Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Hidden Beauty of Pollination

A truly inspiring TED video about pollination, which truly manages to picture the beauty of nature and the importance of the service provided by pollinators. Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director and producer who captures breathtaking images that celebrate life. This video provide amazing scenes from Schwartzberg Wings of Life movie.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Wonderful Wasps


Wonderful Wasps: 
Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about wasps in your garden!

WHEN:
Friday, June 24 at 8:00 PM

LOCATION:
Tai Chi Center of Chicago 
4043 N. Ravenswood Ave. Suite 201 
Chicago, IL 606013 
773-396-2653

ABOUT ERIC R. EATON
Eric R. Eaton, professional writer and entomologist and principal author of the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America will give an illustrated talk about wasps, their role in the garden, and how you can enhance their nesting habitat (along with native solitary bees). He will also answer questions about insects and arachnids.

Check Eric out on line at: 
Eric also contributes to the following sites: 

WHAT TO BRING
Bring your book for Eric to sign. 
(no books will be sold at this event, so hurry and make sure to order your book online!)
This is a friendly neighborhood event with NO CHARGE but feel free to bring something to eat or drink to share and a folding chair if you have one.

ALSO... 
The Bullfrogs Community Choir will provide a musical treat.

This event is sponsored by 

Parkway #1 Complete

Top Left: Before - Right: After


THE MISSION
To create pollinator friendly parkway corner landscapes using native plant sources to create a colorful array of pesticide free, bee's, birds, butterfly and even bat friendly landscapes.

Native plants are deep-rooted plants and will also help to absorb rainwater deep into the soil versus short rooted plants/grass which have very short roots systems. Native plants can also withstand a large range of wet-to-dry conditions making these corners requiring very low maintenance.


THIS CORNER
Designed by Rinda West. 
Sponsored by Northcenter Neighborhood Association
Maintained by Mercedes Prause
Worker bees included Green Kenny and Scott, the neighbors surrounding Hamilton & Byron, Elizabeth Wenscott and Mercedes Prause.

PLANT LIST
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Columbine - Aquilegia canadensis
Wild Petunia   Ruellia humilis
Black Eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
New England Aster - Aster novae-angliae
Woodland Aster - Aster divaricatus
Wild Geranium - Geranium maculatum
Husker Red Penstemon 
Evening Primrose - Oenothera macrocarpa
Penn Sedge - Carex pennsylvanica
Prairie Dropseed Grass - Sporobolus heterolepis
Purple Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea
Beebalm - Monarda fistulosa