC Members: we need volunteers to assist with the groups. If you can help out with any of these dates and times, please contact Joan!

The new fence is in and the workday on March 15th was focused on planting in the new bed.  Some plants were purchased including a number of roses.  Plants were also donated including canna lilies, jamaican ginger, a firebush, and society garlic.  Passionflower vines from the garden of one NGC member's father were donated in his memory.

We had a few volunteers join us for the workday including the spring-breaking daughter of a NGC member and two Boy Scouts and their leader.  These wonderful helpers assisted with moving the large rocks from the storage garage to border the bed on the west side of the garden.