Hi Gang,
I had a ball leading tours of private butterfly gardens in South Texas in early November at the 2014 Texas Butterfly Festival. Leaving Cape May when the butterfly season was coming to a close and heading to an area swimming in butterflies, including many exotic strays from Mexico, was a treat for this wildlife gardener.
Speaking of wildlife gardens
I can’t wait to once again teach
the series of 6 in-depth
“Gardening for Wildlife” Workshops (pdf)
on select Saturdays and Sundays
February 28 – March 28, 2015,
the perfect time to shake off winter
and begin planning and planting
(or enhancing) your property and wildlife garden.
Learn to create gardens and habitats in little time, save money (by encouraging seed production rather than hampering it with traditional gardening practices), and see long-term results (by implementing wildlife-friendly garden practices rather than traditional wildlife death-trap practices).
Many (1000s) have taken these workshops, been empowered, and created habitats that have given them pleasure for years to come. They know and I know that there is nothing more special than stepping out the door into a habitat that YOU created, a habitat that fills up with wildlife visitors galore: hummingbirds, butterflies, caterpillars, chrysalises, dragonflies, ladybugs, many different native bees, beetles and other fun pollinators, songbirds, frogs, turtles, moths at night, and more! Every walk down your garden path is full of wonder, learning, delight, awe . . . almost like traveling to an exotic land, but that exotic place is your own back (or front) yard. There is nothing more gratifying than knowing that you provide safe haven for all these creatures.
Consider joining me for one, two, three, or all six of these workshops (discounted fees when you sign up for any 3 workshops). Native plants and wildlife-friendly practices are the key and will be emphasized and detailed throughout.
I present a zillion one- to two-hour programs each year and maybe you’ve attended a few of these. I love teaching them, but (with only one or two hours) they are more one-sided presentations, me sharing fun natural history information and images with you, the audience.
These workshops offer the opportunity to be far more in-depth and interactive and are more likely to empower you, take you to the next level.
The 5-hour format (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) allows for:
- an interactive workshop atmosphere
- each workshop covers a unique aspect of wildlife gardening (in-depth)
- each workshop builds on the others, but is not repetitive (so you’ll want to try and attend all 6 to maximize your learning opportunity)
- resources (handouts and circulated books) will be shared and showcased
- you’ll learn how to utilize these resources (find answers to burning questions you may have)
- time for in-depth questions
- time for in-depth answers
- during a working lunch we’ll brainstorm (as a group) each participant’s specific challenges (you’ll draw a rough sketch of your yard and submit a photo of your sketch that I’ll project so we can all see it for this brainstorming)
- time to get to know one another and learn from each other (of garden triumphs and tribulations, successes and pitfalls). Nothing beats collective experience and roundtable discussion
- each workshop will culminate in a site visit to a nearby backyard habitat (including my own and others) where wildlife-friendly practices and design and plant selections will be showcased
So, what do you say! Will I see you in late February & March?
Take advantage of the discount by signing up for any 3 of the workshops. Sign up today and begin getting ready for the workshops. Draw a rough sketch of your yard, indicating structures (and hardscapes like driveways, decks, etc.), existing habitats (lawn, forest, lone trees, shrub islands, gardens, bird feeding station, brush pile, etc.), and mark NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST on the sketch. Take time to note the sun’s path through your yard and where the sunniest areas are. Begin making a wish list of the elements you want to add as well as the elements you need to work around.
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2015 GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE WORKSHOPS
with Pat Sutton (pdf)
for NJ Audubon’s Nature Center of Cape May
1600 Delaware Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204 (609-898-8848)
- Saturday, February 28 – How to Create a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife
- Sunday, March 1 – How to Create a Wildflower Meadow (from small “Pocket Meadow” up to sizable meadows)
- Saturday, March 7 – How to Create a Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden (to benefit all pollinators: moths, bees, & more)
- Sunday, March 8 – Battlestar Backyardia – Battling the Alien Invaders (How to Recognize and Deal With Invasive Species)
- Saturday, March 21 — How to Create a No-Fuss Wildlife Pond
- Saturday, March 28 – Landscape Design With Wildlife In Mind
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm.
Where: Please note that the 6 workshops in this series will be held at the Cape May Bird Observatory Center for Research & Education, 600 Rt. 47 N, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 and not at the Nature Center of Cape May in Cape May.
Limit: 20 participants; preregistration required (through NJ Audubon’s Nature Center of Cape May, 1600 Delaware Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204; 609-898-8848 — if you reach their message machine, do leave a message . . . they’ll get back to you).
Cost/workshop (includes handouts):
$35 member of NJ Audubon Society, $45 nonmember
Sign up for any 3 workshops for a discount:
$75 member (or $25 each); $105 nonmember (or $35 each)
All workshops include a site visit to a nearby wildlife garden (Sutton’s garden and others).
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In nearly all my programs and workshops I recommend adding a MISTER to your wildlife habitat. This suggestion is often met with some confused looks, so I thought I’d follow it up here with some photos that can help walk you through it and understand how simple it can be. NO ELECTRICITY needed, just a hose connection.
