Shout Out to the Lovely Children's Program Ladies

The general public ( 30+) kiddo's experienced the wonder of "Catherine The Catapiller" this morning at Matzke Butterfly Garden.  The garden is loaded with butterflies and beautiful flowers, the perfect time of year to enjoy.  The Norchester Garden Club Garden Committee has done a wonderful job in maintenance.  Thank you Meda, Kathy, Kathleen and her friend, Loretta and Joan.  Especially Joan who provides the wonderful handouts to the children.

Workday Friday Oct. 19th at 8:30 a.m.

With the Butterfly Event on Saturday Oct. 20th we want to spruce up Matzke Butterfly Garden a bit.  A workday is planned for Friday Oct. 19th at 8:30 a.m.  Some planting, some weeding and some general dead heading to be done.

Gardening News

Gardening News

    I have been working with Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens to develop and offer quality programs to gardeners.  Coming up is an exceptional trip on Friday Oct. 12th to Lady Bird Wildflower Center near Austin.  Those attending have a fabulous opportunity to buy plants at their members only sale.  Check The Mercer Society Website for details http://themercersociety.org/  Watch for other trips planned for 2013 including in the spring Shangri La in Orange Tx and a 3 day trip to the Dallas Arboretum, Fort Worth Arboretum and The Botanical Research Institute and other surprises.

 

The Norchester Garden Club will be presenting " Catherine The Caterpillar" at Matzke Park Butterfly Garden on Sat. Oct. 20th at 11, 11:30 and noon.  Please join us.

 

In January, the plastic white fence will be replaced by a white wrought iron fence.  Funding for the new fence has been developed through Association for Better Community Schools. Precinct 4 will support with soil and man power.  ABCS continues to support the maintenance of the butterfly garden, stewardship of the garden, and the children's educational programs.  Most of the monies come from individual donations and support of the Kroger and Randalls Reward Programs.  Thank you for you support. 

 

I will post work days as they are determined.  Please drop by on these days to help or make suggestions, your opinions and time are important elements to having this garden survive.
 

Bending and Clipping

Lots of bending, stooping, stretching, and clipping in the garden this morning.  Thanks to the good turnout of willing helpers.  They created two huge piles of cuttings as vines were pulled from the roses, and most of the shrubs were pruned and the beds weeded.  The garden really looks good but it does take constant effort by those who really care.

Work Day - Thurs 13th - 8:30 AM

Hoping for a cool down in the weather?  Got to do the work anyway and plant Mamie's seeds including Larkspur, Milkweed, Poppy, Rock Rose Pavonia and Texas Bluebonnet's.  These will go go in the bed with the bird bath and should provide a nice spring array of blooms.  Yes, I will scarify the Bluebonnet seeds.

 

The vines are back from the August workday and will need to be removed.  Lots of dead heading on crepe myrtles and vitex. Pruners and gloves will be needed.

 

Please remember to sign up at Kroger and Randall's with their reward programs.  These monies help to provide continuing support of the Butterfly Garden. Randall's is a one-time sign up. Just provide their service desk with our charity number:  # 1969

The Kroger program needs to be "renewed" beginning each June.  Have checkout  or service desk scan this bar code or ask them to enter our number:    #  1 00000 82607

Passion and A Bit of History

We stopped at the garden this morning.  The passion vine is really doing well, although most of it is on the east side of our fence.  It is the host plant for the Gulf Fritillary which are in abundance. 

 
This area is rich in history, as are many in Texas.  The Cypress Historical Society has begun to collect and capture some of that history.  They now have a library building for collecting information on families in this area and have hours when they are open to the public.  The vintage photos and cemetery maps interesting.  They have two albums of unidentified photos also which have been donated and some are being labeled with help from visitors.

Our ABCS board member Martin Hemmer has a lot of knowledge of this area as he was raised on family land on the north side of Norchester.  We will see if we can capture some of that history in the next couple of months."

A link to the Cypress Historical Society may be found HERE

Work Day Tuesday, Aug 13th at 8:30 a.m.

Tuesday Aug 14 at 8:30 AM will be a work day.  While a lot of trimming was done last week, we have to spray the replanting area once again and the garden is still in need of trimming, and dead heading.  There were lots of butterflies this morning at the park. They appreciate the dense foliage. 

You might have noticed all the Day Care programs this spring and summer at Matzke Park. A big shout out of thanks to Joan for increasing the awareness of the park to all the day cares she had contacted this spring.

 I am looking forward to connecting with the Garden Club's Butterfly Garden Director.  ABCS continues to view the Butterfly Garden as its main project.

The county continues to work to connect Cypress Creek Greenway Project to Matzke Park. When that happens there will be trails for miles that begin for us just behind the bank at Jones and Grant.

Words for the Day: " It is what it is--but it will become what we make it."