With the coming of another Winter, my 56th on this earth, I’m already remembering this past spring and summer as one of the best any gardener could have wished for. After a record breaking long winter last year, this past spring brought a beautiful show of Daff odils, Scilla, Tulips, Allium, Bleeding Hearts and Blue Bells at Period Garden Park. Lilacs, Vibernum, Forsythia and Flowering Plum soon followed and gave way to Peonies, Iris, and Roses. Annual were planted, and resulted in a lavish performance all through the summer. Our shade areas were lush with several types of Hosta, Trillium, Wild Ginger, Lungwort, Jack in the Pulpit, Hellebores, Lily of the Valley and Brunnera, along with several types of Ferns. Hydrangea and Canna were beautiful in the summer, along with many types of Clematis, Bee Balm, Phlox, Russian Sage, Lavender, and several varieties of Daylilly. If I had to pick a favorite flower, it would be the often six-foot-tall Oriental Lilly. The stature and the amazing scent has no equal, and we have a few dozen at Period Park blooming from June to August. Late summer brought Astor’s and Anemone and late blooming Autumn Clematis with its sweet scent of vanilla.
We have a no pesticide policy at the park, and local honeybees are always busy gathering nectar to take home to their hives. I work closely with these creatures, and we often bump into each other, but I have never been stung. I have a passion to help and protect our bees. As many horrible modern practices are threatening their existence, I like to think our park is an oasis for them in a busy urban area, and as far as I can tell, we have accomplished that.
Our urban bird population is also important. We provide seeds and water that appeal to Cardinals, Finches, Wrens and Chickadees, with nesting homes scattered around the park. Period Garden Park is not only to be enjoyed by the people that visit, but I believe we play an important part of supporting the local wild life as well.
If you have recently visited the park and enjoyed all it has to offer, please consider a donation to help support our volunteer work. Th e park is very dependent on your kind donations to fund all that we, the volunteers do. If you have given in the past, we are grateful. If you believe that our efforts to help the bee and bird population of the increasingly growing urbanization of downtown Madison is worth supporting, please help us by donating what you can. Period Garden Park is almost the only large source of pollen producing flowers in the downtown area.
Any amount is welcome. A donation of $20 will buy a month’s worth of bird seed, two flats of annuals that the bees will use for months as a nectar source, or four bags of compost to feed the plants. Consider making a donation in someone’s name. It makes a wonderful holiday gift while supporting a beautiful floral display and helping our downtown wildlife. Your tax deductible donation can be made to: Capitol Neighborhoods Inc./Period Garden Park and mailed to:
Capitol Neighborhoods Inc.
P.O. Box 2613
Madison WI 53703
Visit our website. Better yet, come visit the park at: 110 East Gorham St.
Our grateful thanks to all that have donated in the past, and to all that volunteered their time in helping maintain the park this year. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday and a bright new year!