Old Settler’s Park adds native meadow flower garden
From staff reports
The Glen Lake Garden Club’s full membership as well as friends, spouses and volunteers recently planted a variety of native flowering plants and grasses along a 2,533-square-foot sweep in Old Settlers Park on the east shore of Big Glen Lake.
The garden includes meandering walking paths. The effort is the result of the Club’s Conservation Committee’s desire to promote the beauty of using native plants. Birds rely on insects to feed their young. Insects including bees and butterflies rely on plants for food. As an example, the Monarch butterfly cannot survive without the availability of Milkweed in its life cycle. Today the Monarch population is plummeting due to loss of milkweed habitat.
Plants vary widely in the type of nutrition they provide and the timing on when it is available. By growing plants native to our region, we can help stem habitat loss and provide the right nutrition at the proper time to support the wildlife in our area. Plants native to other regions or even cultivars of native plants may not offer the correct nutrition for our wildlife.
In addition to supporting wildlife, gardeners using native plants can enjoy the fact that native species can be almost (but not quite) carefree to grow. Many species need little extra watering after the first year due to developing deep roots. Plan on weed maintenance and yearly trimming down in the fall or spring to encourage new growth.
The Glen Lake Garden Club would like to acknowledge donations from interested area citizens, as well as the generous donation of mulch from Deering’s Tree Service.
