Events

We will tour Carol Leigh's yard, seeing spring ephemerals in bloom, and other native plants, in this well established site.

Located at 7001 So Hill Creek Road.  To get there take Providence Rd. south past Nifong and past Rock Bridge Elementary School where Providence becomes S. Rte K. Continue approximately 1.3 mi to S Hill Creek Rd., turn left onto S Hill Creek Rd. Go .5 mile to house on right hand side of road. Sign for Hillcreek Fiber Studio is there.

This will be a walking tour, outdoors. Hope to see you there.

We will meet at the Forum Nature Area Trailhead and work on the shady gardens there and the sunny triangle nearby, mostly weeding.  Join us to learn more about native plants and their needs and/or to share what you know with other.

Enter the parking lot off of Forum, south of Katy Lane, and drive to the lower level.  We will be working at the far end of the parking lot.

We will tour Lesa Beamer's native yard, where she has been working for 20 years.  This includes a 1/2 acre restored prairie, a new rain garden, and a wooded area that has been burned to reveal more native plants.

Note: Don't rely on GPS
Directions from Providence and Nifong:  Take Providence south to 163 (by Rock Bridge Elementary School) and turn left.  Take 163 through Rock Bridge park.  At the first stop sign (by Pierpont Store) turn right onto Route N.  Go 1 mile to my house (mailbox on left).  Park on grass to right of driveway.  If that fills up, easiest place to park is on Pierpont Meadows Road, which is just before my driveway, also on the left.
New note:  Lesa's mailbox was part of original directions, but it was recently destroyed.   The post with the house #  is still standing and will have red tape around it so it is more visible.

We will be rescuing plants that have grown out of the garden beds, to prepare for mulching the following day.

You are welcome to come take plants home (bring containers and water, and perhaps potting soil), or help rescue them for other public sites, like schoolyards (Lea will help with their planting later).

We will be working with a group of youth volunteers to mulch around the edges of the gardens between the mulch site and the western trail.  Mulch will be delivered and we will put down newspaper first and then mulch, helping supervise the youth and physically helping as well.

We will tour the Flenner's approximately 1 acre property, at 5203 South Cowan Road, south of Columbia.

Highlights of this tour are two native plant meadows planted in 2012, a native plant garden with numerous varieties of plants, a rain garden, and a frog-scaping garden alongside a frog pond and moss garden (in progress), and a vegetable garden. The meadows are maintained with mowing instead of burning. There will be mowed paths for walking.

Laura has native plants in a natural setting that will be very enjoyable to see. Laura has been an involved member of Wild Ones for many years and is the president of Mid-Missouri Chapter. The current weather prediction is for a beautiful day, high of 86, low of 63. Be prepared to walk down the hill and across the creek (dry) to the field. She has a planted wildflower garden there and also natural habitat. There are other garden spots to see by the house.

Directions to Laura Hillman: Address is 7900 Cave Creek Rd. (GPS works well). From Columbia take Providence Rd. South past Rockbridge Elementary School where it becomes South Rt. K.  At approximately 1.3 miles turn left onto S Hill Creek Rd., Go .8 mile and continue straight onto Cave Creek Road.  Her house is the last one on the road and has a big boat in the yard - can't miss that!   Park off to the side of the road. Laura's cell phone # is 573-397-1010.

Tour the large rain garden created by students and teacher, Glenn Pickett, starting in 2006.  This detention basin captures water from a large parking lot at the northeast side of the school.  Glenn and Lea and other volunteers have been caring for this garden since it's creation, for use by students and teachers.  Glenn (and Lea) will be there to give us the history of this lovely and useful garden.

Directions:  Rockbridge High School is located at 4303 S. Providence Rd. (GPS works well). It is on South Providence just north Southampton. The rain garden is in the front of the school on the north side.  Park in the lot on the North side. Lea is the contact person for this one.  573-864-7647