Hello Gardeners!

Our plants will be very happy after Friday's much-needed rain, and I was very happy after our work day on Tuesday.  Thank you so much to Al, Terri, Jo, Sue P., Carol, Nancy H., and Deb for all of your hard work hauling mulch, weeding and weed-wrenching!

 

I have some feathery photos for you today.  The first one is of the planters next to the Peace Bridge and Batavia's City Hall.  Check them out on your way to the Riverwalk.  The astilbes are gorgeous right now!

 

The middle photo is of elderberry flowers.  Anyone who has seen Arsenic and Old Lace knows that you can make wine out of the berries, but I recently learned that it is easy to make Elderflower Cordial using some lemons and sugar.  Here is the link to a recipe: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/homemade-elderflower-cordial.  Citric acid can be found in the home canning section of the grocery store.  Just make sure that you do not include any stems or leaves since they are NOT edible.   

 

The final picture is of vandals caught in the act.  They have been remoreslessly messing up the Riverwalk and trampling our precious woodland plants, even after we asked them to leave.

 

Since next Saturday is July 4th, and since we still have some mulch to spread and weeds to pull, we will have a short work day on Tuesday, June 30th starting at 8:00.  If you have them, please bring gloves, eye protection, weed diggers, clippers, loppers and/or a shovel.  If it is raining more than a light sprinkle, please do not come.

 

Thanks for your help!

Sarah Kimber

Native Plants Chair

Hello Gardeners!

It is now officially summer, and as you can see from the photos we have butterfly weed and roses blooming in the little prairie at the Wildflower Sanctuary.  

We also have a nice big pile of mulch, so there will be a work day on Tuesday, June 23rd.  We will be meeting on the east (wooded) side of the Riverwalk starting at 8:00 am, and would love to have your help from 6 feet away!  If you are not into moving mulch, we have crown vetch in the little prairie that needs to be pulled, brick pavers that need to be weeded and edged, and some small trees that need weed wrenching.  

If you have them, please bring gardening gloves, eye protection, a shovel, clippers, knee pads and a weed digger. Do NOT come if if is raining more than a little drizzle.

Have a great day!

Sarah Kimber

Native Plants Chair

Hello Gardeners,

 

Our next work day will be Tuesday, June 23, and I will have details about where to meet, etc. when it gets closer.   

 

We have a couple of very unique plants at the WFS.  The first picture is of our "Compass Dock".  It is in the little prairie area between the sidewalk and the Riverain parking lot, and is a hybrid of  Prairie Dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum) and Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum).  All of the plants in the Silphium family have thick, scratchy leaves and then yellow sunflower-like blooms at the end of the summer.  Sorry, I do not know which plant was the mom and which was the dad, but a bee was probably the matchmaker since they are the main pollinators for Silphiums.  

 

Now that we have some beautiful weather, I encourage you to take a walk on the wild(flower) side, and see what you can find.

 

Sarah  

 

Come visit my garden.....

Nancy Hollmeier has suggested members of the Batavia Plain Dirt Gardeners try a Summer “Visit My Garden” but this year with different rules.  Everyone brings their own drink and snack and (chair if they wish).  She has offered to be the first to do this and help us see if this may be a way to come together in gardening this summer.  Come join Nancy (at a respectful distance, masks at times may be helpful!) and see her garden June 30, 4 - 7 pm.  Rain date, July 1, same hours.

Nancy lives at 415 Maple in Batavia and can be reached at (630)482-1133. If this works, we will try other “Visit My Garden” opportunities this summer.  

Hi Everyone!

A big thank you to Terri and Nancy H.!  They did not let talk of weeds, mud, or a heat wave scare them on Tuesday, and they cleaned up the previously flooded Riverwalk and a lot of weeds.

 

Thank you too, to Al for the wild ginger plants!  They seem to be taking hold.

 

We will be having another unofficial work day at the WFS on Saturday, June 13 at 8:00, and it would be great to have your company from 6 feet away.  Please note the earlier start time due to summer heat.  We will be working in the shade to clean up weeds and overhanging plants along the Riverwalk starting at the kiosk on the east side and working towards the dam.  If you have them, please bring gardening gloves, knee pads, clippers, loppers, weed diggers, etc.  Some water, a snack and a mask would also be a good idea.  

 

The first photo is a page from a book called Illinois Wildflowers by Don Kurz.  These yellow flowers are not at the WFS, but have been popping up in gardens all over the Fox Valley, so folks have been asking what it is.  Butterweed is native to southern Illinois, but has been making its way north. 

 

The other picture IS of native beauties that are blooming now at the WFS.  Take a stroll on the riverwalk to see them in person, along with anemonies, yellow iris, and golden Alexander.

 

Thanks for your help!

Sarah Kimber

Native Plants Chair

 

...