Perfect Plantings for Fall

Next Hendry-Glades Audubon Program: Everyone Welcome

 

November 8, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Dallas Townsend Agricultural Extension located at 1085 Pratt Blvd., LaBelle

Program:  Gene McAvoy, Hendry/Glades IFAS Agriculture  Extension “Landscaping For Birds and Wildlife Using Native Plants”

 

 

Fall Native Plant Sale
Sat. Oct. 23rd   9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Manatee Park – Fort Myers

What the plant sale offers:

• Ground covers, vines, small plants, shrubs, and trees
• Plant varieties to attract bees, birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds
• Knowledgeable society members to answer questions
• FL Native plant reference books
• FL Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) information and class schedule
• Native plant seeds to try out your green thumb
• Vermaculture (aka worm castings) to feed your new plants organically!

Cash and local checks only

The Yellow Sea

There is still debate about the name of the beautiful flowers that creates the “The Yellow Sea” in Lakeport, a poetic description by resident Lorriane Parrish. Last year I mistakenly called them Black-Eyed Susans, then I was sent a reference from Gary Ritter that they are likely the Bur-Marigold, according to the  University of Florida’s plant dictionary at IFAS .  Here the marigold is a listed as a member of the Bidae (scientific name) family. In the comments I received today, botanist Fred Hubbard of Montura suggested they may be Coreopsos. When you Google that species it indicates that Coreopsis is also a member of the Bidae genus. However, I also had been given information by another plant biologist last year that these plants are a wild Florida sunflower!  Is this confusing you? Not me. I am no plant biolgist for sure. Whatever the name is not as important to me as how they make me feel gazing upon them and seeing goodness in the world instead of darkness. Take a moment and be grateful for the glorious manifestations of  our world’s  Supreme Architect.

(P.S. I mistakenly said last year’s articles about the bloom were in November 2009 archives. They are in October 2009 - at the bottom.

The Beautiful Blooms of Glades County Are Coming..

 In this past week the bloom of the golden flowers along Highway 78 have just begun to spread. They only last one month and they are miracle to see. This photo is last year in full bloom. It is an enchanting welcome to our snowbirds and   tourists passing through Lakeport in Glades County. I have returned as well after several month travelling this summer to visit family. This is the first post on my blog for quite a while. Last year I tired out after an agitating ”battle” with some of our local politicians. But, I return with  a peaceful heart. Today I want to contemplate the beauty of nature, be more positive and approach problems differently. We talked a bit last year about how fun it would be to have a wildflower festival, we debated the true name of these flowers and I am resarching this topic once again. I will post it soon. (Read the stories again if you like in my November archives- 2009) I am also thinking about sponsoring a Wildflower Photo Contest this year.  It could be fun. I will let you know.

Nice to be back!