Posts Tagged Debbie Roos
An excellent day for learning about pollinators
Posted by piedmontgardener in Native Wildlife, piedmont gardening, Piedmont Patch Collaborative on February 17, 2018
A full parking lot on a gray day.
Truthfully, the weather was absolutely dismal today in central North Carolina. The chilly drizzle probably felt worse than it was because yesterday it was 80 degrees here. But this morning inside the cozy Episcopal Church of the Advocate, the gathered crowd was warmly attentive as the kick-off speaker for the lecture series sponsored by the Piedmont Patch Collaborative — the deeply knowledgable Debbie Roos — shared innumerable stories and facts about the wonders that abound in pollinator gardens.
Debbie’s opening slide.
We saw beauty in the plants that varied in color, form, and texture, and in the astonishing diversity of insects and other creatures drawn to the flowers for food. We learned how critical caterpillars are to native birds that rely exclusively on them to feed their young. We asked many questions, and Debbie answered all of them.
Many questions were asked and answered.
I want to once again thank Debbie Roos for coming out on this gray, ugly day while still recovering from a nasty cold. Her enthusiasm and her spectacular photos brought sunshine to all of us despite the gloom outside.
I also want to thank Barbara Driscoll, who represented the New Hope Audubon Society, the Piedmont Patch Collaborative’s newest partner organization. The literature she brought was snapped up enthusiastically, and she even sold several of the bird boxes she brought.
Our sign-in table was busy before Debbie’s talk began.
Finally, thanks to all the folks who came out this morning to hear Debbie’s presentation. I hope you were inspired to start your own pollinator garden on your property. Every new Piedmont patch of native — or mostly native — plants is a lifeline for native pollinators and other wildlife being devastated by the rapid urbanization of our region.
Please keep checking the Web site of the Piedmont Patch Collaborative. We’ll be adding resources to help you with your own Piedmont patch projects, and we’ll be offering additional lectures and other educational opportunities at least every quarter.
We’re dreaming big and acting locally. Please join us!
This Saturday, come learn about pollinators and pollinator gardens
Posted by piedmontgardener in Conservation Corner, Piedmont Patch Collaborative on February 15, 2018
Monarch on swamp milkweed
This Saturday, Feb. 17, the Piedmont Patch Collaborative will host a free lecture in Chapel Hill, NC at 11:00 a.m. Although the warm temperatures have afflicted most of us with spring fever, the weather on Saturday will be an abrupt return to cold, damp conditions — ideal weather for sitting in a warm, dry spot to learn how you can invite native wildlife onto your property by adding native plants.
A hummingbird moth dining on whorled milkweed flowers.
I’ve been writing about the Piedmont Patch Collaborative for a few months now, most recently in the post previous to this one. We are trying to demonstrate to public and private property owners the benefits of creating patches of native plant sanctuaries wherever they can to help compensate for the devastating losses of native habitat brought about by the rampant urbanization of the Piedmont region. Because most everyone loves butterflies, birds, and flowers, we thought a talk on how to use flowers to attract and feed these native creatures would appeal to experienced, and we hope especially, new gardeners. In central NC, there is no one better qualified to teach about pollinators and pollinator gardens than Debbie Roos. We are delighted that she is the first speaker in our quarterly lecture series that is free and open to the public.
Carpenter bee on swamp milkweed flowers.
Since 1999, Debbie has been an Agriculture Agent for the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, where she is responsible for programming in the areas of commercial vegetable production, organic production, pollinator conservation, alternative agricultural enterprises, forestry, and beekeeping. Debbie is passionate about pollinator conservation and has planted demonstration habitats and developed resources to teach others about the importance of bees and other pollinators to our agriculture ecosystem. Visit her pollinator Web site here.
Common Buckeye enjoying ironweed flowers.
Despite predicted gloomy weather, we are hoping for a big turnout for Debbie’s lecture. If you’re planning on coming, please bring a friend, especially if your friend is new to the Piedmont region or new to gardening. Come learn about the power of flowers that feed and shelter insects and birds critical to the survival of our food crops and our native ecosystems. The middle of February is the perfect time to start thinking about adding a pollinator garden to your property. You won’t be alone. The Piedmont Patch Collaborative Web site will offer a growing list of resources, including how-to articles and videos, an events calendar, recommended plant lists, and, of course, our quarterly lecture series. The site also lists all the details about Saturday’s lecture, including the location in Chapel Hill, NC.
I have the honor of introducing Debbie before her talk. If you attend and have time, please introduce yourself to me after the lecture. I’m always happy to talk about Piedmont gardening.
Please come to Debbie Roos’ lecture this Saturday!
