The Garden Club of Switzerland: Nature in Our Hearts and Homes

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Nature in Our Hearts and Homes

County Naturalist, Ayolane Halusky, visited us in March to discuss wildflowers and how they benefit our vegetable gardens. He also told us about upcoming programs the county is offering to encourage us all to get out and enjoy our local parks. Last but not least, he shared his love of nature with us, a love WE happen to share!

There's no better month to get out and enjoy the world just outside your door:

Join us on April 23 at Alpine Groves Park from 9AM to 4PM for the Bartram Bash and Earth Day celebration.

And the weekend before (4/16-17) Master Gardeners from our garden club will be at the EPIC Flower and Garden Show at the County Extension Center. See the April issue of the St. Johns Sun in our About Us: Published Articles page.

Check out our new posts for the month on the Resources page:

The Monarch's Fate is in Our Hands - monarchs overwintering in Mexico were hit by an early spring freeze, causing many to die. Read The Journey North's logbook on the migrating monarch and how you can help it survive

Free Gardening Resources in St. Johns County - Our library system and the University of Florida County Extension Center have many free and low cost offerings to help you get your best horticultural results. In June our club will be at the Bartram Trail Library for Garden Club Week to help you with your summer garden plans. We'll post the date when it is confirmed.

Our April meeting will be at Alpine Groves Park. We'll be sprucing up the Freedom Butterfly Garden for your viewing pleasure at the Bartram Bash!

And speaking of monarchs and the Bartram Bash, Mike Adams, owner of Saturiwa, the longleaf pine pine conservation and tree farm, just informed us that the white aquatic milkweed the Monarch Committee gave him to plant on his property last year is now in bloom! The salad bar for monarch caterpillars is officially open. You can talk to Mike about his unique property and enjoy his stirring presentation as William Bartram when you join us on April 23 for the Bash!

Last but not least, our membership season is in full gear. Why not become a member of the Garden Club of Switzerland? Membership and Contact information is at the bottom Let's Stay in Touch area of our Home Page.

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PREVIEW OUR SELF-GUIDED TOUR!

Welcome to our native plant website:

www.AlpineGrovesNativePlants.org

We've been told how much our visitors love to walk through the garden. We appreciate that and are completing an upgrade that will allow guests to learn more about the plants and wildlife they see. We're installing signs that feature a QR code to access the native plant database with information on the over 50 plants we've planted, as well as the pollinators that utilize them. The URL to the website is www.AlpineGrovesNativePlants.org - We welcome your comments AND your photos. They can be shown at the kiosk by the garden entrance.
The QR Code is here:

If you need help using the image, refer to these help links
How to scan a QR code,

Scan a QR code with an Android phone,

or The best QR scanning aps.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT OUR NATIVE PLANT POLLINATOR GARDEN?

We're working with the St Johns County Master Gardeners to upgrade and maintain the Freedom Butterfly Garden at Alpine Groves Park. Click the Resource link in the menu above to see what's happening. Our latest accomplishment is being awarded a Plant America Grant - Click the link here to see how it will enhance our garden. The Resources page also has a side bar column with sections the Document the Native Plant Garden and Forms for you to join our club or buy a commemorative brick for the garden walkway.

NEWS

The State Wildflower License Plate Gets a New Look. Show your love of Florida Wildflowers by purchasing a Florida State Wildflower license plate. The purchase raises money for wildflowers, wildlife and wild places. You can purchase a plate at your local DMV office or request one online with this link: Order Wildflower License Plate Online. More information on the purchase process and prices is at State Wildflower License Plate Information.

FFGC Announces Position Statements on Environmental Issues:

Neonicotinoids and implications for pollinators. Neonicotinoid usage has come under increasing scrutiny as a possible cause in bee colony colapse and other harms to pollinators. See the following news reports:

Are Pesticides to Blame for the Massive Bee Die-Off? PBS Newshour 11/24/15
Feds Propose Plan to Bolster Decline in Bees PBS Newshour 5/19/15
The Latest Buzz on Honeybee Colony Collapse PBS Newshour 5/3/15
Environmental Outlook: The Race Against Pests and Weeds Diane Rehm show 2/3/15

Lowes has announced a phase-out of neonicotinoid pesticides and pesticide treated plants in its Corporate Shared Responsibility Report (4/9/2015).

If you'd like to see neonicotinoids phased out completely, go to the Friends of the Earth Petition to the EPA to ban neonicotinoids and add your voice to the call.

Show your support for providing the monarch butterfly protection as an endangered species. Sign the Credo petition to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to do just that.

(Background: In response to a petition by scientists and environmental non-profits, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said [on 12/29/2014] that Endangered Species Act protection may be warranted for monarch butterflies. The agency will now conduct a one-year status review on monarchs, which have declined by 90 percent in the past 20 years. More Info is in the Xerces Society's Monarch Butterfly Announcement. (posted 12/30/2014)

Environmental tip: Save resources by shopping for local produce. See our Resources posting, Local Farms Come to You for more info.

Fresh and Local Recipes

Monarch Committee Report