Tuesday, May 31, 2016

May Plant Sale


Each year, the Friends of Ned Wolf Park hosts a plant sale to raise funds to maintain the gardens and to build reserve funds for capital projects.  This year, the sale was held on May 14th.  About one third of the plants we sell were harvested from the park itself, another third of the plants were donated by members or neighbors, and a selection of plants were purchased from local wholesalers to round out the mix.
This year, our net profits were 30% above last year.  THANKS to the eager buyers who enjoy supporting the park and getting bargain prices to boot!

Monday, May 30, 2016

Allium Ambassador


What started out as eight mail ordered bulbs from the VanEngelen catalog is now one of our gardens most beloved features. When this later-blooming variety of onion family bulbs blooms, visitors slow down, take pictures, ask "What are THOSE?" Happily, they have multiplied and the dense purple orbs on sturdy stems create a real party in the park, -  like helium balloons!

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Japanese Roof Iris

At Ned Wolf Park, we have an usual species of Iris called Iris tectorum 'Alba', also known as white Japansee roof iris. It likes shade and its blooms, though short-lived, are like elegant fluttering butterflies. This Iris tolerates dry conditions and has thrived under a Sophora tree in a raised bed against the wall. Despite digging up and selling several divisions for our plant sale, the stand looks magnificent.  The wide blades of foliage will grow a bit longer after blooming finishes. And unlike its cousins that prefer sun, this Iris foliage arches handsomely to create a fountain effect for the remainder of the growing season and tolerating some winter months, too.

May Marvels

On May 14th, we staged another successful Plant Sale.h The Friends of Ned Wolf Park earned it's operating budget plus additional funds for our capital campaign to replace old railroad ties with reclaimed belgian blocks. In fact our net income was up 40% by adding more plants. Both donated plants harvested from the park and wholesale purchased perennials and herbs account for uptick in sales.