Meeting summary February 25, 2020

FYI...Just got word. March 24th meeting is cancelled because of Covid19. Stay well. Wash hands. Keep distance. 

Colleen opened up the meeting by welcoming members and guests on a rainy evening.  A special welcome to our newest member Michelle.

Colleen announced the April and May programs.  In April, the program will be “What’s Wrong With My Plant.” NOTE: moved to Tuesday, April 21^st,  because of church building conflict.  May’s program will be a tour of Soergel’s greenhouses and hydroponics.

October’s program will be Carnivorous Plants, presented by Len Lehman.

September is still open, if members have ideas, contact Colleen.

Crocus, Snowdrops, Winter Aconite, Hellebores are all blooming in member gardens, and the spring bulbs have started to pop their foliage.

Check e-mail from Lynn Betts if interested in purchasing plants through the NAEC seedling sale.

The Landscape Symposium and Marketplace are being held at the Hampton Community Center this year, on April 25, from 8 – 3.

Reminder to members that as the weather starts to warm up, to divide and pot up your perennials for our annual plant sale, on May 16.

Vote was taken what to do with our excess funds.  The option to save some and spend some was the winner.  Colleen took notes and will send to board members first to vote on the most popular items, and then it will be distributed to the general membership prior to our March meeting.

Dianne reviewed the budget and made some modifications.  Further modifications will be made dependent on where the excess will be spent, and she will keep the membership updated.  As of the meeting, there was $4,491 total cash.

Rose Mary brought the lovely arrangement and Jeanne provided the delicious desserts.

Jeanne preparing the refreshments

Roxanne Swann from the Audubon Society of Western PA  

“Native Plants for Challenging Spaces”

Roxanne started by giving a brief overview of the Audubon Society.   There are currently 3 nature reserves, Todd Nature Reserve, Succop Nature Park in Butler and Beechwood Farms, which is the headquarters for the Audubon Society.

Roxanne Swann

Their mission is to connect people of SWPA to birds and nature.  Connection with nature will make people more likely to want to protect nature, and they do this through education programs, hikes, summer camps and making the nature reserves open to the public.

There are 130 straight species which are native to PA, mostly perennials, but there are also bushes, shrubs and trees which are native.  A plant is considered a native if it was here prior to European settlement.

There are challenges, especially in our hilly region.  Slopes, Erosion Control, Wet Areas, Small Spaces and Invasive Patches are the primary challenges.

Slopes can have a slight grade, or steep, short or wide with all types of soil such as rocky, woodland, wet or clay.

Most wildlife doesn’t use our grass/lawns for sustenance, which is why it is so important to garden with natives in our challenging spaces.  Also, once established, maintenance is reduced, as opposed to having to cut the lawn weekly, and it’s better for the environment overall.

Erosion happens when plants with roots are not there to avoid soil washing out.  Landslides occur and sediment ends up in our waterways.

By landscaping our Pittsburgh slopes, you help protect water quality, allow the rain to soak into the soil for deep rooted systems, provide more habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, reduce erosion and maintenance.  Your garden bed doesn’t need to be all natives, but add natives where it makes sense.

It is preferable to plant plants close to one another.  You can use a variety of groundcovers, and grasses to fill in large spaces.  Consider what the plant will do besides add beauty, such as provide habitat for butterflies, bees, bugs and small wildlife.  

Use a mix of short and weeping evergreens, trees, aggressive perennials and groundcovers to fill your spaces.

These are plants that do very well on slopes and are great for pollinators and wildlife.  They also may provide plant material to use in teas and foods.

Pasture Rose – Rosa Carolina

NJ Tea – Ceanothus Americanus

Indian Grass – Sorghastrun nutans

Juniperus Virginiana – ‘ Grey Owl’

Lyre-leaved Sage Salvia Syrate

Eastern Redbud – Cerrci Canadensis

Penstemon digitalis – White Beardtongue

Butterfly Weed – Asclepias Tuberosa

Plantain leaved Pussytoes

St John’s Wort – Hypericum Perforata

Little Bluestem Grass – Shizachyrium Scoparium

Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia Hirta

Wild Strawberry – Fragaria Virginiana

Witch Hazel – Hamamelis Virginiana

Spicebush – Lindera Benzoin

Goat’s Beard – Aruncus Dioicus

Wood Poppy – Stylophorun Diphyllum

Marginal Fern – Dryopteris Marginalis

Wild Geranium

Wild Ginger 

Plants for erosion control:  If you are going to terrace a hillside, it is best to do it all at one time.  Erosion will be reduced, it will reduce the amount and velocity of water and it gives the garden space a different feel.

Mistflower

Baptisia Australis

Running Serviceberry

Bee Balm – Monarda

Culver’s Root – Veronicastrum Virginican

NE Aster

Big Bluestem

Plants for wetlands

Black Willow – Silex Nigra

Winterberry – Ilex Verticillata

Buttonbush – Cephalanthus Occidentalus

American Elderberry – Sambucus Canadensis

Swamp Hibiscus – Hibiscus Moscheutes

Joe Pye Weed

Boneset

Swamp Milkweed

Helen’s Flower – Helenium Autumale

Blue Flag – Iris Versicolor

Turtlehead

Fox Sedge

Plants good for containers--when planting in containers, make sure they have drainage holes and use a good quality potting soil.

Shrub Dogwoods

Brown-eyed Susan

Blazing Star – Lieatris Spicata

Penstemon Digitalis

Great Blue Lobelia

Coral Bells

Some plants that are great competitors to some of the invasives that have entered our gardens, such as Japanese Knotweed, Garlic Mustard …

Wingstem – Verbesina

Oxeye 

Purple Flowering Raspberry

Green Coneflower.