“Ideally, seventy percent of our property should be devoted to native plants, and the other thirty percent for our favorite ornamentals,” Master Gardener Consuelo Almovodar explained on Saturday at the Coolidge Branch during a presentation on the importance of planting native plants for beneficial insects and pollinators, all evidence of a healthy ecosystem. The event was part of Remake Learning Days, hosted in PA this year from May 12th-23rd. Remake Learning Days is a festival of events hosted by a variety of organizations, such as schools, museums and libraries that offer opportunities for youth to develop their sense of creativity, perseverance and curiosity. The events are designed to be hands-on, relevant and engaging educational experiences for youth of all ages and their families.
After Consuelo’s indoor presentation, we got down and dirty(!) as we planted native varieties such as Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia ‘hummingbird’), Foam Flower (Tiarella), Woodland Phlox, and Christmas Fern along the front walkway. The plants were specially selected and provided by Edge of the Woods Nursery in Orefield and funded through Friends of the Library.
It would BEE wonderful if we could start a gardening club just for the Coolidge branch! Perhaps we could add a new section of native plants each year. If you’re interested in volunteering your time at the library in this capacity, please contact Regina Kochmaruk at rkochmaruk@bapl.org. And a BUG thank you to all who participated this year, and especially to Consuelo of Penn State’s Master Gardener’s Program!