Canterbury House Garden Is Thriving
After a mere three months in the ground, the garden WOK awarded to Canterbury House has dashed through the “sleep” and “creep” stages of native plant development. Instead, it has charged full-blown into “leap,” with some plants bursting with blooms their first summer.
Missioner and chaplain Rick Stanitis holds the Keweenaw Wild Ones garden sign included with the garden, a selection of plants for sandy soils purchased from U.P. Native Plants, of Marquette.
Canterbury House, which is affiliated with the Episcopal Church, works to create a welcoming place where international students and their spouses can get help improving their conversational English, reading, and writing skills. The Canterbury House Staff also provides support services to students and the local community.
Potted
Fourteen gardeners gathered August 12 to try their hand at container gardening with natives. Jill Fisher, Sheri Hagwood, and Kear Backes advised, and WOK provided free potting mix and pots, though most people brought their own decorative containers. Plus, attendees received the membership discount on plant purchases.
Organizers said the response was enthusiastic, so if you missed it, don’t worry. We’ll probably do it again next year.
Barberry Trade-Up Days Extended through Sept.30
It’s not too late to trade in that invasive Japanese barberry. Bring in the bush, roots and all, to either of KISMA’s drop off sites. Then swap it for a certificate good for $10 a native shrub at a Go Beyond Beauty Nursery–Kismet Gardens, Flowers by Sleeman, and U.P. Native Plants.
Drop-off sites
- Michigan Technological University Salt Barn, Cemetery Road, Houghton, MI 49931
- 616 Poplar Street, L’Anse, MI 49946
More information is available here.
Giveaway Garden Installed in Baraga
Michelle Krallman and her husband live on damp ground–their emerald lawn never needs watering. They turned that soggy soil to good advantage by selecting a rain garden from U.P. Native Plants as their prize after winning WOK’s garden giveaway.
Michelle, a kindergarten teacher, loves sharing knowledge about plants and bugs with her students. Their home is located next to St. Anne’s Catholic Church, and she expects the rain garden will provide attract plenty of attention from passersby as it matures.
Welcome to the Wild Ones Keweenaw Chapter
We are on a journey to
- educate ourselves and others about the special attributes of native plants and how to incorporate them into our gardens and civic landscapes;
- create habitat that nurtures wildlife, including bees, butterflies, and birds; and
- develop resilient landscapes that absorb runoff, protecting water quality and infrastructure.
Regular meetings are held at 6 p.m., the third Tuesday of the month, often on Zoom, sometimes in person.
Want to grow native but don’t know where to begin?
Check out our Resources section. Or visit Wild Ones’ Native Garden Design website, featuring a several downloadable native garden plans created by professional landscape designers. The plans are free, printable, and come with plant lists.
We hope these resources inspire, encourage, and motivate you in your native garden journey!