Welcome to the June meeting. We thank Cindy Gilberg and staff for hosting this month’s meeting. I sincerely appreciate the generosity and support I receive month after month and last month extra help from the Brase Family. Susan again, for a second year got us some great information, knowledge and good tasting assortment of berries. On an on-going monthly support from the Federated Garden Club members, Sue, Elizabeth, and Jean, thanks.

Like millions of Americans, we all love to watch wildlife around the home. Some have more wildlife than others. I think we all enjoy attracting butterflies, hummingbirds, and birds in general to the garden through our landscape plantings or feeders. In our communities by far the single most compelling reason why wildlife visit our places the native plants throughout the Midwest. The prairies, the woodland flowers, trees and the various shrubs within our communities to provide cover and food.

Historically, much of North County and portions of West County consist of prairie prior to the settlement of Europeans. This information is based on a study conducted and published by the Missouri department of Conservation identifying prairies throughout the State of Missouri.

Consequently, there is a “Grow Native” demonstration garden located at St. Louis County’s Faust Park in Chesterfield in the front and backyard of the Governor Bates’ Mansion Thornhill, and the outdoor area at the Butterfly House. The slope behind the Affton Community Center have received/earned certification as a “National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat” for wildlife and learning as a result of environmentally responsible planning, landscaping and gardening. The Shaw Nature Reserve of the Missouri Botanical Garden in Gray Summit, 35 miles west, exit 253 off Highway I-44 West, is 2,400 acres of total native reserve.

Native plants are our heritage; our County Seal is evident of our early settlers to the Midwest. Early settlers to the Midwest are an integral part of our history and natural heritage. Native peoples taught European settlers how to ease tooth aches with coneflower roots. The orientation of sunflowers and compass plants helped to guide covered wagons traveling through tall seas of grasses. Spice bush berries flavored pioneer dinners and horsetail stalks were used as early scouring pads for after dinner cleanup.

Much has developed since the incorporation of St. Louis County, October 1, 1812. The love for our native natural green space is evidenced by the Missouri Botanical Garden Nature Reserve, St. Louis county Parks and the other 51 Parks throughout our community.

Many enthusiastic gardeners have been guilty of jumping into backyard landscaping projects, with good intentions, broad ideas in mind, but few real plans.

Gardeners enjoy natural landscapes, and we revel in the beauty of the wild, unplanted, untended and enduring plants that can transform our home bloom. In a sense natural gardening can be common sense, common place observation. By paying more attention to how nature does things, working in partnership with nature, choosing plants that survive, the stress of winder cold, summer heat, tolerate drought along with pest and insect concerns. Growing a varied selection of plants encourages a diversity of insects and birds. Natural gardens often require very little watering. Once established, native plants by definition are able to do with the water nature provides.

Natural, native gardening relies largely on organic matter to provide nutrients for their plants, supplemented by an occasional light application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the organic matter also builds soil fertility and improving soil structure.

A natural landscape invites a wide selection of wildlife, especially bees, butterflies and birds.

Today we hope to enlighten you to help you generate some knowledge on a program in Missouri known as “Grow Native.”

Among seasoned gardeners/landscapers, one of the oldest sayings is “Always put the right plant in the right place.” What makes one location right and another wrong? The three most important physical factors that influence whether a plant thrives or dies are the amount of light, the soil conditions and the amount of moisture.

Think back to the concepts of connectivity and wildlife corridors analyzing your yards from the outside and inside, looking out from your home.

When shaping the flower beds edges or places where groups of plants meet, avoid straight lines and corners. Nature tends not to plant in straight lines nor spaces. Plant in small clusters of three to five which look less contrived, locating the taller species in the background and shorter ones in the foreground.

As you continue through the season, keep notes on what you have accomplished and how the plantings are growing. Note all that worked and also what didn’t do so well. You also might want to enter into your journal of wildlife sightings throughout the seasons. To really enjoy your new plants and see them flowering the first year or buying two-year old plants – perennials – wildflowers are best vs. the option of bare rooted plants and seeds.

Beyond the “grow native plants” there are also many great native trees and shrubs to consider as a part of your landscape.

 For further information:

Missouri Conservation Department. 314-301-1500 11715 Cragwold Road Kirkwood, MO 63122 www.conservation.state.mo.us or www.grownative.org

Shaw Nature Reserve 636-451-3512 Gray Summit, MO

St. Louis Chapter, Wild Ones- Through Missouri Botanical Garden 636-451-3512 email: Scott.Woodbury@Mobot.org

Missouri Native Plant Society 314-577-9522 George Yatslievych

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House St. Louis County Faust Park Chesterfield, MO