THE SOUNDS OF SPRING IN RUTH PARK WOODS

THE SOUNDS OF SPRING IN RUTH PARK WOODS

St. Louis’s year-round species of birds are beginning to be joined by migrating birds returning here or passing through on their way to more exotic summer habitats.  Our area is a great location for birdwatching.  It is on the Mississippi Flyway migration...

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Bush honeysuckle Invasives

Bush honeysuckle Invasives

BUSH HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera maackii) is one of the most abundant invasive species in Ruth Park Woods. Why is it undesirable, though? It’s a big green bush that grows well. Bush honeysuckle is undesirable because:It creates such dense thickets that it produces too much...

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Trees are powerful

Trees are powerful

Urban forests help to store carbon, suck up stormwater, filter air pollution, cool our cities, provide food and homes for wildlife, and improve our own physical and mental health.  But powerful as they are, trees are under attack from climate change, invasive...

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Calling all Gardeners !

Calling all Gardeners !

Plant & Shrub Donations Needed U City in Bloom needs donations of perennial plants and shrubs for our Annual Plant Sale. Get your gardening tools out and start digging! Donations are being accepted at the Vernon Nursery. Please place donated plants in plastic bags...

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U City in Bloom Job Opportunities

U City in Bloom is seeking skilled gardeners and horticulturists to apply to be part of our dedicated team.  You have seen our shirts at conventions, or heard about some of the great things we are doing, but what actually is U City in Bloom?  We are an...

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A New Hoop House

A New Hoop House

U City in Bloom’s New Hoop House Over this past year, a “hoop house” has been going up near the Mary Fahey Pavilion on Vernon (just east of the Dog Park).  This structure will help U City in Bloom overwinter plants, both for next year's Spring Plant Sale, and for...

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Annual Garden Design

Annual Garden Design

Just about every time I am gardening in front of Centennial Commons, I am asked by passersby about designing this garden each year.  To be honest, I find the most challenging designs to be full annual displays like this one.  We have them in high impact...

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Top performing Annuals of 2018

Annuals: Top performers of 2018 & looking forward to 2019 Tracy Koehler- Horticulturalist Last season we saw the old standbys continue to perform up to or beyond expectations. Coleus, Ornamental Pepper, Lantana, Canna, Elephant Ears, Angelonia, Gomphrena, Celosia,...

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Wonderful witch hazels

Spring still seems a long way off (last frost date for St. Louis is April 7th this year, according to the Farmer’s Almanac) but remember some plants flower in winter and early spring. If you are like me you can’t hardly wait for warmer temperatures and for plants to...

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Plein Air Event September 2018

U City in Bloom's Plein Air Art Festival was held on Sunday, September 23rd with 45 artists and seven U City high school student artists participating.  The artists registered at  8 am and then headed to one of various outdoor destinations around University...

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Winter Drought Alert

With permission from Bill Ruppert at the Missouri Green Industry Alliance (MoGIA),  U City in Bloom shares this media release. Date of release: January 11, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Subject: EXTREME Winter Drought Alert – Supplement Water Essential...

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Gardening for Hummingbirds

Gardening for Hummingbirds, Tracy Koehler, Horticulturist U City in Bloom I love having hummingbirds visit my garden and look forward to it every year. I have never had feeders but instead choose to use annuals and perennials to feed these tiny, beautiful birds. I...

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Rain gardens/Bird garden cleanup

Spring is in session at the Heman Park Bird Garden.  Saturday's workday included a great presentation from U City in Bloom's Betty Withrow about the benefits of rain gardens and the how to's of creating one.   A rain garden is a shallow landscaped depression...

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