Notes From The Gardens
February 2024
Summer Camp in the Gardens: Friendships and Flowers Grow Here for a 5th Year
It may only be February, but summer will be here before we know it! Here at the Gardens, we are kicking summer planning into high gear, and we are incredibly excited for the busy season ahead. I am particularly excited about our Summer Camp program this year. For the first [...]
There is a lot on the horizon for our volunteer crew! Join us!
Finally, we’ve got snow at the Gardens, so everything is cloaked in white and looking magical! Our new shipwreck is looking ghostly and surreal so make sure to take a walk and get a photo this week. Speaking of ships, the crew of our “ship” that is the operations of [...]
January 2024
Out & About – Come Visit Us at Upcoming Events!
Monk Botanical Gardens is out and about in the next few weeks! The Gardens is all about experiences outdoors, but those can come in so many shapes and sizes, and we’re going on the road in a few ways in January and February to three different conferences and expos to [...]
Why Add Natives to Your Garden
An explanation of, and an argument for, adding natives to your garden. You’ve probably heard or read that native plants are all the buzz lately (pardon the pun). And for good reason. We need native plants for many of the pollinators that enable plants to bloom and reproduce. To begin [...]
November 2023
I’m Cutting You Off! Winter Tree Pruning
It's December 1, and we are starting a month that means so many different things for each of us! Shopping for gifts, planning and attending events, looking forward (or not) to seeing family and relatives, and hopefully finding some quiet and alone time binging old movies and enjoying the beautiful [...]
Buy it Where You Burn It- The Campaign to Keep Forests Safe!
It’s that time of year when we look forward to a glowing, crackling fire. Whether you build yours indoors or out, it’s important to source your firewood locally to keep your trees safe from invasive insects that may be hitching a ride! The incident that prompted my research into this [...]
October 2023
Squash Time!
Zucchini, squash, and gourds, oh my! One of my favorite plants to grow in a vegetable garden has to be pumpkins and squash (even if they aren’t my favorite thing to eat). You plant one or two little pumpkin seeds, let them grow all through summer- watching the vines double [...]
What Made Us Nature Superheroes: Our “Origin Stories”- Patrick Murphy, Facilities & Grounds Director
Every superhero has an origin story, and the superhero staff and interns at Monk Gardens are no different! Read on to learn what were the influences and experiences that made our Facilities and Grounds Director, Patrick Murphy, pursue a career in a nature-based field! "The tornado sirens could be heard [...]
September 2023
Leave the Leaves!- The Benefits Behind Being “Lazy” This Fall
It's that time of the year… the trees are changing color, and soon after, the leaves will come! Whether you dread fall yard cleaning or look forward to it, I will walk you through why the best thing you can do for your yard and neighborhood…is nothing! You heard me [...]
What Made Us Nature Superheroes: Our “Origin Stories”- Pat Witt, Garden Supervisor
Every superhero has an origin story, and the superhero staff and interns at Monk Gardens are no different! Read on to learn what were the influences and experiences that made our Garden Supervisor, Pat Witt, pursue a career in a nature-based field! "Even as suburban kids “back then” we [...]
