Our Foundation
Mission Statement: Gardens and programs that inspire, educate, and enrich our lives and our community.
Purpose Statement: To educate and encourage citizens on the importance of developing, restoring, maintaining and conserving wildlife habitat and the native plants that comprise that habitat.
Welcome our new members! Many thanks to those who have renewed your memberships and given donations.
We are so grateful that many of you have increased your membership renewal levels–it is very much appreciated! Memberships help support our organization and our gardens!
June Class
Friday June 25th ZOOM online class at 4:00 p.m. entitled ~Backyard Habitat for Urban Wildlife ~ presented by Brandon Burger with Backyard Bird Shop Vancouver.
Join us for a discussion of the difference between monoculture yards and yards designed to provide habitat for the wildlife with whom we share our urban environment.
Friday June 25th at 4:00pm on Zoom–partnering with the Camas Library.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
May Class-Recap
We had an informative May class with Hannah Schrager owner of Good Year Farms www.goodyearfarms.com— Thank you Hannah!
If you missed the original presentation, it was recorded and is now available to view on The Camas Public Library’s YouTube page. Here is the link to the recording: Intro to PNW Ecology
Also here is a link to Hannah’s slideshow: https://bit.ly/3upqZHj
Plant Sale-Recap
The plant sale is now a memory. Thanks to all of our hardworking volunteers! Considering it was a sale under pandemic conditions it can be considered a success. In addition to the first full weekend of the sale, at the end of April, (along with CASEE selling natives) and the first Saturday in May we also had “mini” versions of the sale on Thursday and Friday May 6-7 in conjunction with CASEE’s open greenhouse for district employees.
That added to our sales and allowed more trees to find homes. Our proceeds were approx. $12,700.
We also had a very happy raffle winner–Carrie.
If you are still looking for native plants you still have a chance at Good Year Farms www.goodyearfarms.com.
The farm will be open the first two weekends in June 5-6 and June 12-13 from 10am to 4pm in the barn. 29610 SE 23rd Street, Washougal WA 98671 Near Camas High School and up Woodburn Road Ph. 360.907.0817.
Also CASEE may sell natives by appointment. Contact Margaret Bessert at:
bessert.margaret@battlegroundps.org
Saturday Morning Work Parties
We can use some extra help sprucing up the gardens for
Art in the Garden (see below). This would be a great way to help out.
Saturday morning work parties (SMWP) are ongoing. For those unfamiliar with our parties, on each Saturday morning, with safety in mind (masks and social distancing required), we will pair volunteers with one of our garden coordinators who will supervise and guide various tasks around the gardens. A great way to get out, get your hands (gloves) dirty, get some exercise and help contribute to the beauty of our gardens. You may even learn some things!
We are doing things a bit differently this year. In order to comply with restrictions guiding the number of people gathering together we have created a sign up system using SignUpGenius. Each month additional sign up dates will be added.
Save the Date: Art in the Garden
Things are moving along with preparations for this year’s 9th (do we count last year?) Anniversary of Art in the Garden event on Sunday July 11th from 10:00am-4:00pm at NatureScaping’s Wildlife Botanical Gardens.
Artists will be displaying and selling their creations which are strategically located among the gardens. We have a good mix of returning and new artists this year. We will again have music and yarn spinning demonstrations. Something new this year–a raffle basket with items donated from some of the artists!
Help us spread the word.
Congratulations…
From Bethany Wray-Habitat Technician-Backyard Habitat Certification Program
“Congratulations Meredith and your team of volunteers! Thank you for being an example to the community of native landscaping.” We at NatureScaping agree!!
“Clark County now has a certified demonstration garden on display at NatureScaping of SW Washington in Brush Prairie. The botanical gardens host a number of demonstration plots. Meredith Hardin manages the WaterWise demonstration garden and has worked hard to incorporate native plants and qualify her demonstration plot for PLATINUM level certification! A nearby building has downspouts directed to a rain garden with signage to educate guests. Mason bees are housed nearby, and a snag stands in one corner of the plot. As a demonstration garden she has naturescaped areas as well as a variety of waterwise ornamental plants. Many of the natives are labeled with signs and represent all 5 canopy levels. For example Oregon ash, vine maple, red twig dogwood, salal, and california poppy and bigleaf lupine. Dozens more are present, (she planted at least 250 plants!), so come on by and check them out!” See pic.
The Backyard Habitat Certification Program is a collaboration between the Watershed Alliance of SW Washington, Columbia Land Trust and Portland Audubon. www.backyardhabitats.org.
Did you Notice….
We have a new website! It does look similar to our former site–same great photos–with some improvements. We are continuing work on a few new processes. Thanks to our webmaster and Website Committee! Stay tuned… and come see us in the meantime.
We have added another new Birds of the PNW sign in our NW Bird Haven Garden; continuing our goals of education.
We Were Mentioned….
Included in an article in Via Oregon-May/June 2021 (which is a AAA digital publication) titled “Country scenes-explore life along the Lewis River in southwest Washington” we were listed as a place to visit along the 70 mile Scenic Drive. We are mentioned at the bottom of page 23 if you care to look: https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aaavia/viaoregon_20210506/index.php#/p/22
Sharing…..
So many folks are enjoying the gardens and have left comments and pictures. Thanks to our members who help us fulfil our mission statement with their support and of course to our amazing coordinators/volunteers!
Some comments from various visitors, members and gardeners….
From Jaynee (a visitor):
“I have been taking my children to Naturescaping since they were little. My daughter is going to be a Senior in high school next year, so we recently visited the gardens again to take her Senior photos. They came out magical! Every little nook/bench has such a peaceful and serene feel to it. Thank you for all of the time and effort that your volunteers put into making Naturescaping such a majestic and marvelous treasure in our community.”
From Martha (one of our gardeners):
“Three wonderful volunteers on Saturday. Weeding and mulching and full of good cheer. Susan, Julia and Tiana. The Manor Garden is beginning to revive through the work of Mother Nature and the work of human hands.”
From Larry (member and regular contributor):
“something new to appreciate every week in the Gardens!”
From Business Google
From Susan:
“Very lush at this time of the year, spring (mid May) gardens are free to walk around and get ideas for planting native northwest plants for your garden. Serene and not crowded. Nice place to take photos! Lots of birds too!”
From Charlie:
“A real hidden gem with a multitude of beautiful areas highlighting various plant and garden scenarios. Small water features and plenty of birds enhance the scene. Not overly large, plan to spend about an hour tops, but there is a lot to take in with the plants well marked.”
Have a Wildlife Botanical Gardens story or pictures to share? Please send them to me and you may see them in an upcoming newsletter.
Nature Related Quote of the Month
Have to remember this when tackling my noxious weeds….
From Laura Ingalls Wilder: If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.
Enjoy! Stay safe.