Habitat Gardening Series April 2009

Do you remember the look on the face of a six year old who watches a butterfly flit from flower to flower?   Or have you seen hummingbirds squawking and fighting over territory and the right to perch on a particular branch?  These joys and more can be yours!  To bring these delightful creatures closer to home one must create hospitable and attractive habitats for them.

Of the many rewards landscaping with native plants offers, one of the most appealing is attracting local wildlife.  This would include many pollinators, like hummingbirds, butterflies and even native bees.   Join us for our series of talks this April about Habitat Gardening with Native Plants.

Attracting Wildlife to your Garden…

Habitat Gardening: Butterflies!
April 11, 2009 – 9:30-11:00 am

Use flowering native plants in your garden to attract butterflies. Come learn about plants that serve as host plants for certain species of butterflies and how to provide important habitat for these creatures according to their life-cycles. Our guest speaker is Helen Wood who has extensive experience from working with her own butterfly garden in Mission Viejo.  She belongs to the Master Gardeners of Orange County, California Native Plant Society and the North American Butterfly Association.  For more information about native plants that are useful to butterflies, download our Sage Advice article: Natives for Butterflies.

Habitat Gardening: Bugs!
April 18, 2009 – 9:30-11:00 am

Attract fascinating pollinating insects to your garden. Join Bob Allen as he showcases delightful and unique bugs native to our region as well as their beneficial qualities.  Both an Entomologist and a Botanist, Bob Allen is an instructor, photographer, consulting biologist, and avid hiker.  His photographs and illustrations appear in various scientific publications and natural history field guides.  He currently teaches at Irvine Valley College, Santa Ana College, and Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. His course subjects include plants, insects, and nature photography. His second book, Field Guide to Wildflowers of Orange County, is nearly completed.  http://www.boballenphotography.com/

Habitat Gardening: Hummingbirds!
April 25, 2009 – 9:30-11:00 am

Attract beautiful local hummingbirds to your garden by using native plants. Our very own Laura Camp will show you how to identify different hummingbirds and how to provide plentiful nectar and proper shelter to attract them to your garden.  Laura has worked at Tree of Life Nursery for fourteen years and has  kept track of the many birds she has sighted here.  The nursery’s current bird count is up to 114 distinct species, and 50 of those species have been spotted on our office deck right outside Laura’s window, (if you design it well, they will come right to you!).  She has been involved in Audubon Societies’ Christmas Bird Counts for nearly 20 years, and she currently serves at the President of the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.  For more information about native plants that are attractive to Hummingbirds, download our Sage Advice article: Natives for Hummingbirds.

We hope you will join us for one or all of these workshops this April.

Happy Planting!