Go Green Wilmette & Wilmette Public Library Pair for Two Great Programs – Part I

The Wilmette Library’s program, “Next Season:  Plant a Butterfly Garden,” on Saturday, September 28 was as informative as it was delightful.  Eran Rhodes, a garden expert and the owner of “Sacred Earth, Edible Landscaping Initiatives,” explained how to install a butterfly garden (not that difficult) He explained how to use cardboard instead of chemicals to eliminate grass, how to adequately prepare the soil, and which plants are good to attract pollinators, specifically butterflies.  Plants like Echinacea, lemon balm (may take over the garden), lavender, and bee balm not only attract pollinators, but also have medicinal qualities.

 It turns out that the small white butterflies we have been seeing this summer, called cabbage butterflies, are not what you want to attract, however, if you are growing tomatoes.  They lay their larvae on those plants and munch away on the plants as they are developing.  Ladybugs are good for keeping them at bay. 

Eran showed us examples of the beautiful gardens he had installed around the area and encouraged the audience to give it a try.  Attracting pollinators by giving them a resting place and food is critically important both to their well-being and to ours because of the food they ultimately help provide for us.

After the slide show, the audience trooped outdoors to the Library’s butterfly garden (on the Wilmette Avenue side), which Eran designed and built.  He conducted a delightful tour pointing out the various plants he installed, like milkweed (back by the wall), butterfly weed, butterfly bush, rue, and many, many others.  He explained why some plants are doing better than others, primarily the effects of the wind and cold weather.  He gave out some cuttings of a few plants as well as some seeds for participants to take home.

The presentation was well attended by an enthusiastic audience with many questions.  Many people left wanting to have their own butterfly garden for its beauty and also for its importance in growing healthy plants and vegetables.

Another green activity awaits you on:

Sunday, October 6, 2013

9:00am - 10:30am Tree Walk

10:30am - 11:00am Join friends and
neighbors for refreshments in the gazebo. 

Mallinckrodt Park, 1041 Ridge Road, Wilmette

For more great activities, go to: www.gogreenwilmette.org