jpbstan@k

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS

Kerrville Chapter

Website:  www.npsot.org/kerrville

 APRIL  NEWSLETTER - 2005

 NATIVES ON THE GROW

Dedicated to the understanding, preservation and enjoyment of the native flora of the Hill Country

PLANT FAMILIES OF WILDFLOWERS

The program for our meeting on Tuesday, April 5 at 2PM will be given by Lottie Millsap. It will be a slide presentation on  wildflower plant families. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the families of your  favorite wildflowers.

Lottie is a native Texan who grew up in rural Texas and has had  a lifelong love affair with wildflowers .She has taken college courses on botany and the taxonomy of  plants. She is a Master Naturalist and presently serves on the Board of the Friends of Friedrich Wilderness Park. She has been a trail guide at the Cibolo Nature Center and is and has always been active in her local Native Plant Society.

Lottie was a prime contributor to the Bexar County Herbarium project which has over 1000 dried wildflower samples.

In  October 2004 Lottie was awarded the Benny Simpson Fellows Award. 

The Kerrville Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month (September through June) at 2:00PM usually at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St. in Kerrville.  These meetings are free and open to the public.  If you have any questions about the Native Plant Society of Texas or this program, please call Janey Crum at 238-3666 

Calendar

MARCH 26: Native Plant Sale – 8AM –noon at Bandera Plaza Park. Sponsored by the Madrona Garden Club in Bandera

MARCH 28: Texas Master Naturalist – Hill Country Chapter Monthly Meeting  - 6:30 at Riverside Nature Center , 150 Francisco Lemos St. , Kerrville . Member Presentations.   Free and open to the public.

MARCH 29: Native Plant Society, Fredericksburg Chapter-7:00PM –“ Landscaping With Natives “ by Pat Mc Neil of McNeil Growers , Austin, Tx. Gillespie County Historical Society Building, 312 W. San Antonio St., Fredericksburg

APRIL 2: Plant Sale – 9:00 AM  at Fredericksburg Marketplatz. Sponsered by the Fredericksburg Native Plant Society and the Fredericksburg Garden Club

 APRIL 5: Native Plant Society of Texas , Kerrville Chapter – monthly meeting at 2PM at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St.,Kerrville. Slide presentation –“Plant Families of Wildflowers” to be given by Lottie Millsop

APRIL 5: Native Plant Society of Texas, Bandera County Chapter- monthly meeting at 6:30 PM in Medina Community Library Meeting Room

APRIL 7: Riverside Nature Center Brown Bag Lunch and Learn- 12:00 Noon- 1:00PM-“ Landscape Math: How to Plan the Materials Needed for a Garden or a Bed”. Drinks and dessert provided.

APRIL 16 : Mostly Native Plant Sale- 9AM-3PM at Kendall County Fairgrounds. Sponsered by the Cibolo Nature Center

APRIL 23: EARTH DAY at Riverside Nature Center- Native Plant Sale – 9AM . Sponsered by the Kerrville Chapter of NPSOT

 Door prizes will be available at our April meeting. Each member or visitor who signs in at the Welcoming Table will  receive a  free ticket for the door prize drawings of native plants. Members are encouraged to bring native  plants from their gardens as donations for door prizes

GLORIOUS SPRING

Glorious spring is here and the redbuds are painting the town pink! Let’s hope they are Texas Redbuds (Cercis Canadensis var. texensis ) as this variety is best adapted to Hill Country conditions. And fruit trees are in full bloom . A favorite is the Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana) as the fragrance of the white blooms is  heady indeed and can be experienced  at the Riverside Nature Center which has several such trees . These trees  together with the blooming Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) create a perfume which permeates the whole site Speaking of trees does anyone have any berries left on their holly trees? The other day I wondered where the cedar waxwings were as the yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) still had berries. Yesterday  the berries had disappeared. A quick visit from those colorful birds  got every last berry. The mockingbird – guardian of berries-was laying down on the job.

And  when it was time to walk in my  garden, was that a little orange dot of color over there by the rock? Yes indeed, the first  Texas Paintbrush ( Castilleja indivisa) in the garden was in bloom. This is the annual species which is so colorful and so difficult to spot until it flowers. The bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) are also springing into bloom and this morning,  a splash of brilliant yellow – Stemless Evening Primrose (Oenothera triloba). This wildflower opens in the evening and if the weather is cloudy you can see it throughout the day as well. It is a special treat. Spring is such a feast for the eyes and the spirit.

.GAZEBO GARDENS

The Gazebo Gardens behind the library were installed by the Native Plant Society and Native Plant members are responsible for their upkeep. The Flower Garden contains mostly perennials  but also has trees, vines and grasses  and presently the violets are in full bloom. Native plants have ID signs thanks to Priscilla Stanley . You can look and learn!

The Cactus Garden contains mostly succulents found in dry areas of Texas.

Thanks to those members who did the final cleanup of the gardens the first Wednesday of the month. The gardens  are looking good with violets blooming profusely  and the Gazebo has been painted and repaired  and looks absolutely charming so be sure to stop by for a visit

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

 Christine Grohman

Judy Bajoris

Cynthia Kennedy

Also thanks to those who renewed their memberships. You help us know our efforts are appreciated!

REFRESHMENTS!

Refreshments for our April meeting will be provided by Carl and Cynthia Johnson . Many thanks from those who enjoy a sip and a bite!