Somerville Garden Club

Tough Plants for Tough Places: Growing Native Plants on Asphalt

Dawn Burau, of Wild Indigo Gardening, LLC., will share her experiences growing native plants in a Somerville yard. Between the her paved backyard and the neighbor’s yard and chain-link fence, was roughly a foot of poor soil. Believing that every available strip of land can support the ecosystem, Dawn planted various native plants to see which ones would thrive, which one succumbed to rabbit damage, and which ones just wouldn’t make it. Join the journey and learn the top three thriving plants thus far. Get other tips for growing native plants in unlikely places as well!

In-person meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month at the Tufts Administration Building, (TAB), 167 Holland Street, second floor, wheelchair accessible. Parking is available for a small fee, and the building is a ten-minute walk from the Davis Square MBTA stop.

All Somerville Garden Club meetings are free and open to the public. 7-9pm. The SGC has been informed that the entry doors to the TAB will be locked at 8pm, including on our meeting days. Please arrange your arrival times accordingly.

Cape Cod Habitats: A Virtual Field Trip

Our June 10 meeting will feature a presentation by scientist Fran Raleigh (sister of our own Lise Raleigh) entitled Cape Cod Habitats: A Virtual Field Trip. A retired biology professor, Fran has lived on the Cape since 2018, where she is well known for her work with native plants, birds, and pollinators. Her talk will introduce us to the wetland and upland habitats of Cape Cod, with a focus on keystone or unique native plants.

A lifelong nature lover, Fran began studying ecology and wild plants at Marietta College, OH.  Earning graduate degrees in plant science in Syracuse (SUNY-ESF) developed her botanical skills and introduced her to new ecosystems. After 30 years teaching college biology in NJ (Saint Peter’s U), Fran retired to Cape Cod in 2018. She loves volunteer work teaching about nature without any grading. Her sister Lise introduced her to the Somerville Garden Club.  She’s enjoyed the newsletter for years and is excited to be here as a speaker.

In-person meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month at the Tufts Administration Building, (TAB), 167 Holland Street, second floor, wheelchair accessible. Parking is available for a small fee, and the building is a ten-minute walk from the Davis Square MBTA stop.

All Somerville Garden Club meetings are free and open to the public. 7-9pm. The SGC has been informed that the entry doors to the TAB will be locked at 8pm, including on our meeting days. Please arrange your arrival times accordingly.