The Euonymus americana locally know as "Strawberry bush", "Burning Bush", "Hearts-a-Busting" is in full display right now. In late summer/early fall the red fruits burst open to reveal bright orange berries. The pictures below are from a NPI member's garden in New Orleans.
It is an adaptable landscape shrub or small tree tolerating different sun exposures and soil types. It does best in shadier areas with filtered light and protection from afternoon sun. The colorful fruits and seeds not only provide fall interest for humans, but are also a food source for birds and mammals.
In the wild it can be found in riparian areas, forming loose thickets.
Learn more about the "Strawberry bush" Euonymus americanusHERE
We had out first in person membership meeting since the pandemic! It was held on the shady patio at Rosa Keller Library (site of a current NPI project) on a perfect weather Sunday morning. Board members Ann and Kathy signed in current members and signed up new members. Our president, Tammany, welcomed everyone and caught us up on the goings on of NPI over the past year. Vice president Nell discussed the BTNEP grant awarded to NPI to fund more plant giveaways, the mini prairie planting at Rosa Keller Library, Broadmoor Rain Garden, and other current projects NPI is working on. Author, biologist, artist, and NPI member, Susan Norris-Davis, introduced her new book The Big Easy Native Plant Guide a native plant book written for New Orleans. Board member, Tanya, discussed NPI's involvement in the Gentilly Resiliency District and French Market Association's mural and native plantings. NPI member, Jennifer Prout, explained the design concept of matrix planting and its application in the Big Lake Native Plant Trail at City Park. We closed the meeting with a plant give away and refreshments. Exciting projects are on the horizon!! We hope you will become a member and join NPI's mission to increase the use of native plants in our area by expanding public awareness of their ecological benefits, boosting availability, and by preserving and creating native plant communities.
We are excited to resume in-person community events for both St. Anthony Green Streets and the Public Art Projects in the Gentilly Resilience District.
On May 15, Artists Langston Allston, Courtney Egan, Brendon Palmer-Angell and Ashley Pridmore will lead hands-on creative activities for all ages focused on the themes of water, remembrance, adaptation, and ecology. Photographer Jose Cotto will be taking portraits of neighborhood residents that they can take home with them, and the portraits may also be featured -- with permission -- as part of a temporary display at Gatto Playground. Meet with the design team and city representatives to learn the latest on the St. Anthony Green Streets project.
Please follow all public health guidelines for masks and social distancing, and do not join if you’re experiencing any symptoms of illness. We will have hand sanitizer and extra masks on hand. And if you have any questions or concerns, please email roadwork@nola.gov or call (504) 658-7623. We hope to see you soon!
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The $141 million HUD-funded Gentilly Resilience District (GRD) is a combination of efforts across the Gentilly neighborhood that are designed to reduce flood risk, slow land subsidence, improve energy reliability, and encourage neighborhood revitalization. To learn more, visit: www.nola.gov/resilience.
Originally scheduled for April 17th, postponed due to weather, is now rescheduled for May 15th.
ST. ANTHONY GREEN STREETS AND PUBLIC ART
Saturday, April 17 | 10 a.m. to Noon
@ Filmore Playground, 5500 Wildair St.
We are excited to resume in-person community events for both St. Anthony Green Streets and the Public Art Projects in the Gentilly Resilience District.
On April 17, Artists Langston Allston and Courtney Egan will lead hands-on, creative activities for all ages, focusing on neighborhood history, plants, and water. Photographer Jose Cotto will be taking portraits of neighborhood residents that they can take home with them, and the portraits may also be featured -- with permission -- as part of a temporary display at Filmore Playground. Meet with the design team and city representatives to learn the latest on the St. Anthony Green Streets project.
From noon to 1, head to New Orleans Mosquito, Rodent, and Termite Control Headquarters (2100 Leon C. Simon) just up the street to help plant a native wildflower meadow with artist Courtney Egan, the Native Plant Initiative, Water Leaders Institute, and Civic Studio.
Please follow all public health guidelines for masks and social distancing, and do not join if you’re experiencing any symptoms of illness. We will have hand sanitizer and extra masks on hand. And if you have any questions or concerns, please email roadwork@nola.gov or call (504) 658-7623. We hope to see you soon!
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The $141 million HUD-funded Gentilly Resilience District (GRD) is a combination of efforts across the Gentilly neighborhood that are designed to reduce flood risk, slow land subsidence, improve energy reliability, and encourage neighborhood revitalization. To learn more, visit: www.nola.gov/resilience.
“How We Turned a Barren Construction Site Into A Gold Level Habitat In Less Than One Year"
Tracey Banowetz
Background
Our interest in using native plants in our landscaping began over twenty five years ago as two of our hobbies - gardening and birdwatching - intertwined. For Dave, reading Noah’s Garden by Sara Stein back in 1994 was like what reading Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home or Nature’s Best Hope is for many today. It showed how we could enjoy both hobbies in a way that also supported our more fundamental interests in nature and conservation.
Our first attempt at gardening with native plants was in conjunction with the construction of a new home in a Baton Rouge subdivision in 1995. We outgrew that space within five years and acquired 26 acres in the Tunica Hills north of St. Francisville. We enjoyed almost 20 years of fun in the woods before facing the fact that it was time to downsize. Which brings us to the start of the present-day story….
Initially, the concept of downsizing was depressing as we struggled with the thought of trying to shrink what we had in terms of both home and garden. What to keep? What to get rid of? And how? We needed a vision! We found it at an exhibit at the West Baton Rouge museum on the interior design concepts of Frank Lloyd Wright. Dave and I walked out of the exhibit, looked at each other, and said “That’s it! We keep nothing and go in a completely different direction.”
This meant swapping a 160 year old historic home and most of its contents for a small but intensely functional space based on the principles of Wright’s Usonian designs. But the characteristics of organic architecture - “creating harmony between human habitation and the natural world” - also provided an exciting step forward in our continuing interest in gardening with native plants.
So now we had to find a homesite. We looked for property on the New Orleans north shore in order to be closer to both of our mothers who still live in the area. We chose a 3/4 acre lot in the Money Hill subdivision in Abita Springs. We were attracted to Money Hill because of the conservation ethics expressed by the Goodyear family as well as their association with The Nature Conservancy. We chose our lot based on its gradual elevation change and the fact that it backed up to a small lake and a large common area with lots of space and lovely views. We knew our architect could help us do something really cool with the site.
Design Goals for the Home and Garden
In keeping with the principles of organic architecture, we wanted the construction of the home to be “dirt neutral.” In other words, we wanted as little fill and as little excavation as possible, despite the fact that the lot had a strong declining slope from front to back. The result was a split-level open u-shape home that melded into the existing topography. Pale green brick would further help the house blend in to its surroundings.
The changing elevation across the property created both challenges and opportunities. Managing the drainage in a sensitive way would be a challenge and for this we collaborated with Philip Moser Associates and installed a series of french drains and dry stream beds. A low retaining wall at the rear of the main garden in the front yard was added to retain both soil and soil moisture in this bed. Terraced steps in the rear compliment the geometry of the house, creating garden and lawn spaces that absorb water runoff from the roof. This also allowed us to preserve and protect a large longleaf pine in the backyard by avoiding any significant fill in its root zone.
Different elevations and exposures on the site offered us the opportunity to create three main habitat areas. The higher and sunnier front yard became the upland pine savannah; the lower, wetter northeastern corner became the lowland pine savannah or “flatwoods garden;” and the shadier west side became the woodland garden.
We were required to present a landscape plan to the Money Hill HOA prior to constructing our home. At the time we did this, the committee was primarily concerned with tree preservation and had some detailed requirements regarding the minimum number of trees you were required to have for each zone of your property. This was not a difficult target for us to meet and our initial plan was readily accepted. While the plan included a large planting area in the front yard for the upland pine savannah, there was also a generous amount of turf, which probably helped facilitate the approval. That said, current guidelines call for a minimum of 20% turf area in the front yard, so we have the opportunity to expand this garden as we learn more about what plants are most successful in this area. Thus far, the only “push back” we have received from the HOA was that it took longer than the required three months from move-in to install the garden.
Plant Selection
When it came to selecting specific plants for the gardens, we wanted to focus primarily on the use of indigenous native plant material common to the longleaf pine ecosystem that was original to the Money Hill area. Lucky for us, our best friends are Rick and Susan Webb who own the fabulous Louisiana Growers Nursery in nearby Amite. Having held my landscape horticulture license since 2002, we had easy access to some wonderful plant material, including lots of special selections that Rick has made from St. Tammany, Washington, and Tangipahoa parishes.
We also put into practice some of the principles we had recently learned from Claudia West and Piet Oudolf. We sought to use native grasses and perennials in relatively dense masses. Perennials were selected with an eye towards attracting birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Many of our perennials came from Louisiana Growers, but we also discovered the great selection of perennials available as “landscape plugs” from Northcreek Nursery in Pennsylvania. Again, having my professional license allowed us access to this source of plant material. Using large quantities of smaller plants allowed us to achieve masses of plants quickly and economically.
Specific Plant Materials
While we focused on masses of perennials, we also opted for diversity in terms of both the woody and perennial selections. Having the three different habitats guided our selection process and accentuated this diversity. What follows is a list of some of the plant material in each of the three habitat gardens.
Upland Pine Savannah: This garden is in the front yard, receiving full sun with a southern exposure. The property slopes gently from the street down towards the house.
Lowland Pine Savannah: This garden is in the rear northeastern corner of the property. It has significant elevation change across its area, staying drier at the top and much more damp at the rear.
Woodland: The woodland habitat stretches along the western side of the home, extending into the back yard area. It is bordered by the wooded lot next door which we bought half-way into the construction process in order to preserve the trees.
Elsewhere on the property: There are several other smaller beds on the site, including foundation beds across the front of the home, and additional trees dotted about.
Beeblossom (Gaura lindheimeri), Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica), White Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia cappillaris), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica var. sylvatica), Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) Correll's False Dragonhead (Physostegia correllii), Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana), Water Oak (Quercus nigra), Nuttall Oak (Quercus nuttallii), Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), White Flame Salvia (Salvia farinacea x longispicata), Blue eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angusstifolium), Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa), Pond Cypress (Taxodium distichum var. nutans).
Bog Planter: I have long had a passion for collecting carnivorous plants and we designed a planter at the front entrance of the home to hold these.
Other Perennials: There are some non-native perennials that we just can’t live without and find particularly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. These have been included in other planters and beds around the home: Cigar Flower (Cuphea ignea), Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeeana), Lantana sp. ‘New Gold.’
Lot Next Door: As mentioned earlier, about half-way through construction, we had the opportunity to purchase the lot to the west of ours. We have begun to introduce more native trees, shrubs, and perennials into the understory. The list below includes both pre-existing and recently planted species.
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis)
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum), Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Sweetbay Magnolia(M. virginiana var. australis), Southern Wax Myrtle(Myrica cerifera), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica var. sylvatica), Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), Loblolly pinePinus taeda), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Common Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum), Giant Coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima), Lyre Leaf Sage (Salvia lyrta), Tree Huckleberry(Vaccinium arboreum).
Outcome andReception
As of this writing, it has been a little over twelve months since we installed most of the woody plant material. Perennials have just gone through their first winter and, for the most part, appear to have survived the recent cold snap. We are curious to see what Spring will bring. Our biggest challenge has been having to deal with the poor quality garden soil that was brought in to build some of the landscape beds. We’ve had to apply a lot more fertilizer than we’d like in order to lower the soil pH and improve fertility.
Overall though, the first year has been very rewarding. The abundance of milkweed brought lots of monarchs and countless caterpillars and chrysalis. Numerous other swallowtails, skippers, dragonflies, bees, and other pollinators have been spotted as well. Turtles come up from the nearby lake to lay their eggs in the garden which is fine with us. Various species of woodpeckers, flycatchers, warblers, and other songbirds have been spotted. We’ve had at least three different hummingbird species overwinter in the garden too.
The pandemic has prevented us from socializing much, so I can’t report on how the garden has been received beyond our immediate neighbors. Our next-door neighbor is an equally avid gardener with a completely different style, but she loves it and is always curious about what we are doing. Her granddaughter has even brought a chrysalis and a pitcher plant from our garden to show-and-tell! The young family across the street has expressed positive curiosity as well and recently inquired about our Certified Habitat sign.
I have to admit that I laughed when, in the middle of the admittedly drawn out process of initial installation, a member of the HOA committee asked when we would be finished. “Never!” We recognize that our garden will never be finished. It will always be evolving. As we learn from our successes and failures, we will probably reduce the turf and expand the garden in the front yard. We plan to “gently manage” the side lot by continuing to add appropriate trees, shrubs, and perennials to the understory. We look forward to enjoying our garden and its critters for many years to come!
Tracey Banowetz is past president of the Louisiana Native Plant Society and owner of WildWing Gardens, specializing in gardens for birds, butterflies, and wildlife. She lives and gardens with her husband David in Abita Springs, Louisiana.
Preliminary landscape design showing 3 habitat areas
The New Orleans Museum of Art and the Garden Study Club of New Orleans invite you to participate in Art in Bloom 2021 | Home Grown presented by IBERIABANK |First Horizon. One of the most anticipated springtime events in New Orleans, for five days at NOMA, from May 5–9, Art in Bloom will showcase spectacular floral designs created by garden clubs, floral designers and creative talents from across New Orleans.
With the current climate in mind, 2021’s theme, Home Grown will bring together exhibitors and speakers primarily from our city and region to celebrate the beauty that you can create at home. This year, Art in Bloom will feature both virtual and in-person experiences for patrons to enjoy while adhering to safety measures that will insure the well-being of visitors, patrons and staff.
This article by Dan Gill, former LSU AgCenter Horticulturist, explains why to use native plants in our landscapes.
Cardinal Flower
(07/29/16) "Native plants are not used as much as they could be in our landscapes. While natives cannot satisfactorily replace all of the many types of plants we use, incorporating native plants when and where we can is a good thing.
Flowers on a Parsley Hawthorn tree
The best reason to use native plants is that they give our landscapes a sense of place. Using plants native to your region links your landscape to natural areas and the plants they contain. It makes the gardens here in the Gulf Coast South look distinctively different than gardens in other parts of the country..."
This event is open to the public and is intended to purpose to give the community an understanding of the massive water infrastructure project that will soon begin outside their doorsteps. Native plants will play a part in the stormwater management of this area. A bioswale will go in around Filmore Park, and Courtney was awarded a public art project for a footbridge over the bioswale. The footbridge is to be educational as well as artistic and will feature images and information about the native plants that will be in the bioswale and that grow in New Orleans. At this event, NPI will have an Activity and Information table where visitors and neighbors can learn about native plants, make SeedBeads with native seeds provided and/or take native seeds home to plant in their gardens.
This is an opportunity to share your knowledge about native plants and NPI. Courtney is open to any amount of help you can give. You might get a little dirty, so be prepared!
Tabling at Filmore Park, and seed scattering at meadow site.
9:30-11:30 - set up tabling at Filmore Park: We will be introducing native plants to attendees. We'll have pictures of natives and of the plants that will go in the bioswale, NPI materials, etc., and need your expertise! We will have bowls of native seeds, and will be set up for people to make seed balls, or to pot up seeds on the spot. Any pointers for what works best for tabling are welcome. More info on seed balls.
11:30 to 1:30 - tabling wrap up, reconvene at Native Wildflower Meadow at Leon C. Simon, assist in seed scattering (I have 2 lbs of a native mix) and tamping down seeds, breakdown. This will be the more active shift, scattering or assisting the scattering on site.
We had out first in person membership meeting since the pandemic! It was held on the shady patio at 
written for New Orleans. Board member, Tanya, discussed NPI's involvement in the 
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