Over the last few years, The Plantsmen Nursery in Ithaca has provided HGCNY with more than 2,000 local ecotype milkweed plants!

What is local ecotype?
We're providing local ecotype milkweeds: in other words, grown from seeds collected from wild plants growing in our own ecoregion -- not from commercially grown plants or from plants growing in other regions.

Scientists involved in monarch conservation believe planting local ecotype milkweed is important in order to reestablish a robust population of milkweeds for the future. A given species, such as common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), may grow both here in CNY and in other regions, such as North Carolina, but they may differ genetically -- ours more likely to be able to withstand a long, cold winter, of course! As the milkweeds we plant grow -- and hopefully spread -- we're building the healthiest population of milkweeds for future monarchs.

Unlike previous years, we didn't ask for milkweed reservations in the fall, but ordered milkweeds to be grown for us, trusting that there is still room to plant more milkweed and enough people willing to do so.

If you'd like to reserve some 6-packs ($7/pack) of either common milkweed (A. syriaca), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), or butterfly weed (A. tuberosa) please email John. We'll distribute 6-packs to as many people as possible, so you may or may not be able to purchase multiple packs even if you have reserved them.

The plants will likely be ready in June. John will contact you when they're ready to be picked up.

Descriptions of the three varieties
Common milkweed - can become quite tall, but can be pruned back, producing more tender leaves for more caterpillars. But you'd probably miss out on the glorious fragrance this flower produces. Will grow in well-drained soil, in sun or part sun. Pink flowers.

Swamp milkweed - can grow in damp or moist soil (though we also grow it successfully in regular garden soil), in sun or part sun. Lightly fragrant. Pink flowers.

Butterfly weed - seeing this grow wild along I-81 is a clue that it thrives in dry, sandy, well-drained soil in the sun. Bright orange flowers.

More info on growing milkweeds in CNY is on the OurHabitatGarden.org website.

Episode 620 of the Growing a Greener World TV program is called Bringing Nature Home featuring Doug Tallamy and Rick Darke, co-authors of The Living Landscape.

This is one of the clearest, most compelling presentations of the reasons for creating a landscape full of native plants that I've seen.

As Tallamy notes in the program, at least for humans, perhaps the biggest reason for creating landscapes full of the diversity of life is that it's this diversity that creates ecosystems, and these ecosystem services support humans.

Tallamy quoted biologist E. O. Wilson who said, "If we were to wipe out insects alone on this planet, the rest of life and humanity with it would mostly disappear from the land. Within a few months." The program vividly demonstrates the relationship between native plants and insects.

And Darke explains the importance of thinking of our landscapes as comprising layers, not individual plants.

Click here to see the entire half-hour show.(And there's five years worth of other interesting episodes on this TV series, too.)

Here's a list of Tallamy's "Best Bets" for our mid-Atlantic region on his Bringing Nature Home website. Two examples from the list of top woodies are native oaks and black cherry; two examples of top herbaceous plants are native goldenrods and asters.

Cornell's  YardMap.org website has a wealth of information on creating habitat in your yard.

One article describes how you can make "messy" look good. Here are some of its tips for creating a landscape that appeals to both neighbors and wildlife:

* Include visible design cues of human intention in your wildlife-friendly landscape.
* Mow a thin strip along human paths, like streets and sidewalks.
* Space plants at appropriate distances -- not too far apart, not too close together. (Research the probable ultimate size of the plant.)
* Mass plants or plant in drifts rather than as single plants of a variety here and there.
* Include wildlife-friendly elements to show that your intent is to plant for wildlife.

Read more about these tips and others at
http://content.yardmap.org/learn/making-messy-look-good/
And consider creating your own YardMap using its mapping tools!

Weddings and other celebrations take place at this time of year. What can be more festive and more symbolic of a hopeful future than masses of butterflies flying?

We need to rethink this practice!

The Xerces Society's new book Gardening for Butterflies notes several reasons why this practice is detrimental:

* They spread diseases and parasites to wild populations.
* They introduce unhelpful genes into local populations.
* They confuse studies of butterfly distribution and make it hard to prioritize conservation.
* Many of the animals released die from exposure and starvation.

As they note, "Treating butterflies as commercial ornaments to be grown, shipped, and released at will is not an appropriate way to increase respect and care for wild butterflies. Birds have been protected from such treatment for decades, and it is time to extend the same kind of concern to butterflies."

For educators
We can't overestimate the power of connecting kids with nature -- and butterflies are an excellent way to make this connection. If teachers wish to raise monarchs in the classroom, scientists suggest the following guidelines to protect monarchs while creating that connection:

1. Do not purchase monarchs (adults, eggs or larvae) from a mass-breeder for release into the wild.

2. Only raise and release as many monarchs as you need for educational purposes (~ 1 per student).

3. Only rear one generation to prevent disease from building.

4. Follow these rearing guidelines carefully to keep rearing conditions safe and clean.

5. Educate others by communicating this important conservation message in your community and throughout your networks.

Remember: The only way to accomplish monarch recovery is to protect the habitat they need.

Soil without life is just dirt.

As the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Services says:

Soil isn't an inert growing medium, but rather is teeming with billions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that are the foundation of an elegant symbiotic ecosystem. Soil is an ecosystem that can be managed to provide nutrients for plant growth, absorb and hold rainwater for use during drier periods, filter and buffer potential pollutants from leaving our fields, serve as a firm foundation for agricultural activities, and provide habitat for soil microbes to flourish and diversify to keep the ecosystem running smoothly.

May 1, 7, 8 Weekend Wildflower Walks
2pm-3pm
BWNC's premier woodland wildflower garden is a local treasure. Join caretaker Audrey Loewer for a pleasant walk through one of the wonders of spring. Each week new species will bloom, and Audrey will reveal their past and present medicinal and culinary uses. The garden is handicap accessible; please call ahead if you need assistance. Donations appreciated.

May 21 Birds on Tour! 10am-noon
It's the perfect time to find birds! Come out to Baltimore Woods for a morning of birding and enjoy all the sights and sounds that spring birds have to offer. This walk is perfect for beginners and experienced birders alike; don't forget your binoculars and hiking boots!
Ages 8 and up. $6 for members, $9 for nonmembers.

May 28 Frogs & Fireflies 8:30-9:30pm
Take a moment to admire some of the awe-inspiring ways nature has found to communicate. This evening hike will take us to Phillips Pond to learn more about the enchanting sparkle of the firefly and mesmerizing song of the frogs. Ages 7 and up. Meet at the lower parking lot. $6 for members, $9 for nonmembers.

Little Explore Series
Wednesdays or Thursdays, May 11 - June 16th 10am - 11am
This fun-filled, six-week series of mini adventures will engage your preschooler through nature crafts and hands-on exploration that will awaken their senses to the wonders of the natural world. Two session offerings on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Ages 3-5, participants must register for the full series and be accompanied by an adult.
$35 for members, $50 for nonmembers.

Homeschool Adventures in Nature Series
Tuesdays, May 10 - June 14 10 - 11am
Come out to Baltimore Woods to add some environmental education to your biology, ecology, and geology curricula! We will meet every Tuesday for six weeks - a great opportunity for hands-on science learning, outdoor exploration, meeting other homeschool students, and getting help with projects. Visit the BWNC website for full details and weekly themes. Ages 5 and up, participants must register for the full series and be accompanied by an adult. $35 for members, $50 for nonmembers.

Where: Manlius Public Library
1 Arkie Albanese Ave. Manlius

Where: Derby Hill, Mexico NY

It's a great family event!

This year's event will be featuring guided nature walks, educational exhibits, kids' activities, live birds of prey, vendors, prize drawings, a silent auction, and smokin' hot barbecue.

Located at the southeastern corner of Lake Ontario, Derby Hill is one of the premier hawk watch sites in the northeastern United States.

Plant Sales

1) Master Gardeners will have some native plants (along with herbs, vegetables etc.) at their plant sale on Sat. May 21 from 10 am - 2 pm at Beaver Lake Nature Center. For questions or more info, call 424-9485 x236.

2) ASLF Fundraiser to promote local urban forestry projects and the use of native plants. A nice variety of natives!
Native tree: $28; Native shrub $20
Mon-Fri April 22-May 5 anytime between 9am and 4pm at 658 W. Onondaga St. Syracuse Atlantic States Legal Foundation
See http://www.aslf.org/trees/ for details and order form (at bottom of page).

We welcome everyone to our meetings, but we encourage you to become an official member.

Since HGCNY is a chapter of the national organization Wild Ones, when you become a member of Wild Ones, you're automatically a member of HGCNY, too. And since Wild Ones is an official not-for-profit organization, your membership is tax-deductible.

It's easy to become a member, receive the bimonthly Wild Ones Journal, and support our mission.

Just go to the Wild Ones website or call toll-free (877) 394-9453.

As more of us participate on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hgcny, this will become a useful resource for asking (and answering!) local HGCNYers' questions about habitat gardening.

This is an example of a local habitat garden. It also includes links to more information and inspiration to get started on your own habitat garden.

This is an example of a local edible garden. It also includes links to more information and inspiration to get started on your own edible garden.