Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden

Freedom Park Garden Summer/Fall Update 2011

2011-10-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lets start with the big news: we made it through the summer!
In spite of weeks of drought most of our native plans managed to survive and that, in part, due to Dorothy Dabbs, Jane Merkle and Knapp Wilkins, jug handlers extradinaire, who helped to water the garden.

Many of our natives are beginning to thrive as they reach maturity. Our winterberries have, yes, bright red berries on them, a feast for Northern Mockingbirds, American Robins, Gray Catbirds and Cedar Waxwings. The pink Gaura are blooming and tempting lots of bees and other bugs. We have several goldenrod plants in the process of blooming. The first of these bloomers is the Golden Fleece Goldenrod whose sprays of small yellow flowers attract butterflies and bugs as well as the hummers who fly in to slurp up a dinner of those unsuspecting bugs. The Obedient Plants have lovely violet blooms this year, and are obediently seducing butterflies and bumblebees.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) did a fly-by at the garden on August 6th, a first for us. Thanks to Tom Blakely, for the ID. Tom’s own Lake Claire yard, BTW, has been certified as an Audubon Wildlife Habitat. Donna Latham and I recently put up a hummingbird feeder in the garden hoping for more of them during this migration period.

A little more about hummers: The Ruby-Throated is the only hummer native to Georgia and the Eastern United States. Hummingbirds species, like Wild Turkeys, are true natives, only found in the Americans. Imagine the amazement of the first European settlers at the small size of the birds as well as their flying abilities: they fly backward, forward, up and down, and side to side, as well as stand still in midair.

According to June Osborne in The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the Taino people of the Bahamas (the first tribe encountered by Christopher Columbus in the New World) called the little bird "sky spirit," "magic sky bird," "god bird," or "sun god bird."

Native Americans used real hummingbirds as ear adornments to signify a person's importance. The bird’s iridescent feathers were considered so beautiful that they were to be flaunted. Rubythroat skins were revered and were exclusively reserved for the tribal leaders. In Mexico, the Aztec war god was recognized by the bracelet of dazzling hummingbird feathers on his left wrist. Members of Aztec royal families wore cloaks of glittering hummingbird feathers.

But let us not feel superior to the peoples of the past, thinking them primitive in their choices. Later, in the nineteenth century, rubythroat skins, as well as those of other hummingbirds, were in high demand to be used as decorations on women's hats, bags, jewelry, fans and gowns in Europe and in the New World.

Hummingbird migration should be over by November 1st. If you see one after that date please notify the Georgia Hummer Hotline at 770 784 1636. And think about keeping your feeders up all winter. You may be lucky and attract a wandering western species.

We also recently hosted a Pearl Crescent Butterfly (Phyciodes tharos), a butterfly found over most of the country (Photo right). Thanks to Malcolm Hodges for the definitive ID. This butterfly prefers any open area, where most of its host plants can be found. Its favorite host (or hostess) is the aster, where the adult butterfly can find nectar and the caterpillar can munch the leaves. Its overall pattern is orange with dark brown, almost black, markings, but that pattern is very variable over the species. The pattern can also can vary from place to place and from season to season. This species has several broods throughout the year, from April–November in the north, and throughout the year in the Deep South. It over winters as an adult in warmer climes and as a caterpillar in cooler places.

My co-coordinator, Phil Edwards, DeKalb Master Gardener Association, has been busy putting in new plants in the butterfly area. Among them, he’s planted 3 Butterfly Weeds, (Asclepias tuberosa), members of the milkweed family (Photo below). The flowers of the Butterfly Weed are a nectar source for many butterflies, bees and other insects as well as for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Monarch butterflies depend on this plant for their entire life cycle, from caterpillar to adult. Butterfly Weed needs to be distinguished from Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii). The former is a native plant, the latter an introduced species which is of little use to Monarchs.

Butterfly Weed has a bright yellow or orange bloom from June through August. Some species bloom even later. It’s a drought tolerant plant and likes full sun and dry soil. It’s the only milkweed with alternate leaves. Its seed pods burst open in the fall and the seeds gradually fly away on their silky parachutes. Like most milkweeds the juice is milky white.

Butterfly Weed was called pleurisy root in the past in reference to a prior medicinal use of the plant roots to treat lung inflammations. The pods of milkweeds may be eaten if boiled twice discarding the first water to remove the bitter taste. Wow, doesn’t that sound yummy.

Well, its fall so can winter be far behind? We do have some tasks ahead of us and if we accomplish them I’ll be sure to tell. We will be putting in some new plants later in the fall and can always use some help to do so……if you’d like to volunteer at the garden please email me at cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net We'd love to have you!

Carol Vanderschaaf
Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden
Atlanta Audubon Society

Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden Spring, 2011

2011-06-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

News flash! Its raining!! It was the evening of June 15^th as I began this update. It hadn’t rained for at least 8 weeks and suddenly ……..how wonderful! I emailed our trusty volunteer, Diane Shellack, who was poised to come down from her Roswell home in the am to water the new plants. Diane, who is a trouper, agree to take a rain check. Then I checked my rain barrels which had been down to their last drop and happily saw the rainwater pouring in them from the gutter spouts.

Extra, extra! Our mascot’s photo has been kidnapped again, that little imp with the tear in its eye for our disappearing habitat. The mystery-is the mascot loved or hated? Who is the culprit? In my investigation I did find out who gave us the original picture of the imp-it was Robert McLeod, neighbor across the street. He had placed it in the butterfly area and we loved his sweet addition. That picture was taken many months ago. But never fear, Fans of the Mascot, and do fear, you vile mascotnapper, I have many digital photos of the imp on my computer and the imp will appear again as soon as I get some colored ink. And on to the garden itself…..

New plants have been put in during the spring include 2 native azaleas, 12 Christmas Ferns, an Inkberry plant, some Black-eyed Susans and Blanket Plants.

Spring bloomers: Cup Plant (yellow), Milkweed (pink), Mohawk Viburnum (white), Fringed Bleeding Heart (pink), Wine Cups (magenta), Cumberland Rosemary (purple), Sweet Mock Orange, (white) and Thrift (purple).

Birds: My main function at the garden over the last months has been to water the new plants (the established plants are mostly taking care of themselves) so I hadn’t a chance to do much bird watching. I did see a House Finch, and the resident American Robin, as well as heard the White-breast4ed Nuthatch and Red-bellied Woodpecker. Phil Edwards, my co-coordinator, reports seeing a Brown Thrasher and a Red-headed Woodpecker in addition to Bluebirds in the nest box, the latter also reported by our roving correspondent, Meta Larsson.

The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) (See photo) is our featured bird this month, in tribute to his/her loyalty to the garden, The robin, that most familiar bird, is a year round resident in Georgia. It is found all over North America, from Alaska to Florida, according to Birds of Georgia by Fred Tekiela, and is migratory the northern states. Here in Georgia the robin can have 2 to 3 broods a year of 4 to 7 eggs. Both parents build the nest. Incubation by the female takes from 12 to 14 days. Both mom and dad feed the new birds which fledge in 14 to 16 days.

Robins, by the way, do love human beings (Homo sapiens). Rather than enjoy natural habitats like forests and open prairies, robins run-excuse me-fly to the nearest urban and suburban lawns. And why? Its a great place to find worms! And how do they find them, in case you want to try? According to extensive research by scientist Dr. Frank Heppner, they use their vision, not smell nor hearing, so put your eyes to the ground.

Life on the lawn is not entirely a good thing for robins. Lead in our lawns, leftover from the days of leaded paint and gasoline, often sticks to the skins of worms which the birds ingest. Studies show that city robins have twice as much lead in their bloodstreams as country birds. Also the antibodies of West Nile Virus are prevalent in the blood of robins which are apparently a mosquito’s favorite bite.

Robin populations, however, have slowly increased over the past 40 years. The bird’s ability to survive our unfortunate quest for new habitats has added to its numbers while at the same time many migratory bird populations have declined.

Butterflies: We feature the Silver Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), (See photo) as our butterfly this month. The Skipper is not a true butterfly though it looks like one, but is part of the family Hesperiiidae, which falls between butterfly and moth families. Skippers fly during the day as butterflies do, but like moths, have heavy bodies and dull colors. .The Silver-spotted Skipper almost never visits yellow flowers. It favors blue, red, pink, purple, and sometimes white and cream-colored ones, including common milkweed of which we have many in the garden. .

Silver Spotted Skippers are resident throughout Georgia and have a very extensive range all over North America . They are active from February through December here. One of their host plants is the False Indigo which we have in the garden. Larval food includes the Black Locust. Larvae, yellow in color with brown heads, build their own individual shelters, using silk to tie leaves together. All this according to Butterflies of Georgia by Jaret C. Daniels.

Butterflies do seem scarce this spring. I haven’t seem many at the garden or in my yard; only the Cabbage White seems abundant. I’m wondering if others have had the same experience.

Our highlighted plant this quarter is Silphium connatum, the Cup Plant, (See photo) a member of the aster family. Its bright yellow flowers attract birds, insects and butterflies, particularly the Pipevine Swallowtail. The American Goldfinch loves its seeds. The Cup Plant likes full sun, is drought tolerant and prefers poor soil (wow-get me a bunch!). It grows to 8 to 10 feet tall and sports yellow flowers from June to August. It can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. The most fascinating thing about this plant is the fact that its large triangular leaves join at the base to form cups which can hold water. After a rainfall, birds can often be seen bathing in these cups.

The Cup Plant is native to Eastern and Central North America and grows in prairies, open woodlands and on stream banks. The genus name comes from an ancient Greek word for a plant of North African whose gum or juice was prized for medicinal use and as a condiment. Native peoples cooked the leaves and used them as a green; the Winnebagos believed this species had supernatural powers so we‘re keeping an eye on it. We have one cup plant, now blooming, in the garden.

We again call for volunteers to help water our new plants. All this involves is to carry about five gallon jugs over to the garden and water the plants that are marked with orange landscape flags. If you’re game enough to do so please let me know. Right now we couldn’t get along without the stalwart help of Dorothy Dabbs. A million thanks to Dorothy for her perseverance. And thanks, too, to Lisa Owens, and likewise to Knapp, who helps be with my home garden, as well, in addition the Freedom Park Garden.

Another cry for water:Mulberry Fields, a Candler Park Community Garden and green space, is having a fund raising drive to get money for installation of a water line and irrigation meter for their space. They are asking for donations and will also be having a benefit at the E. Church on July 31^st. Please see their website at http://mulberryforever.blogspot.com/ for complete details.

As I complete this update, on June 20^th (OMG, now its almost summer!), it has rained twice since I started on June 15^th.. Unfortunately the drought is predicted to come back again, so please remember our need for volunteers with jugs.

Thank you and happy gardening!

Carol Vanderschaaf

Co-coordinator Cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net

PS: If you want to be taken off this list, please email me.
PPS: And as I publish this update its the first day of summer! 　

Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden Fall/Winter Update 2010/2011

2011-02-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

Here, finally, is the Fall/Winter (OMG its almost Spring) issue of the Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden Update.

The Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden. BTW, was started as a joint project of the Atlanta Audubon Society and the DeKalb Master Gardener Association. Our first plant was put in the ground in the spring of 2005, and we’ve been planting every year ever since. The purpose of the garden is to inspire the use of native plants to attract birds and butterflies (and bugs). Its located at the corner of North Ave., and Candler Park Drive, NE. The garden is one aspect of Atlanta Audubon's major focus on conservation, See "Conservation" on the Audubon website at http://www.atlantaaudubon.org

Here’s the latest news:

On January 28th my co-coordinator Phil Edwards and his merry troop of DeKalb Master Gardeners, Bert Weaver, Jimmy Dorsey, David & Jean Otness, Mary Evans, Stella Chamberlain,. and Betsy Abrams did a gigantic clean-up at the garden which yielded 28 bags of yard waste. Thanks to the city of Atlanta Sanitation Dept. for picking them up! The Master Gardeners also planted several new plants in the garden, including two Native Azaleas.

As I pulled up to the garden in early December, I saw a flash of red in a flock of blackbirds flying in front of my car. Wow, a another first for the garden-a Red-winged Blackbird ! I was quite surprised and so checked with my friend and birding expert, Gordon McWilliams, who verified that the species is a year round resident here though it can be a partial migrant in some areas. The Red-winged Blackbird is one of the most abundant birds in North America. According to National Geographic, there were 190 million of them in 1970, and populations are considered stable.

Red-winged Blackbird females build their nests over or near water. The Red-winged male is the veritable sheik of birds. He will sometimes have up to 15 females nesting in his territory. But, in spite of his valiant efforts to secure his harem, it turns out that up to one half of the chicks will have been fathered by another male. Hmmmmm.... Red-wings will have up to 3 broods per year which seems to keep the population stable in spite of the fact that their average lifespan is only 2 years. See the wonderful photo of a Red-winged Blackbird which was contributed kindly by Dan Vikers.

In late fall I spotted a Cloudless Sulphur butterfly (see photo) in the garden. This yellow fellow ( or gal) enjoys fluttering in fields, gardens, beaches and other open spaces. Sulphurs are found from South America to southern Canada. The field guide, Butterflies of Georgia, classifies them as visitors to north Georgia and residents in south Georgia. The guide also notes that there is a “massive” migration of sulphurs in the fall, calling it “one of the south’s most impressive natural phenomena”.

The Cloudless enjoys getting nectar from long tubed plants such as bougainvilla, cardinal flower and wild morning glory. It uses Wild Senna both as a nectar and host plant. In warm areas the butterflies breed year round, in warmer areas from midsummer to fall.

And speaking of Wild Senna, this native plant is attractive to bees, hummingbirds and other butterflies. Blooms, from mid-summer to early fall, are bright yellow. Seed pods form on the plant in the fall. You can propagate the plant by allowing the seed pods to dry on the plant before opening and then collecting the seeds. Wild Senna is a hardy plant that is drought tolerant once established. It thrives in moist open woods and disturbed ares. Native peoples used the roots to make a tea for fevers and heart problems and used a poultice of the root to treat sores. You can find one blooming in our garden later this year.

Our roving correspondent, Meta Larson, reported that in late February, that the “garden is sprouting ….with green everywhere” and some volunteer “daffodils are blossoming. …There is lots of twitter in the trees and there are little yellowish warblers in the tree tops above the garden...I did see a nuthatch, blue birds, cardinals, and lots of robins.” Meta also notes there is “a whole new ecosystem” forming around a new pond near the garden. “There is a great blue heron almost every morning at the pond, and bats at night.” Meta also reports 6 Mallards, a Red-tailed Hawks, and an occasional kingfisher as well as flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds.

Late last year I opened a checking account at the BOND Federal Credit Union for the garden so I could deposits donations. If you’d like to help out you can mail a check to the credit union at PO Box 5286, Atlanta, GA 30307 for Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden, account 261073591:71093008129. Please email me if you do so, so I can send a big THANKS!

And thanks to Bob and Norma Mayers of New Jersey for a generous gift and to Diane Shellack and Annette Burgess of Roswll, for contributing several native plants to the garden, both donations in memory of my mom, Kathryn Grzesiak, who passed away on June 30, 2010.

In closing, I’d like to welcome Ecoaddendum to Freedom Park. They’ve started a native garden down the block from us and will be doing extensive plantings in the future. For more information check http://ecoaddendum.org Let’s hope between the two gardens the birds, butterflies (and bugs) will be swarming in the park this summer!

And soon Spring should be here (or is it here already?). We’re looking forward to a whole new season of plant, bird and butterfly surprises.

Carol Vanderschaaf
Co-coordinater
Cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net

Freedom Park Garden Summer Update, August, 2010

2010-08-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

The garden is continuing to grow and mature, but a little more rain could surely help. Mostly, we’ve been trying to keep the bird bath full and doing a little weeding- that thanks to Diane Shellack and Lake Claire’s Dorothy Dabbs and Bob Sattermeyer as well as Candler Park’s Meta Larsson.

Lots of things have been blooming this spring and summer: the St. John’s Wort, the Wild Senna, the Gaura and the Cardinal Flowers as well as the Black Eyed Susans. We’ve got lots of food for lots of birds: the American Beautyberries are full of berries and the Purple Coneflowers have copious seeds.

Berries of the American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana L) are about to turn juicy purple(bottom pictured above). Robins, towhees, mockingbirds, mourning doves, catbirds, and bluebirds will soon be feasting on them. And watch out because sometimes the birds get quite drunk on the overly ripe berries. For people recipes, young pokeweed leaves can be boiled three times to reduce the toxin, discarding the water after each boiling. The result is known as poke salit, or poke salad. Other uses for the Pokeweed berries have been as an ink, a dye, and as a coloring agent in wine. Grated pokeroot was used by Native Americans as a poultice to treat inflammations. Pokeweed is indigenous to North America, and grows to be 10 feet tall. It can be propagated by replanting pieces of root or by reseeding, but it usually does pretty well on its own-all too well some may say.

The bluebird box has been used at least once by the Eastern Bluebird family and the usual suspects continue to visit the garden: Blue jays, American Robins, House Finches and Chipping Sparrows. Red-headed Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatches are often heard nearby. A pair of Green Herons, a Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, an American Goldfinch and a Cooper’s Hawk have been spotted within less than a quarter mile from the garden (we only take credit for seeing them, not attracting them-our bird bath isn’t big enough for the herons).

The American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), by the way, is a year round resident in north Georgia. The male in breeding plummage is bright yellow with black wings and a black patch on its forehead. Some people call it the Wild Canary. Goldfinches nest later than other birds, waiting until wild thistle down becomes available for nest building. The female builds the often watertight nest and does most of the sitting as well. They have 1 brood a year of 4-6 eggs. If you put up a Niger feeder and you’re lucky you’ll get some of these perky little guys and gals in your yard. To see, hear and get a more complete description of the Goldfinch please paste this link to your browser: http://allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/id

The latest butterfly to visit the garden is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), also Georgia resident. Its very recognizable with its bright yellow body and black stripes,(top picture above). Females can also come in a dark morph. This very common butterfly ranges from Alaska to Florida. Its favorite nector plants include Purple Coneflower, Butterfly Weed, Liatris and Zinnias, all of which we have in the garden. The ubiquitous Tulip Tree is one of its larval host plants.

Extra, extra! Its almost fall and time to think about two things, migration and fall planting. You can satisfy your migration lust by taking part in the Atlanta Audubon Society ’s fall migration walks. Information can be found at http://www.atlantaaudubon.org Click on Field Trips. And for your planting pangs, check out Atlanta Audubon’s 2010 Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour on the same website. Its being held in the Buckhead area on Saturday, September 11, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Charles Seabrook and John Yow will bee there signing their recent books. And if you’re still panting about planting check out the website for the DeKalb Botanical Garden at Georgia Perimeter College: http://www.gpc.edu/~decbt/ to find out when they’re holding their native plant sales and garden talks and walks. The first one is on September 1st.

　

Spring, 2010 Update

2010-05-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Among the many spring festivals in the city, the Garden itself, as it matures, has become a mini-festival of spring blooms. The participants, in order of appearance, have been Celandine Poppy (April 3), Piedmont Azalea, Virginia Bluebell, Mohawk Viburnum, and Fringed Bleeding Heart (April 6), Thrift and Cross vine (April 16) Amsonia, Cumberland Rosemary and Hawkweed (April 23) and Larkspur and Virginia Sweetspire (May 8).

Highlighted plant for this update is the Celandine Poppy, that small golden miracle for shady garden spots(see photo above left). Its bright yellow flowers appear in early spring and continue intermittently through fall. It grows up to 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide and does best in partial to full shade, where it will tend to naturalize. It is propagated by root ball division and seed. It is attractive to bees and can serve as cover to ground foraging birds. Chipmunks enjoy the seed pods. Its seeds are distributed by ants. It is deer and rabbit resistant. The stems have yellow sap that was commonly used as a dye by Native Americans. Europeans used the plant as a laxative and to remove warts. It native habitat is moist woodlands and along stream banks.

Our featured butterfly is the Spring Azure, an early season species and Georgia resident. Its larval host plants include blueberry and viburnum, as well as clover and vetch.. Larvae secret a liquid “honeydew” which ants savor. Ants protect the larvae so they can continue to feed on the liquid. New Jersey Tea (we have two) serves as a caterpillar host and provides nectar for adult butterflies. Nectar is also obtained from dogwood and milkweed (both in the garden). The earlier an Azure emerges, the darker its colors, The Spring Azure’s natural habitat is open woods and woodland edges. Its also found in swampy areas. For a picture of the Spring Azure see http://rlephoto.com/blue/azure_spring01

The Spring Azure belongs to the family of Gossamer-wing Butterflies. The word Gossamer, by the way, is included in the book The 100 Most Beautiful Words in English, according to the website http://www.alphaDictionary. The word “refers to lightness and sheerness at the very edge of visibility…. as Cole Porter put it in his 1935 song, Just One of those Things: "[It was] Just one of those fabulous flights; A trip to the moon on gossamer wings; Just one of those things." We can assume that sprites and fairies, [as well as the Spring Azure], are equipped with gossamer wings” too.

Two birds become FATG (first at the garden) this spring: a Palm Warbler, seen foraging, and a Pine Warbler, heard by Diane Shellack. The Palm Warbler is a migratory species here. Some winter in GA. It is one of few warbler species to forage on ground. It can be recognized by its rusty crown, yellow throat, and belly with some striping as well as the fact that it bobs its tail while foraging. According to Birds of Georgia by Stan Keliela, this little bird recognizes and destroys cowbird eggs by burying them in bottom of its nest. (Cowbirds are those deadbeat parents who lay their eggs in other birds nests, often leading the other bird to neglect their own children to feed the large and demanding cowbird chick) The Palm Warbler apparently got its name because wintering birds in Florida and the Caribbean spent a lot of time in Palm trees.

Pine Warblers are year round residents in Georgia Their population swells when northern birds come south in winter. The Pine looks a lot like the Palm Warbler but without the rusty crown and with more visible white wingbars. Birds of Georgia notes that it builds nest only in pine forests. It often builds the nest far out on a limb concealed from below by leaves and lined with feathers according to The Birders Handbook.

To view these two birds and hear their calls go to http://allaboutbirds.org

Another first near the garden was reported by Meta Larson who sent us news about two Barred Owl chicks. They were near her home which is off Freedom park about ½ mile from the garden-she also sent her photo of them(see photo above right). Beautiful, huh?

Final birds news: the Eastern Bluebirds have claimed the garden box again. They don’t give up easily. The box had fallen to the ground one day. Phil Edwards was in the process of putting it back up when he found he needed one more screw. He left the bird box hanging upside down while he rushed home to get what he needed. While he was gone one of the bluebirds came and sat on the upside down box, peering into the hole. Phil came back in a short time and finished the job-the next day the birds were bringing nesting material in.

And finally thanks to all our volunteers who helped with weeding the garden recently, Donna Latham, Lauren Sandoval, Diane Shellack and Dorothy Dabbs. Also to Tom Painter for keeping the bird bath full in February and for Robert McLeod for keeping an eye on things. And to the City of Atlanta for carrying away our many yard waste bags!

If you want to volunteer please email cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net

Vines and Trees and Birds and Butterflies and Bees

2010-02-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

Vines and Trees and Butterflies and Birds and Bees

The right combination of trees and vines can lead to lots of birds, butterflies and bees-beelieve or not. We’re developing such a combination over at the Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden, corner of North Ave. and Candler Park Drive. When we decided on the site for the garden it happened to include four large White Oak trees (Quercus alba). Little did we realize how fortuitous this was, not being up to speed on the secret life of trees at the time. Since we’ve learned that the White Oak is a valuable food source for over 28 species of birds, including Blue Jays, American Crows, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice and White -breasted Nuthatches, all of which have been seen or heard at the garden. The trees provide a huge benefit to wildlife populations because of their acorns, which are larger and sweeter than other oaks such as the red oak. In fact, including birds, 180 wildlife species prefer these acorns (www.Copeland.udel.edu). The White Oak can live for over 500 years and grows to 100 feet tall and is native to America.

Now, the White Oaks obviously don’t need any help to attract wildlife, but overachievers that we are, we decided to give them some help anyway-and that’s where the vines come in. We’ve gone ahead and planted a native vine by each of three of the trees, and each of these vines attracts birds and butterflies and bees! And here they are:

Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) is a host plant for the bright orange Gulf Fritillary, the Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Butterflies. The size and structure of flowers of this plant is optimized for pollination by hummingbirds, bumble bees and wasps. The vine, with its exotic white and purple flowers can grow to 20 feet.

Climbing hydrangea (Decumaria barbara ) is an attractive deciduous vine with lace-cap like clusters of large white flowers in midsummer. This plant, too, is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Its also a favorite of deer though we’re not really expecting any. The vine can grow up to 40 feet high.

Crossvine on White Oak
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is native to southeastern North America where it occurs widely in uplands, lowlands, forests, and clearings. The outside of the typical crossvine flower is red to brownish-orange, the inside yellow. It’s a hummingbird favorite, is drought tolerant and will grow to 40 feet.

So take a peek over at the garden, which, by the way, is a joint project of
Atlanta Audubon and the DeKalb Master Gardener Association.

Carol Vanderschaaf
Co-coordinator

Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden Summer/Fall, Almost Winter Update 12-01-09

2009-12-05T13:03:00.000-08:00

The garden stands alone! The garden made it through this summer and fall without much help from me. I’ll explain but first, apologies for this late and abbreviated update. Please accept my cupful of excuses and my explanation: on June 18, the day after the last update, I tripped while out walking and broke my kneecap. My own fault, I confess. I was busy looking towards a beautiful St. John’s Wort hoping to see some wildlife fluttering among the yellow blooms when an uneven pavement got me. Since that time I’ve been pretty such in recovery mode and was not able to get over to the garden myself until recently.

Thanks! In the meantime MANY THANKS to the volunteers who helped the garden get by: Tom Painter, who kept the birdbath full, Dorothy Dabbs, who watered the garden in its time of need, Lauren Sandoval, who watered our drooping new trees, Cecilia Marrero, who took photo’s of a still unidentified plant (we know its native since Meta Larson, who donated the plant, bought it at the Native Plant Garden at Georgia Perimeter College), and to Tom Painter, again, Martha Treadwell Justice and Diana Shellack who helped clean up the garden on a recent work day.

December 1 at the garden: The garden is looking pretty good! Even at this time of year. Zinnias are still in bloom The seed pods on the Wild Sienna are almost ready to be picked. The Stokes’ Asters, Blueberry plants, Florida Anise, Waxmyrtle, Crossvine, Celandine Poppy, Cumberland Rosemary, Passionflower, Thrift and Hawkweed continue to sport their greenery. The Eastern Red Cedar has grown about a foot. The bird bath is brimming with water thanks to all the recent rain-and Tom Painter. There are no more berries on the American Beautyberry nor any seed heads on the Purple Coneflowers-hopefully the birds made a meal of these.

So, all in all, the garden made it through the season without much help, as it is meant to do. For this, thanks to Phil Edwards, garden co-coordinator, and the DeKalb Master Gardeners’ Association who planned and planted the garden and, without whom, the garden would have never come to be.

Things on hold: Many things have been on hold for the last few months and for this I point the finger of blame at my knee-ouch! Still to be accomplished: a Power Point presentation, a pathway through the garden, a grant application and completion of markers for all the plants. Also we weren't able to connect with Mary Lin School students this year, very disappointing, but wait til next year! Again, I wasn't able to coordinate things in time.

Help re email addresses: To add insult to knee injury, my computer crashed in early September so I’ve lost some of the Update email addresses. So if you know anybody who might be interested in receiving the Update please send me their email address. Anyone not wishing to receive Updates, please hit reply/send.

Soapbox: Yes, even with a broken knee cap I can perch upon it! Just want to add a link to the "Save Jekyll Island" site - www.savejekyllisland.org - there's a "Keep Jekyll Affordable" petition there if you'd like to sign it. The possible commercial development of Jekyll is scary and, as far as I'm concerned, just a foot in the door for developers to move on to other parts of the lovely Georgia coast. And if they do, we'll lose all that beauty and all those birds and become a replica of my home state, New Jersey (much as I love it). So here’s a chance to keep an established native plant wildlife habitat in place.

Well, I'm stepping off my soapbox-cautiously.

Thanks for listening and

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
　
Carol Vanderschaaf
Co-coordinator
Cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net

Freedom Park Garden Update, Spring 2009

2009-06-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden Spring Update

Water, water everywhere..........And all our plants do drink…………Rime of the Atlanta Gardener

Birds and Buds and Butterflies…..What a wonderful spring! The birds are singing, the butterflies are fluttering and buds are blooming at the garden.

Big Birds at Garden…A Pileated Woodpecker was seen near the garden by neighbor Jim Satcher. Yes, Jim saw the crest. The bird was in an oak tree digging for food under some dead bark. Jim also reports that in late May “a huge hawk landed in one of the oaks (in the garden) and proceeded to eat something, a bird I believe. The mockingbirds and robins attacked him over and over.” Jim had also put up a bluebird house in his front yard across from the garden last year and reports, ”the bluebirds have hatched one brood and are in the process of hatching their second right now. It is neat because the female basically sits up enough that she can just stick her head out of the birdhouse any time she wants. Like a dog out a car window. I also have had two robin nests this year.” Other birds at the garden, in addition to the usual suspects, a pair of Chipping Sparrows in the garden and a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers nearby.

Butterfly News……The latest butterfly to be seen at the garden is an American Painted Lady, Vanessa Virginians (See attachment 1). Despite its beauty the American Painted Lady is often underappreciated because it is so common. It usually flies near the ground and is best seen in the early morning or on cool days. This painted lady is fond of open, sunny and disturbed locations. (Floridata.com) These butterflies range from central and southern Canada, south through Florida and Mexico (www.Marietta.edu/~biol). They are cold tolerant and are likely to over winter in the north as adults. (National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies)

Native plants blooming this spring have included Piedmont Azalea, Crossvine, and Fringed Bleeding Heart, all of which are attractive to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, which, by the way, arrives here around March 15 and departs on November 13 (www.birdingadventuresinc.com). Other bloomers include Thrift, Stokes Aster, St John’s Wort, Celandine Poppy, Milkweed, ( See attachment 2) Wine Cups, Virginia Bluebells and even those Green and Gold plants we thought would never rise again! And then we have--------

The Color Purple......In April Phil Edwards, Master Gardener and Co-Coordinator of the garden, scattered some larkspur seeds in the butterfly area of the garden and that burst of purple flowers is the result. Larkspur, Delphinium L., is a herbaceous perennial native to the eastern United States. They prefer full sun, average soil and medium humidity. Some species of this plant can be toxic if eaten. They are self seeding. Larkspur have some food and cover value for birds. They're also attractive to butterflies, including the Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor. Some Delphinium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera. The plants are pollinated by bees and butterflies. In herbal medicine its reported that the seeds can be used against parasites, lice and nits in the hair. Larkspur has been thought to have been an effective treatment for eye diseases. A blue ink can be made from the juice of the flowers mixed with alum. It once was used to keep witches from the stables In Transylvania, probably because of its dark color. Its scientific name is the Latin for dolphin, for the shape of the opening flower. (www.Wikipedia.com, www.Mobot.org, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies.)

Spring planting……A few days ago Phil Edwards put in several new plants including Jewelweed, Bronze Fennel, Helen Campbell Cleome, pink Muhly Grass and “Gay Butterflies” Butterfly Weed. Earlier this spring we put in 3 Witch-hazel, 3 Florida Anise and another Winterberry, thanks to Greg Levine at Trees Atlanta.

Fall 2008 Planting….During the second week of November, 2008, students from the Challenge (gifted) Classes at Mary Lin Elementary School put forty new native plants into the garden with the help of Master Gardeners Phil Edwards, Mike Doyle, Loretta Parker and Stella Chamberlain, and teachers, Krystal Manning and Dr. Frank Smith, . Pictures of the students from that day have been added to the Audubon webpage on the garden at www.atlantaaudubon.org/aaswww/conservation/freedompark.htm. The week after we put the plants in the temperature went down to 27 degrees and we were quite worried, but. this spring we found we had lost some plants but not as many as we’d feared.

Path of Glory………We’re working toward building a pathway through the garden so that there might be better access to the markers we’ve been putting by the native plants. Thanks to Matt Wilder, Senior Associate at Eccos Environmental Design, Inc., and member of the Freedom Park Improvement Committee, who came over to the garden several times to help us develop a plan. Matt also brought Shawn Case over to see the garden. Shawn is the Director of Business Development at Ed Castro Landscaping and may be able to help us with some materials for the path.

So all-in-all.....things are going well. And may the rains continue!

PS: If you’d like to be added to the email list for our quarterly garden update please email me at cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net If you want to be removed from this list please hit reply/send. And, btw, the garden is a joint project of the Atlanta Audubon Society and the DeKalb Master Gardener Association and is located at the corner of North Ave., and Candler Park Drive, about a mile east of the Carter Library.

Carol Vanderschaaf, Co-Coordinator

The Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden continues to go native!

2008-09-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

(article from Candler Park Messenger, September, 2008)

We now have about 35 native plants in the garden. Several are in bloom now: Wild Senna, Joe Pye Weed, Cardinal Flowers and Black-eyed Susans. Others have finished blooming: St John’s Wort, Gayfeather, Celandine Poppies, Rosemary, and Crossvine.

We planted a butterfly area at one end of the garden in May, with species that could provide nectar for butterflies as well as food for caterpillars. Species include Butterfly Weed (not Butterfly Bush which is not a native), Bee Balm, Fennel and Parsley. We’ve had several butterflies visit, including Silver Spotted Skipper, Gulf Fritillary and Cabbage White, as well as Tiger and Black Swallowtails. Many of the latter’s caterpillars have feasted on the Fennel and Parsley.

The bluebird box was active again this year. The nesting pair then seemed to move across the street to Jim Satcher’s bluebird house-we’re hoping that next year there’ll be two families of bluebirds in the area! Also seen in the area of the Garden: a Chipping Sparrow, American Robins, House Finch, Northern Cardinals, those ole European Starlings, Northern Mockingbirds, Red-headed Woodpeckers and, overhead, two Red-tailed Hawks.

We hope to fill in the Garden with more plants this fall-hopefully with the help of Mary Lin students. If you’re interested in helping us with this planting or would be willing to sign up for an occasional workday, please contact Carol Vanderschaaf at

Easy-to-grow natives

2008-09-29T03:33:00.000-07:00

Native plants for birds and/or butterflies:
Black-eyed Susan
Purple Coneflower
Lantana
Golden Fleece Goldenrod
Autumn Sage
Virginia Creeper
Cardinal Flower
Crossvine

Native plants for birds:
American Beautyberry
Pokeweed
Blueberry
Yellow root

Native plants for butterflies:
Butterfly Weed (not Bush), Fennel
Joe Pye Weed
St. John’s Wort
Milkweed
Passionflower

Coneheads are not aliens!

2008-09-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

Whatever Saturday Night Live propaganda you may have been exposed to its time to face the fact: Coneheads (and their parental units) are natives! Coneheads, i.e., the ones with purple heads also know as Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea ) are plants native to North America!

These Coneheads are likely to be found in dry open woods, road banks and prairies from Ohio and Iowa, south to Louisiana and Georgia. In the garden they grow to 5 feet tall, prefer sun to part shade and dry soil. They bloom from June to October and are both heat and drought tolerant. The seeds will spread easily and will reshow in the garden. They can also be propagated by rootball division.

Coneheads-I mean Coneflowers-are great for wildlife. Insects and butterflies, including Tiger Swallowtails, love them for their nectar. Old flower heads provide seed for songbirds, including the beautiful American Goldfinch.

This plant has long been know for improving the body’s resistance to infections of all kinds. Native people used it for to ease headaches, toothaches and sore gums. It is the infamous “snake oil” of the past, used as a poultice for snake bites and blood poisoning.

Echinacea, the coneflower’s genus name, is said to have been derived from the Greek word for hedgehog, which its central cone resembles.

Check out the purple coneflower in the Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden, at the corner of North Ave., and Candler Park Drive., in Northeast Atlanta.

(Internet sources: abnativeplants.com, Naturalways.com, hardyplants.com, Scienceviews.com., Ohio State University at Waterman Farm)

2008-08-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

GOING NAKED-ER-NATIVE
A few words about passion. We all want some but aren’t necessarily able to have it all the time. So how about the passion flower? What can it do for us? Perhaps improve our love life? Hmmm…..
The native passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) is an herbaceous perennial vine, growing to 6 -15 feet in length or height. Its exotic flowers are white and purple and bloom through summer to mid fall (see picture). Its fruits are about the size of a hen egg. It likes full sun or partial shade. It has average water needs, will grow in most soils but prefers those rich, acid soil.
Also known as Maypop, for the sound the fruits makes when stepped on, the vine is a fast grower, dying down in the winter and growing back quickly in the spring. It can be propagated seed, cuttings or dividing rhizomes.
Gulf and variegated fritillaries and zebra longwing butterflies are passionate about the passion flower. Fritillary caterpillars can ravage its leaves when feeding. (See picture of Gulf Fritillary caterpillar). Its fruits of passion are eaten by rabbits and deer.
But alas, the term “passion” regarding this flower nothing to do with the passion of love. The flower was named by 15th and 16th century Spanish missionaries as it reminded them of certain aspects of the Passion of Christ (though not featured in the movie).
Don’t despair, however! The plant can be used to treat nervous anxiety and insomnia brought on by lack of passion. It is also a good pass-a-long plant which might lead to a passion flower relationship.
You can see a passion flower in the Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden. Its small, having just been planted, but we’re hoping it will wind up the white oak its been planted next to. And if you would like to sign up to volunteer at the garden (for a work day, to water when needed or to clean the bird bath occasionally, please email me at cvanderschaaf@bellsouth.net
Internet sources for article: Georgia Wildlife Federation, Discarding.com, Floridata.com, Wikipedia

Freedom Park Garden Update Spring 2008

2008-06-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

June 17, 2008

Mockingbirds overthrown-bluebirds rule! Yes, the mockingbirds have been pushed off of their perch on the bluebird box and the bluebirds have established a nest! And the bluebirds were feeding young this week. The robins also have crowded the mockers off the birdbath. The garden is no longer mockingbird hill-tra la. (Don't mean to insult the mockers-was just afraid that they'd keep all the other birds away from "their" territory).

Now in bloom: Wine cups, Purple Coneflowers, St. John's Wort, Rising Sun Tickweed, Butterfly Weed and Larkspur.

Butterfly garden planting: We planted a special butterfly garden in the third driveway of the garden area on May 10. After we prepared the soil we sowed seeds of butterfly attracting flowers (many of which have since sprouted). Later Phil Edwards, Master Gardener, planted many native butterfly attracting plants: fennel, butterfly weed, bee balm and parsley, among them. Thanks to volunteers Gail Todd, Pandra Williams and Stella Chamberlain for their help.

Bird News: A Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) visited the garden earlier this month. This little bird is a full time resident in this area and is often seen eating seeds under feeders. Its easily identified by its rusty cap and ground foraging habit. Its "chip", from which it gets its name, can also help with identification. Chipping sparrows build their cup shaped nests in trees or vines up to 11 feet off the ground. They can have two broods a year averaging 4 eggs per brood. This bird might be nicknamed the camel bird as it can live on dry seeds without drinking water for up to three weeks. (The Birder's Handbook, Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, Simon and Schuster, 1988). Also seen near the garden recently: Red-headed Woodpecker, American Robin, Chimney Swift, White-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling and that ole Northern Mockingbird. Also the pool is open! The bird bath had some visitors shortly after I put fresh water in the other day-a Tufted Titmouse and two Mourning Doves.

Butterfly news: Butterflies are around in force this month. The Cabbage White (Artogeia rapae) and Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) are frequenting garden areas even as I write. Cabbage Whites are hereby outed as being non-native, having been introduced in Canada in 1860. They've since spread out all over North America. They're those white butterflies (about 1 1/2 inches in size) with one or two white spots on their wings and slightly charcoal wing tips. The Gulf Fritillary, about 2 1/2 inches in size, is a bright orange butterfly with black spots (see picture above) ranging throughout the southern United States. Its favorite nectar plants are phlox and lantana. (National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies, Alfred A. Knopf, 1998) Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) vines are one of as its larval host plants. We've just planted this vine in the garden.

Highlighted Plant: St. John’s Wort (Hypericum frondosum). St. John's wort, a deciduous shrub, is native to the southeastern United States, usually occurring on rocky hills, in limestone glades and barrens. It is drought tolerant. The gray hairstreak butterfly lays its eggs on St. John's wort. Caterpillars eat the foliage. Adult butterflies sip flower nectar. The plant was named for St. John the Baptist because it blooms around the day of his feast. It does best in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade and prefers some shade in the hottest climates. It grows to 2-4 ft tall with about the same width. It likes well drained soil. It sports bright yellow flowers late spring to early fall. It can be propagated by cuttings or sowing seeds outside in the fall. We have two St. John's Worts in the garden (but no good pictures of them-sorry). St. John's Wort has been used as a treatment for depression and is also said to help in decreasing alcohol intake.

Workday 6-6-08: Volunteers Bob Sattelmeyer, Cecilia Marrero, Pandra Williams, Dorothy Dabbs and Phil Edwards and I watered and weeded the garden and cleaned the adjoining sidewalk. Also twenty new plant markers were added. Pandra had invited Connie Gray, Ecological Resource Specialist with DeKalb County, to see the garden. Connie gave us some great input.

Thanks, too, to: Janea Boyles for again helping with gray water (Janea, by the way, runs The Mercantile in Candler Park, which uses "sustainable local ingredients" prepared in an "environmentally conscious" way. (See http://www.themercantileatl.com/ for complete information). Also thanks to: Jennifer West who donated some bricks which we used to heighten the wall of the butterfly area and to Robert McLeod who's been watering the garden when he can with his own gray water.

Help, help! We can always use some help with watering and weeding. If you'd like to be signed up for a workday or would be willing to water occasionally, please email me. If you happen to be passing the garden feel free to deadhead the flowers or pull up some crab grass or other weeds. Or if you have an extra gallon of gray water our plants can always use a cool drink (couldn't we all?).

Good links: http://www.ecoaddendum.org/ This is a link to Ecoaddendum, a project to bring native plants back to the Metro Atlanta area, spearheaded by Pandra Williams.

http://www.caes.uga.edu/publications/ Thanks to Tom Painter for info about this link-to a guide to native plants of Georgia-most useful. Once you get to the site, type in "B987" ( the publication number) in the appropriate area.

Thanks for your time and good gardening, good birding and good butterflying to all.......Carol