September 2015 Meeting: Visit to the Ridgeway Pine Relict

We had a wonderful September meeting roaming the pine barrens of the Ridgeway Pine Relict. Thank you to the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and the Malcolm Stack Foundation for sharing this local gem.

Pine relicts are pine forest communities that are remnants that date back to the last glacier retreat-some 10,000 years ago. These relicts were part of what was once a pine dominated landscape in a cool southern WI climate. As time passed the climate gradually warmed and prairie and oak savannas replaced nearly all the pine forests in Southern Wisconsin. All that remains are relicts found in very steep draws among rocky cliffs in the Driftless Areas of SW Wisconsin. The Ridgeway pines are only one of two large pine relicts in Southern Wisconsin. The plant community in a pine relict consists of at least 75% northern and not more than 25% southern plant species.

David Clutter, Executive Director of the Driftless Area Land Conservancy, helped make arrangements with the Malcolm Stack Foundation to visit this site. David has dedicated his career to protecting and stewarding biological diversity, water resources and agricultural lands in Illinois and Wisconsin. David has a Master's of Science in Environment and Resources from UW-Madison with an emphasis on collaborative conservation planning and policy implementation. David gave us some background information on the pine relict and then led a walk.

August 2015: Picnic Meeting and Trip to Heritage Farm

Picnic at Soldiers Memorial Park

It was a great picnic at Soldier's Memorial Park in Mineral Point for our August meeting. Jenny McNeill has been working on developing diverse and colorful flower beds both along the creek and around the park entrance sign. We really enjoyed seeing what Jenny had done. Great food and lots of it.

Following our business meeting Marian Schmitz shared some fascinating and amazing history of

Soldier’s Memorial Park. Many were surprised with Marian’s park history, that there had been a lake in the park big enough for rowboats, swimming and a slide and that there once had been a dance pavilion that hosted big name bands. Marian brought in old pictures, letters, and

newspaper articles, and recounted some personal recollections about her involvement with the park.

Many thanks to Jenny for her work on the park gardens and to Marian for a delightful and informative look back at the history of Soldiers Memorial Park.

Day Trip to Heritage Farm

The 2015 annual Garden Club trip was to Heritage Farm outside of Decorah, Iowa on August 15th.

Heritage Farm is the headquarters of Seed Savers Exchange, whose mission is to conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants.

The farm is located six miles north of Decorah, Iowa. Nestled among sparkling streams, limestone bluffs, and century-old white pine woods, the 890-acre farm is a living museum of historic varieties. Thousands of heirlooms are grown in certified organic fields.

July 2015 Meeting: Garden Visit, Home of Carol and Dean Rademaker

July's garden club program was at the home of Carol and Dean Rademaker in the country outside of Hollandale. They have opened their beautiful home with extensive and diverse gardens to a number of garden tours in the past but always surprise us with something new.

In addition to their well-tended prairie, woods, large ponds, creek and path, large rock garden, vegetable and perennial beds, Carol has constructed a number of fairy houses which she has tucked away in her gardens. Members were greeted by any number of them as they meandered about. 

  

It is a lot of work to ready a home for a garden tour and we thank Carol and Dean for volunteering their gardens to tour this year. 

June 2015 Meeting: Garden Visit - Home of Jim and Sue Okas

The lupines were in full bloom in the lush
plantings between the sidewalk and curb.

Summer garden walks are a special treat that garden club members eagerly look forward to.




The June meeting kicked off the garden walk season in style with a visit to the home of Jim and Sue Okas in McFarland.

When Jim and Sue moved from Mineral Point a couple of years ago they left behind extensive gardens that Sue had nurtured over many years. So it was no surprise that she fell in love with the lush gardens surrounding their new home in McFarland.

A HUGE sumac that died recently but still lends architectural interest.
Two adjacent sumac trees are almost as large!

Their yard has many unique spaces including a pond with koi, a mini garden, tool shed and pergola.

The gardens were designed and planted 14 years ago by the previous owner. Sue brought some of her favorite miniature hostas, but the rest of the extensive plantings were already there. Plants include a variety of trees and shrubs, tree peonies, shade and sun perennials and ground covers.


















Sue has embellished the areas with natural materials such as wood and stone and other ornamentation.






























Just outside their back door you step onto a shaded patio next to the pond - the perfect spot to enjoy our treats and conversation.


























Thank you to Sue and Jim for sharing their wonderful gardens!

May 2015 Meeting: Dr Phil Pellitteri

Dr. Phil Pellitteri was our speaker at the May 6th Uplands Garden Club meeting.

Dr. Pellitteri is a Distinguished Faculty Associate Emeritus with the UW-Madison Dept. of Entomology. He directed the Insect Diagnostic Lab for the Department from 1978 until March, 2014. Currently his teaching appointment with the University of WI Extension includes responsibilities as Urban Entomologist, Pesticide applicator training, Master Gardening Program training, general media requests and general insect and control. Dr. Pellitteri averages 60 talks and programs around the state each year. Many of you hear him as a monthly regular guest on public radio's Larry Meiller show which Dr. Pellitteri has participated in since 1979.

An enlightening and engaging speaker, Dr Pellitteri manages to make talking about insects interesting and fun. He provided lots of information on insect problems in our gardens, including invasions that aren't in Wisconsin yet but might be on the way.

But first, Dr. Pellitteri graciously accepted Mary Mayo's challenge to identify the insect suggested by this model of the house she grew up in.

Clues were the color of the house and that it was by a lake....any ideas?

April 2015 Meeting: A Tour of South Africa

Uplands Garden Club member, Arnette Small, was our program presenter at the April meeting.

Arnette toured the country of South Africa as one of 100 members from the American Birding Association visiting a number of parks and botanical gardens. She toured there for 2 weeks last October; Spring in South Africa. Rock Jumper planned and organized the guided tours which included Kruger National Park.

Arnette's birding books

On video and camera, Arnette captured many animals including rare wild dogs, elephants, penguins and giraffes to name a few. She saw many dazzling-colored birds with equally colorful names of which her favorites are violet backed starlings, sunbirds, sugarbirds, beeeaters, rollers, go-aways and thick knees.

Artifacts from Arnette's South African tour

Arnette shared her knowledge and photos of plants including unique and unusual bonsai, protea pruned to the size of small trees, and a 2000 year old baobab tree. Her video of the penguins playing on the beach brought a laugh from everyone (yes, there ARE penguins in South Africa!).

Thank you, Arnette, for sharing your once-in-a-lifetime trip with us!

March 2015 Meeting: Gardening for Hummingbirds

Michael and Kathi Rock gave a presentation on attracting hummingbirds to your property, regardless of location. Their talk covered basic information on the life and behavior of the Rubythroated hummingbird, its migration patterns, reproduction and nesting habits; and the best feeders for attracting hummingbirds and how to maintain them. The second half of their program focused on annual and perennial plants to include in your garden and how to effectively design a garden to attract hummingbirds.

Michael and Kathi have been learning about hummingbird behavior and gardening to attract hummingbirds for over 10 years. They have studied and consulted with many experts and
hummingbird banders and traveled to many US locations to learn about hummingbirds. Michael and Kathi have presented at the Dane Co. Garden Expo, Olbrich Gardens, the Chicago Garden and Flower Show and the Sedona Hummingbird Festival. They will also speak at the Milwaukee Realtors’ Home and Garden Show in 2015.

Garden Club Program Chair, Mary Mayo chats with Michael
after the presentation

Their presentation includes many photos from their Madison garden which includes over a hundred plant varieties and more than 20 hummingbird feeders. Michael and Kathi have published articles on hummingbird gardening in a variety of magazines and other sources. They were featured in the Wisconsin State Journal, Midwest Living Magazine, Birds and Blooms Magazine and The Wisconsin Gardener program on Wisconsin Public Television. Each September, they conduct public tour of their hummingbird garden at their home in Madison.