|
|
|
|
|
One of my favorite books to share with children at any time of year, but especially in spring, is I'm in Charge of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor. In it, a girl at home in her desert landscape narrates for the reader a few of her most prized experiences in the natural world: observing a jackrabbit watching a triple rainbow with her, witnessing seven dust devils form at once, meeting the gaze of a coyote.
|
This book came to mind a few weeks ago amidst the fanfare of the solar eclipse. I was struck by the value of the collective moment when millions of people paused to celebrate a natural phenomenon, and I reflected on the wealth of potential celebrations in our midst once we build even the tiniest habitat. When the eclipse began, I was planting a pussy willow (Salix discolor), which is an important food source for early-emerging bees. It is also a larval host plant for 18 butterflies and moths including the cecropia moth, Io moth, eastern tiger swallowtail, and mourning cloak butterfly.
|
|
So, you could plant a pussy willow in your yard, walk by it one day in early summer, and find the largest North American moth hanging out, newly emerged and drying its wings.
|
|
|
|
That, to me, is worthy of a celebration.
|
Journeywork has much to celebrate this month as we come together to get thousands of plants in the ground. Continue reading to learn about where you can join with other community members to create some habitat.
|
|
All of our Pollinator Palooza gardens will get planted this month! All of the details--including the design and plant list--are below.
|
|
|
|
photo of cecropia moth by Charles Schwamb
|
|
|
|
Please read Gail Blum's article about the Designed for Nature Garden Tour in Doylestown on June 15. Gail is a newsletter subscriber and member of the Bucks County Branch of the Woman's National Farm & Garden Association and kindly sent us details of this truly inspiring tour.
|
You could wear a Journeywork t-shirt to any of the events mentioned, and today is the last day to buy one!
|
|
May you plant a celebration in your yard or someone else's,
|
|
[photos below are foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), wild geranium (Geranium maculata), and tussock sedge (Carex stricta) and above: golden ragwort (Packera aurea)]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Volunteer with us this spring!
According to our recent volunteers, planting with Journeywork is "a lot of fun!" We would love to share the joy with you at an upcoming planting event! Come build some habitat as you learn about flowers and shrubs that grow in sun and shade.
|
- Sunday, May 5, 1:00-4:00 in Jamison
- Saturday, May 11, 10:00-12:00 at Vernon Park, Philadelphia
- Saturday, May 18, 10:00-12:00 in Lower Gwynedd
- Sunday, June 2, 1:00-4:00 in Lower Gwynedd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pollinator Palooza Blooms in May!
|
Journeywork offered a Pollinator Palooza last fall to pre-order flowers for creating a spring pollinator garden in a 4X12 area of your yard. Even if you did not sign up, you can still plant a pollinator garden--now is the perfect time! The design is pictured below, and you can find the plants at local nurseries such as Calluna Plants & Gifts, Good Host Plants, Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, and Edge of the Woods Nursery, and local native plant sales at Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, Bartram's Garden, the Schuylkill Center, and others listed below. All of these providers sell plants free of neonics (which we discussed in a past issue of our newsletter).
|
If you pre-ordered plants from Journeywork in the fall, you will pick them up on Saturday, May 11 at the following locations and times, based on where you live:
|
|
Gwynedd Friends Meeting (1101 DeKalb Pike) between 8:00-10:00 if you live in
|
*North Wales *Jamison *West Point *Lower Gwynedd *Ambler *Blue Bell
|
|
Plymouth Friends Meeting (2150 Butler Pike) between 10:30-12:00 if you live in
|
*Conshohocken *King of Prussia *Havertown *West Chester *Norristown *Glen Mills
|
|
Abington Friends Meeting (520 Meetinghouse Rd., Jenkintown) between 12:30-2:30 if you live in
|
*Wyndmoor *Dresher *Willow Grove *Rydal *Philadelphia *Glenside *Elkins Park * Wyncote *Huntingdon Valley
|
If the time does not work for you, please let me know in advance that you would like to go to the place that matches the time that works for you. I will have your plants ready!
|
|
After you plant your garden, send us a photo--we would love to see it and share it with others!
|
|
|
|
Plant sales!
|
|
|
- May 4-- Bucks County Master Gardener Plant sale --many native perennials, shrubs, and trees for sale
- May 4--Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust plant sale, 9:00-3:00 (Journeywork is speaking at PERT with Wyncote Audubon on 5/2 at 7:00pm)
- May 11--Gardeners of Crooked Billet plant sale (details to the right)
- May 19--The Women’s National Farm & Garden Association—Ambler Chapter Native Plant Sale, Twining Valley Park, 11:30
|
|
|
|
|
Join the Pollinator Pathway--signs available
Pollinator Pathway is an organization based in Connecticut with a mission to educate about the importance of pollinators and to create connected corridors for pollinators across the country. Journeywork was just featured in their very informative spring newsletter.
|
After you have planted your pollinator garden, you can let your neighbors know with a Pollinator Pathway sign, and you can register your yard on the Pollinator Pathway website to be included on their national map. Journeywork is selling 6-inch signs for $12 and 12-inch signs for $20. They will be available on May 11 at Pollinator Palooza pick-up, or you can order from our website.
|
|
If you are interested in working with Journeywork to establish a Pathway in your neighborhood or borough or township, please contact us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th Annual “Designed for Nature” Garden Tour Showcases Native Plants in Residential Gardens
|
|
|
On Saturday, June 15th, the Bucks County Branch of the Woman’s National Farm & Garden Association (WNF&GA), in partnership with Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, will feature five Doylestown area residential gardens on a unique and educational “Designed for Nature” Garden Tour.
|
|
The event receives support from its Friends – the Bucks County Audubon Society, Bucks Beautiful, Bird Town Pennsylvania, the Doylestown and Lahaska Bookshops, and Penn State’s Master Gardener and Master Watershed Steward programs.
|
|
|
|
All the gardens on the tour are in transition to native plants, and several demonstrate creative ways of water conservation for the home gardener. The gardens vary in size, from small borough plots to larger properties and from casual habitats to more manicured presentations. Master Gardeners, Watershed Stewards, and Naturalists from the Preserve will be present at each property to discuss the gardens and answer questions.
|
|
Proceeds from the tour support scholarships for Delaware Valley University students whose studies focus on the environment, plants, and/or animals, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve’s Internship Program, and other non-profit organizations’ programs for youth about nature and sustainability.
|
|
The tour, rain or shine, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., costs $15 in advance and $20 on the event day. Tickets are available here, at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, and at the Doylestown and Lahaska Bookshops. A selection of native plants and raffles for a beautiful hand-painted rain barrel and garden-themed gift basket will be available for sale at one of the gardens.
|
|
|
|
|
We have new shirts and hoodies--for a very limited time!
|
Journeywork is offering new shirts and hoodies in a variety of colors during Earth Week until April 29 (today!). Proceeds from our sales help us expand our outreach and get more plants in the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
Our wish list
|
|
|
Follow us on social...
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
