There are many reasons to plant specifically to attract birds, bees and butterflies in our gardens. All three are being severely effected by environmental factors that are decreasing their populations at alarming rates. Pesticide use and frequent mowing, over-zealous leaf removal in the Fall and an increasing number of invasive plants are severely changing the natural habitat that these creatures need to survive.

Pink Swamp Milkweed.

The plight of the Monarch butterfly is a prominent example of the consequences of man’s interference in the environment— the attention the depleted population of Monarch butterflies is garnering is an indication that many people other than gardeners have become proactive in their concern for these beautiful endangered creatures.

Monarchs cannot survive without milkweed. The Monarch caterpillars need milkweed plants (Asclepias spp.) to grow and develop, and female monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed. With shifting land management practices, we have lost much milkweed from the landscape. Planting milkweed is a great way to help other pollinators too, as milkweed provides nectar resources to a diverse suite of bees and butterflies.

Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Privet.

Planting native nectar and host plants helps keep the eco-system healthy by attracting an assortment of pollinators, insects and birds. Both nectar plants for nourishment and host plants are important elements in a butterfly garden. They provide a site for the butterfly to lay her eggs and also provide a food source for the emerging caterpillar. Don’t forget a water element as well and be prepared for heavy munching on your host plants— I like to plant for the caterpillars and then place a few extra plants some distance away for my own enjoyment.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar.

The early Spring blooms of a Spicebush will attract the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

Because tiny Monarch caterpillars cannot travel far to find their own food, the female butterfly locates and lays her eggs on milkweed which is the only type of plant that the caterpillar can use as food. Most species of caterpillars are particular about the type of plants they can eat. If the egg was not placed on the correct plant, the caterpillar hatching from that egg will not survive. Many gardeners do not like to see plants in their gardens that have been chewed on by bugs. To avoid this, you may want to locate your butterfly host plants in areas that are not highly visible, but still a short distance from the butterfly nectar plants. If you do not provide host plants, you will have fewer butterflies.

Female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Monarch Butterfly on Common Milkweed.

There are several types of milkweed to choose from. Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca will benefit native pollinators with its long and fragrant bloom time. The sweetly fragrant Rose Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata or Swamp Milkweed will grow in drier partial shade as well as sunny spots. Poke Milkweed, Asclepias exaltata—Tall Green Milkweed, Asclepias hirtella— Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa— Whorled Milkweed, Asclepias verticillata and Spider Milkweed, Asclepias viridis. All will grow in my zone 6 garden.

Fritillary Butterfly on Common Milkweed.

Hummingbirds, bees and various butterflies are attracted to Monarda, (Beebalm).

Fritillary Butterflies on Swamp Milkweed

When choosing plants you should keep a number of factors in mind; a succession of bloom times, and species which provide both nectar and food for the caterpillars. The following is a sampling of plants to use in either a wet or dry spot:

DRY
Anise Hyssop
Butterfly Weed
Blue Aster
Prairie Alumroot
Wild Petunia
Prairie Coreopsis
Pale Purple Coneflower
Button Blazing Star
Hairy Mountain Mint
Bradbury’s Monarda
Orange Coneflower
Ohio Spiderwort
Little Bluestem
Prairie Dropseed

WET
Rose Milkweed
Blue Wild Indigo
Purple Coneflower
Sneezeweed
Early Sunflower
Cardinal Flower
Great Blue Lobelia
Meadow Blazing Star
Wild Bergamot
Obedient Plant
Orange Coneflower
Palm Sedge
Switch Grass
Prairie Dropseed

Certain grasses will attract pollinators.

The listed plants will attract Hummingbirds, bees, an assortment of butterflies and many other pollinators to your garden. Find out which butterflies are common in your area, grow the plants the caterpillars like to eat, along with plants that adult butterflies feed on. Nectar and host plants should be in the same general area, but if you don’t want all of your perennial garden ravaged by caterpillars be sure to plant some perennials some distance away from your butterfly garden.

A Hummingbird perched on a branch near a pot planted with Monarda, Cardinal Flower and Butterfly Weed.

Remember— plant a variety of flowers incorporating different shapes and colors to attract more than one type of pollinator and to ensure continual blooms from Spring through Fall. Plant native plants whenever possible. Avoid modern hybrids; pollen, nectar and scent, (all essential for the survival of your garden habitat) can be lost in the hybridization process. Don’t even think about using pesticides— pick the unwanted pests off— pesticides will kill beneficial bugs too. Build a bee condo, or leave a dead branch or two to create a nesting habitat for bees. Plant in clumps so that pollinators can easily find their plant of choice. Provide bare ground and water and don’t forget your “host” plants, baby caterpillars need to feed on the foliage of their host plant.

A quick tutorial on starting milkweed indoors from seed:
Stratification needed— Seeds germinate after a period of cold, moist stratification. 60 days of cold, moist conditions.

1]  Calculate the date to start cold stratification pre-treatment. (Here in the Hudson Valley, May 15 is usually a safe time to put your babies in the ground). Rinse or complete a short soak. Pour seeds into a paper towel or a coffee filter or fine screen to drain.

2]  Arrange seed in a single layer and allow excess water to drain off.

3]  Fold seed loosely into the coffee filter or paper towel to allow for weekly spot checks— the seed and paper should be damp but not wet.

4]  A dry paper towel added to your labeled resealable bag will help to maintain even moisture while pulling excessive moisture away. Do not allow the stratification medium to completely dry out or stay soggy enough to rot.

5]  Place the sealed bag in your refrigerator— not freezer, and monitor weekly or as needed, until it is time to remove for sowing. Replace paper towel or coffee filter often; repeat from step 1.Once seed has completed the recommended stratification period or if excessively early sprouting occurs, plant immediately.

All photos (other than the featured image which was sourced from the internet) courtesy of the author.

Allyson and Scott’s story is a fascinating, compelling saga of how art and life interact.

Transplants from California, (they’ve been living in the Hudson Valley for 20 years), they began cultivating different plants for use in their art work. Allyson selected plants for their flowers, leaves, and seeds to incorporate into her encaustic paintings, while Scott chose plants to attract a variety of insects and to breed wild American silk moths for his drawings. What began as a vehicle for their art has evolved into a botanical garden and level II arboretum called Hortus Conclusus.

Their creative processes are on opposite ends of the botanical art spectrum— always making art independently of one another— being inspired by similar subject matter yet equally connected to natural history and science.

There is exquisite beauty and depth to these works. To see for yourselves, visit their art work at the Muroff/Kotler Gallery and then visit the garden. You’ll be deeply moved by all that they’ve accomplished.

Hortus Conclusus, a botanical garden and level II arboretum is located in Stone Ridge, NY.
For all and everything about the garden visit their website here: Hortus.biz

Featured image; Scott Serrano, Detail–Bearded Pirhanna Pitcher.

HERS & HIS… 25 Years of Art & Marriage
A Selection of Works by Allyson Levy & Scott Serrano
August 31 —September 28
Opening reception Friday 8/31/18
5 pm— 7 pm

SUNY Ulster, 491 Cottekill Road, Stone Ridge, NY

The worms we think of as our “native” garden friendly earthworms are actually not native to the northeast. When the last glaciers receded they scraped the soil and took the native earthworms with them. So where did our worms come from? Most came from Europe possibly hitchhiking in the soil of imported plants. Many of these worms are beneficial, but the Asian variety which have become ubiquitous in my garden are not.

The Amynthas agrestis worm is often referred to as the “crazy,” “jumping,” or “snake” worm. They are big and very active and can move like snakes. They stay very close to the soil surface and feed on organic matter. That’s your mulch, compost and leaf litter, all of the things you add to your garden beds to help promote healthy plants and to eliminate weeds.

“…They love mulch and go through it as though there was no tomorrow. Eventually you get wise and stop feeding them that mulch. Yes, they can decompose woody mulch. They stimulate the production of lignin decomposing enzymes.… You even see them in decomposing logs.” Josef Görres, Plant and Soil Science, University of Vermont

I first noticed these worms in my garden a few years ago. They were in the most shaded areas and didn’t seem to be a problem—other than totally creeping me out.

The cool, damp weather we’ve experienced this summer has changed that dynamic drastically. The invasive worms are now in every corner of the garden, lawn and even in the gravel driveway. My beautiful, statuesque hostas (usually 2-3ft high), didn’t get any larger than 3 inches and look malnourished. The well established astilbes (false goatsbeard), came up briefly, (maybe an inch high) before disappearing completely and I fear for the spring ephemerals.

Huge piles of worm castings are everywhere.

Amynthas worm castings encircling a large maple tree.

Is the Asian jumping worm really that bad? The answer is yes.

Not only are they posing a threat to our gardens, but they have the potential to create a severe change in the make-up of the forest under-story and in doing so change the landscape significantly.

the worms create a soil made predominately of minerals rather than the organic matter that forests need to flourish.

As they speedily devour the natural accumulation of organic matter on the forest floor —necessary for seedlings to flourish—they create a soil made predominately of minerals rather than the organic matter our forests need to flourish. Not only are the forest trees threatened, so too is the wildlife who depend on the forest for sustenance and shelter.

The Amynthas worm reaches maturity in 60 days, much faster than the European Lumbricidae species at 120, thus allowing for two hatches a season. They have voracious appetites, are highly adaptive to temperature changes and the cocoons overwinter. They out compete non-native European species and produce a unique soil signature that has the potential to change our landscape.

What can you do to keep the Asian Amynthas worm out of your garden?

Keep the garden clean, pick up piles of debris as soon as you prune— they love the dark, damp environment these piles can create.

If you don’t already have the worms, use onsite mulch.

Mow leaves into lawn rather than raking into piles.

Do not share or move plants if you suspect Jumping worms.

Check plants before you purchase.

Buy certified soil, mulch and compost. Be sure to ask where it comes from.

Speak to your local nurseries and if applicable, your landscaper and find out if they have encountered the Amynthas worms and how they are dealing with them.

Call your local Cornell Cooperative for information on local infestations.

What can you do if you find them in your garden?

So far there is no recognized way to kill these worms. I recommend that you refrain from using pesticides as they can harm populations of beneficial insects.

You can catch them, —be forewarned, they are very fast and squirmy—put them in a black plastic bag and place the bag in the sun.

Some golf courses have reported success with an organic fertilizer made by Ocean Organics that seems to help keep the populations under control. The active ingredient is tea seed meal, a highly effective organic fertilizer with a high content of protein and saponins. The application of this fertilizer drives the worms to the surface where they die from being exposed to the sunlight. It’s the same premise as the black plastic bag, but sounds much easier than trying to catch hundreds of squiggly worms.

What will I do now that I’ve discovered the worms in my garden?

My plan is to scrape up all of the piles of worm castings that I see in the garden, lawn and driveway, put them in black plastic bags and let them bake in the sun. Then I’m going to rake up all of the garden debris as my plants go into dormancy—I will leave seed heads for the birds, but nothing else— and I will scrupulously rake ALL of the leaves as they fall and put all the leaf and plant debris in black plastic bags and leave those bags in the sun. If I can find a source for the aforementioned fertilizer, I will spread it on the lawn and garden before the first frost to force as many worms to the surface as possible. I may not put any mulch on the garden —I don’t want to make it any more hospitable than it already is.

Hopefully we’ll know we’ve been successful in the Spring as temperatures warm the soil. Stay tuned!

Soon after my first visit to Hollengold Farm I received an announcement from Ulster County Community College saying that botanical artist Wendy Hollender would be Artist in Residence for the year and that there would be several free workshops in botanical drawing. [I studied illustration in college and even then I was intrigued by the skill and discipline required to beautifully illustrate a botanical specimen with scientific accuracy. Unfortunately, this was not a discipline that was encouraged by many of my instructors. It was the ‘80s and conceptual, editorial illustration was the style du jour.] So, I eagerly signed up.

Wendy is a consummate botanical artist. It’s a practice she engages in every day. Depending on the season and time of day, you will find her in her studio or in the organic garden she created with the help of her adult children. She travels throughout the country giving weekend, week-long or longer workshops—as in the case of her yearly workshops at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on the Hawiian Island of Kuia’i.

Wendy Hollender in her studio

Botanicals, plants, nature have infused her life in a comprehensive way. Her farm is a testament to her convictions and her decision to live a life nourished, both philosophically and practically by nature. Many of the specimens Wendy uses in her work are taken directly from her extensive flower, fruit and vegetable gardens. She is always on the lookout for interesting specimens—  flora, nuts and seed pods on her daily walks or in one of the exotic public gardens she frequents.

Tomatoes, [several varieties], garlic, onions and apples from Wendy’s garden.

Tomatillos from the garden

Wendy’s collection of various seed pods with her drawings.

Her studio reflects the aesthetic underlying the projects Wendy undertakes. There are specimens of leaves, sticks, vines, fruit, and flowers as the season allows. Here too we see many examples of her work; framed pieces as well as giclees of drawings from one or two of the several books she has written and illustrated.

A collection of gathered sticks and vines for future drawings.

Giclee prints from “Foraging & Feasting; A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook” written by Dina Falconi and illustrated by Wendy.

Fall leaves for an illustration assignment.

Wendy has broken down the various elements that go into creating a successful drawing and she is an excellent, and to my mind, a very generous teacher. Demonstrations are a key element in teaching botanical drawing and here Wendy is a master. Her direction is clear and concise while her sample drawings —executed on the spot— are illustrative and exquisitely beautiful.

Wendy’s style is classical both in her composition and attention to detail— the essence of the subject must be evoked. Her use of grisaille [employed by many 15th-century Flemish painters], is a painting technique by which an image is executed entirely in shades of gray and carefully modeled to create the illusion of 3 dimensionality. Grisaille has also come to mean any painting technique in which translucent oil colors are laid over a monotone underpainting. She works in colored pencil and watercolor, but other than the difference in medium, her technique reflects the style of classical renaissance painting.

The first workshop I took lead to more. I signed up for a series of workshops Wendy was offering at her studio that summer. Since then, I’ve attended three more weekend workshops at the farm. With each workshop I’m able to understand in a more complete way, how this practice has become an essential part of my life. It has instilled a mindfulness, a sense of being present, and an authenticity that deepens my life experience. It has helped me to focus and along the way, helped me [enormously], to become a better artist.

The inherent benefits of drawing are well documented. The meditative quality of repetitive movement, the act of focusing on an object long enough and deeply enough to render it recognizable, manifests a singularly restorative experience. To practice drawing [every day if at all possible] —can be highly beneficial. Practicing botanical drawing makes me happy, and that’s really the point. Just as yoga, qi gong, tai chi and mindfulness meditation can enhance your experience, so can the practice of drawing.

Wendy is now offering an online course, A Year of Botanical Drawing. For more information go to her website.

She will also be conducting a four day workshop at The New York Botanical Garden from 1/19/16– 1/22/16. as well as workshops in Hawaii in March of this year and there will be more workshops at Hollengold Farm.

The Monarch butterfly is perhaps one of our most beloved native species. Brightly colored with orange and black wings, white spots and a black and white spotted body this iconic butterfly is easily recognizable.

Monarch Butterfly on milkweed, photo by D. Calcavecchio

Hundreds of millions of Monarchs migrate each fall to the oyamel fir forests north of Mexico City, while some in western North America make the much shorter flight to the California coast. This epic trip makes the monarch migration one of the greatest natural phenomena in the insect world.

Most monarch butterflies live for just a few weeks. There are several generations born each spring and summer but most of the offspring are short-lived. The lone exception is the last generation born at the end of the summer.

This last generation is the over-wintering generation that must make the journey back to Mexico. These monarchs wait to breed the following spring when they complete the next leg of their incredible migration back north.

Milkweed is essential for the Monarchs reproduction. This is the only host plant upon which the female will lay her eggs. During the caterpillar stage, they live exclusively on the milkweed plants, (wildflowers in the genus Asclepias). The plants contain glycoside toxins that are harmless to the monarch but poisonous to its predators. The caterpillars feed on the various parts of the plant and store the toxins in their body. These toxins remain in their system even after metamorphosis, thereby making adult monarchs poisonous as well.

Sadly, the size of the dramatic migrations of the Monarch has been shrinking and the overall population has declined by as much as 90% in the last two decades. The reason for this decline is two-fold; Global Warming— climate change alters the timing of migration and rainfall patterns in their forest habitat, and Habitat Loss In the United States and Mexico— forest fragmentation and the dwindling colonies of the once abundant species of native milkweeds due to pesticide usage.

Monarch Butterfly on milkweed, photo by D. Calcavecchio

We gardeners can help by planting native milkweed (Asclepias spp.) in our gardens, meadows and at the edge of our woods. The emphasis must be on the word native as exotic milkweed species may actually be adding to the diminishing monarch population by fooling the female into thinking they are the real thing. It is essential to find vendors who offer local ecotype seeds appropriate for our area and plants that are native to our region. Always ask for information about seed origin.

Here are some reliable plant & seed sources I can recommend.

Augustine Nursery
177 Van Kleeks Lane, Kingston, NY. 12401
(845) 338 4936

The Hudson Valley Seed Library
Address: 484 Mettacahonts Rd, Accord, NY 12404
Phone:(845) 204‑8769

Catskill Native Nursery
Address: 607 Samsonville Rd, Kerhonkson, NY 12446
Phone: (845) 626‑2758

Featured image, by Donna Calcavecchio

ETHEL

ETHEL will continue on Saturday morning at Maverick’s revered Concert Hall for what should prove to be an illuminating beginning to Maverick’s traditional Young People’s Concert series. Then it’s ETHEL again for Saturday evening’s concert with their not to be missed program that includes the quartet’s own arrangements of songs by several of their favorite “rock” legends.

The weekend of music in the woods continues on Sunday afternoon as Maverick kicks off its chamber music series featuring the spectacular Miro Quartet.

Here’s the schedule:

Friday | June 23 | 8 pm  •  ETHEL
Acclaimed contemporary music quartet’s creative experimental concert in synchrony with the Kate McGloughlin Exhibit. Art Talk and meet-and-greet with the performers.

Woodstock Artists Association & Museum
28 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY  12498
woodstockart.org   |  845.679.2940  |  Free and open to the public

Saturday | June 24 | 11 am  •  ETHEL  •  Young People’s Concert
These interactive concerts, long a Maverick tradition, are designed for enjoyment by children in grades K-6. Admission is free for all young people under 16. Adults pay $5 each at the door.

Saturday | June 24 | 8 pm  •  ETHEL
The Blue Dress  •  Music by Anna Clyne, Missy Mazzoli, and
Pulitzer prize winner Julia Wolfe.

Repertoire is paired with the string quartet’s arrangements of music by their personal sources of inspiration, including rock legend Stevie Nicks, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, and the pop and soul icon Aretha Franklin.

Sunday | June 25 | 4 pm

Miró Quartet  •  All Dvořák:
Selections from The Cypresses
Quartet No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 34
Quartet No. 14 in A-Flat major, Op. 105

The Maverick Concerts Festival continues every weekend through September 10th. This year along with the traditional chamber music series, there will be several Saturday night JAZZ at The Maverick concerts, several innovative Young People’s Concerts and Maestro Alexander Platt will conduct the traditional Chamber Orchestra concert. Woodstock’s own, world renowned music legend Happy Traum, will be here to entertain us with a concert that has always proven to be a highlight of the festival.

Take a look at the full concert schedule at
the Maverick Concerts website.

On Saturday, July 2, concert goers will have two opportunities to hear the Arturo O’Farrill Quartet. Their Maverick debut will both grace the Young People’s Concert series at 11 am with a robust Afro Jazz beat and then kick off the JAZZ at the Maverick series at 8 pm with the Grammy Award winning pianist, composer, educator and the founder and artistic director of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance.

O’Farrill was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. His debut album with his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Una Noche Inolvidable, earned a first GRAMMY Award nomination in 2006. The recognition continued with the album Song for Chico, earning O’Farrill a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2009 and the 2015 release of The Offense of the Drum was yet another Grammy Award winner. His newest album release (August 21, 2015) is Cuba: The Conversation Continues on the Motéma label.

Saturday, July 2, 11 am and 8 pm
Maverick Concert Hall
120 Maverick Road, Woodstock, NY 12498

11 am concert —free for those under 16 and $5 at the door/adults

8 pm concert —Buy tickets or for more information go HERE

And don’t forget Maverick’s traditional
Sunday afternoon chamber concert!

Sunday | July 3 | 4 pm

Jupiter String Quartet with Ilya Yakushev, piano
Beethoven: String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6
György Ligeti: String Quartet No. 1 (1954), “Metamorphoses Nocturnes”
Schubert: Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57 (1940)

BUY TICKETS HERE

Saturday  |  July 16  |  8 pm
New Century, New Voices I

Amir ElSaffar and the Two Rivers Ensemble

This weekend: Saturday, July 16 at 8 pm, Amir ElSaffar and the Two Rivers Ensemble will perform Crisis, a fusion of  native Middle Eastern maqam tradition and innovative modern jazz improvisation.

Published on Jul 9, 2015 This piece was commissioned by the Newport Jazz Festival.

ElSaffar composed the Crisis suite in 2013, after living in Egypt where he witnessed the Arab Spring protests and in Lebanon, where he worked with Syrian musicians in a country torn apart by a devastating civil war. The suite is a commentary on the recent history of Iraq and the Middle East. Based on the melodic modes of the maqam and folkloric rhythms, the music is passionate and ecstatic. ElSaffar’s virtuoso trumpet playing is firmly rooted in the jazz tradition, playing a taqsim (melodic improvisation) in an authentic Arab style, with a sound that is reminiscent of the reed flute.

Amir ElSaffar, photo by Ed Berger

Crisis is ElSaffar’s reflection on a region in turmoil and strife: revolution, civil war and sectarian violence, a culture’s struggle for survival. The suite, commissioned by the Newport Jazz Festival (2013), made a deep emotional connection with the audience and received a rousing standing ovation.

Amir Elsaffar Quintet performs at the 2014 Newport Jazz Festival,
photo by Adam Kissick

Buy Tickets Here

For more information about Maverick Concerts JAZZ series go here

The musical weekend continues at the Maverick Concert Hall with their tradition of Sunday afternoon chamber music:

Sunday  |  July 17  |  4 pm

Horszowski Trio
New Century, New Voices II

Schumann: Piano Trio No. 2 in F, Op. 80
Joan Tower: For Daniel (2004)
Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat, Op. 97
(“Archduke”)

Buy Tickets Here

For more information about Maverick Concerts in Woodstock go here