Creating A Native Plant Garden that Supports Birds, Butterflies and Insects
I just finished a great webinar with Dr. Doug Tallamy and want to give a shout out to the WWF-Canada for hosting it as well as to Dr. Tallamy for sharing his expertise. There is so much in Tallamy’s webinar that I can’t wait to review it when it gets posted on YouTube to refresh all the good information that’s currently swirling in my head.
But for immediate gratification after today’s session, I went online, using a website he mentioned, to plan the replanting of one of our “front of the house” beds.
Tallamy talked about how there are “keystone” plants that feed multiple insects, butterflies and birds. So, when you’re picking native plants to add to your garden and you have limited space you can pick the plants that feed the greatest number of species.
One of the keystone plants Tallamy talked about are oak trees. Obviously I’m not going to plant an oak tree right in front of a bay window and frankly, our alkaline soil is not idea for oaks But we have a meadow area just down the hill that does support oaks and I plan to selectively add plants to that area that will make it an even greater place for birds, butterflies and insects to feed.
Plants that I will place in my garden space include goldenrod, sunflowers, asters, beebalm, wild strawberry, yarrow and black-eyed Susan’s. along with some milkweed. Most of these will be transplanted from other areas in the garden where they need to be dug and divided and then I’ll add to them little bluestem, blanket flower and beard tongue. This should provide both a riot of color and a great place for pollinators to hang out and I’d love to attract monarch butterflies in the numbers that this picture shows (it’s a stock photo — dreams are important, right?)
Next, I’ll be ordering Tallamy’s newest book, Nature’s Best Hope. Stay tuned for a review of that.
Creative and targeted programs that make an impact are the hallmark of experienced marketing professional Ruth Steele Walker. Focusing on results that improve the bottom line, she accelerates projects from conception to implementation with a mastery of writing, production, placement, budgeting and coordination.
During more than 25 years with Foremost Corporation of America, the nation's leading insurer of manufactured housing and recreational vehicles, Walker consistently produced effective communications programs that resulted in increased net written premium. Her expertise in crisis communications was a vital part of Foremost's exemplary customer service in the wake of hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. Walker specializes in communications targeting the 50+ demographic, with an emphasis in communications for the 65+ segment.
Among other achievements, Walker developed communications for the merger of Foremost and Farmers Insurance, addressing audiences including customers, employees, trade and consumer media. For Foremost's 50th anniversary, she created a celebration program of internal and external promotions, special events, recognition and a 162-page commemorative book.
Earlier in her career, Walker was a newspaper reporter, a TV and radio producer, and worked in national sales and traffic at network TV affiliates. Walker earned a BA in journalism from Michigan State University and an MS in communications from Grand Valley State University.
She and her husband Scott operate a small vineyard in Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula, producing premium vinifera wine grapes. The vineyard has been the largest local supplier for Suttons Bay wine label L. Mawby, recently named one of the world's top producers of sparkling wines.
