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We had our first not-a-lawn party of the season last Saturday. The wild petunias bloomed on cue, and it was a joy to talk about the possibilities of building quality habitat for wildlife in the space of a small front yard. Bees circulated through the anise hyssop, oblivious to our discussion, just doing the vital work that underpins our existence.
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The power of all our yards becoming quality habitat is stunning.
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It won't happen over night, but it won't happen at all if it doesn't start somewhere in each yard. Fall is a fantastic time to add native plants and shrubs to your yard, and we can help. Schedule a consultation. We can help you clear invasives and sheet mulch for planting in the spring.
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If you live in an HOA and are thinking, "Well, I can't do anything," think again. Bird Town Pennsylvania has compiled wonderful resources to help people in home owners' associations support wildlife.
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Keep reading for more events, a link to our very important survey, a field trip suggestion, and good scientific information!
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Workin' for the bees and butterflies,
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Your summer is not complete
without a Journeywork not-a-lawn party!
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Drink lemonade, eat snacks, and chat about the plants in these yards. We will tell you about what we planted and why.
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8/17 from 10:00-11:30 in East Norriton-- full sun, shade, and woods
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8/17 from 1:00-2:30 in North Wales-- shade and full sun garden beds
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8/18 from 3:00-4:30 in Lower Gwynedd--a partial shade, moist backyard garden with shrubs and flowers
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Find us at a fall festival!
We will be sharing our mission at several community festivals in September, and we would love to have some help! As you can see from the dates below, we need to be in two places at once on the 28th. Let us know if you would like to table for an hour or two.
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Save the date for this Ambler garden tour!
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Our Pollinator Palooza gardens are popping!
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Thank you, Jean, Theresa, and Jules for sharing photos of your pollinator garden progress--it is exciting to see these pollinator gardens springing up! If you are new to Journeywork, you will have the opportunity to sign up for Pollinator Palooza this fall to create a 4x12 foot pollinator garden in your yard. If you participated last year, you can sign up again and expand your garden! And invite your neighbors to do it too! Registration for the next Pollinator Palooza will open in September, and all the details will be in the next newsletter.
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Bird and Pollinator Garden at Penn State Arboretum
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I recently had the pleasure of strolling through the Bird and Pollinator Garden at Penn State Arboretum in State College. Phyto Studio designed the plantings in the garden, which opened in 2021. As we were leaving, I noticed a hummingbird taking a break on a string. The photo to the right of the hummingbird is downy skullcap with phlox. Below left is a generous bed of mountain mint (I made a video of that bed just to capture the sound of the buzzing), and below right is a portion of the meadow planted in the center of the garden.
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Please take our survey!
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We have created a brief survey that helps us plan future programs and improve the services we offer. You will buzz right through it, and we are grateful for your feedback.
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Shop for the monarchs
A recent article in The New York Times highlighted neonicotinoid use in agriculture as the largest driver of the decrease in butterfly populations. Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticide that was largely banned in Europe in 2018 because of its toxicity to bees, but they are used widely here in agriculture and in nursery production. When you shop for perennials this fall, ask your nursery if their growers use neonicotinoids.
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(on the right: camouflaged looper caterpillar on black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida)
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If Journeywork inspires you to sheet mulch, start seeds, or plant some native plants in your yard, please send us a picture! Let's celebrate and support each other!
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Follow us on social...
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