Calendar of Events and Programs

We are excited to have the opportunity to visit the garden of Toni Stahl. You have gotten a glimpse of what is going on in her yard from reading her Nature Scoop Newsletter. Now you can discover how she attracts all those birds, butterflies and other creatures to her yard.  This yard is a functioning, Wildlife Habitat in a small, typical residential yard (100 ft X 50 ft) certified by National Wildlife Federation in 2003. One example of bringing diversity to the yard is that Toni went from seeing 2 kinds of butterflies to 33 different kinds because the yard contains a wide variety of native plants (including nectar and host plants for caterpillars). It has matured since this photo was taken. It contains a butterfly log cabin for overwintering. Pollinator plants also attract hummingbirds and a wide variety of insects. It has many native bees and has had two successful friendly, native bumblebee nests the last two years. Toni and her husband, Bill, see songbirds, hummingbirds and have a Chimney Swift Tower in which Chimney Swifts have successfully raised babies every year since it was erected. There are a wide variety of prairie plants, including prairie dock, downy sunflower and royal catchfly. The backyard was made into a native forest edge with tall canopy trees and understory trees, including a hackberry tree and chokecherry. Below are bushes and forbs, including gray dogwood and heart-leaved aster. The shade garden has a variety of plants including brown eyed susan and mistflower. There is ground cover in many areas, including native violets. The front yard has a broken arbor that is being replaced in March 2018, so the rare trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) will be cut back at the tour, but should still be visible. We suggest you bring your water bottle. We will also have water on-hand if you forget. There will be handouts and Q & A. You can get more information by checking out her website for National Wildlife Federation.