For complete class descriptions and to register for classes, go to

www.opabg.org. Bring your paid receipt to class for admission. No refunds for missed classes. For further information or to register the traditional way, contact Phyllis Merrick, Volunteer Coordinator, at 913-685-3604 or email volunteercoordinator@opkansas.org. Classes meet in the Visitors Center, 8909 W. 179th St., Overland Park, Kansas.

Basic Landscape Photography

Saturday, January 22, 10:00 am to noon. $20 per person.

Class is limited to 30
 

Bird Chat...The Fun of Winter Bird Feeding

Tuesday, January 25, 1:00 to 2:30 pm, $10 per person. Class is limited to 30.
 

Basic Flower Photography

Saturday, January 29, 10:00 am to noon, $20 per person.

Class is limited to 30.

Birding as a Lifelong Adventure. Saturday, February 12, 10 to 11:30 am. $10 per person. Class is limited to 30.

New Volunteer Orientation

Saturday, February 19, 9 to 11 am (free)

Come join the fun and learn about the wide variety of volunteer opportunities there are to choose from!

Common Errors of the Beginning Gardener

Tuesday, February 22, 1 to 2:30 pm. $10 per person. Class is limited to 30.

Advanced Flower Photography

Saturday, February 26, 10 to 2:30 pm. $25 per person. Class is limited to 30.

Photo: "July Fifth," by Kira Higgins, 2nd Place Youth Abstract, 2010 Photo Contest

Bird committee members Bob Buehler and Pat Arnold are stepping down from their duties filling bird feeders and hummingbird feeders. Both have faithfully done these tasks from the very beginning of the Bird Yard and the bird committee's inception. Bob will continue to work with Hugh McCreery building suet feeders and repairing Bird Yard feeders. We sincerely wish to thank both of them for the many hours they have spent working for the birds.
 

The committee continues to study the possibility of providing water to the Bird Yard using a poultry feeder. The wood carving of an Ovenbird done by Ed Burton will be displayed in the Visitors Center, protected by a dome. Milt Noelken has volunteered to organize an improved display of the bird nests in the Visitors Center. The committee has hung a suet feeder with order blanks for visitors who might wish to purchase one.

Yellow violet. Viola pensylvanica. This beautiful bright yellow flowering violet sends up branched stems to about 10" tall instead of the low clumping form of most of our native violets. Mid spring is the best time to see these in flower and we will see several of them during our Arboretum wildflower tours this spring. Dappled shade is preferred and regular to well drained woodland soil is perfect for their continued success. This yellow flowering violet is not invasive and is actually very slow to multiply and form colonies.
 

Pawpaw. Asimina triloba. A small tree frequently growing to 20' tall forming colonies in wooded areas and usually remaining single stemmed when planted in the yard or garden. Large 6" long and 3" wide dark green tropical appearing leaves in summer change to golden yellow in autumn. Purplish-burgundy flowers of 1 1/2" diameter appear in early spring as the leaves emerge. When pollinated, the flowers will produce a nice 3" or 4" long banana or custard flavor fruit sometimes called "Indiana Banana."
 

Wild Hyacinth. Camassia scilloides. At one time called C. hyacinthina, aka Camas, it flowers in April and May with pale blue to whitish blue 4" tall and 1 1/2" wide flower clusters. The seeds of Wild Hyacinths look like columbine seeds when ripe. Pick the seed in late June. It is slow to germinate and will take 2 or 3 more years to produce a flower. I suggest you put the seed outside in the native area where you want it to grow. Scratch the soil with a rake and keep most of the leaves off the seed or the leaves will keep the seed from germinating by smothering it. Wild hyacinths prefer sun or dappled shade and regular to dry soil.