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“Garden Guru” Alysia Babcock to teach modern conservation, natural beauty with native plants Sept. 16

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Environment, Kent County, LANDSCAPING & GARDEN CENTERS, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , , ,
Native plants flourish in Andrea Belden’s urban garden (Courtesy, Andrea Belden)

By Deborah Reed

deborah@wktv.org

Native plants not only beautify yards and natural habitats, they increase safe havens for pollinators and decrease effects of climate change.

A trillium flower flourishes in its natural habitat (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com, Nicholas A. Tonelli)

Friends of Buck Creek and Alysia Babcock, “The Garden Guru,” are hosting a free public event to teach the “hows” and “whys” of inhabiting land without damaging it.

“Gardens with native plants provide habitat for many organisms such as pollinators, birds, and small animals,” states Babcock on The Garden Guru Kzoo website. “These pocket gardens are safe havens that help reverse the effects of climate change. We need pollinators for our food crops, birds to distribute seeds, and small animals to keep garden pests at bay resulting in healthy viable plants.”

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, Babcock will give an hour-long presentation titled “Cleaning Our Watershed and Beautifying Your Property with Native Plants” at Grandville Kent District Library. This presentation will teach how to beautify personal properties while cleaning stormwater and providing food and shelter for pollinators.

“I have always been an advocate for nature and find nature’s beauty everyday,” said Babcock on her website.

Native plants and flowers provide a natural habitat for many organisms (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)

An Advanced Master Gardener, Conservation Steward and Master Naturalist, Babcock also has a Master’s Degree in Education, and is part of a newly formed Strike Team with the Rockford Sustainability Committee. Babcock is also the owner of The Garden Guru Kzoo LLC, a company dedicated to designing and implementing garden makeovers that specialize in native plants.

“I’d say [that] using native perennials in a landscape is a win-win-win-win,” said Martha Stout Vermeulen, founder and former President of Friends of Buck Creek-Michigan (FOBC). “Less money, less work, more beauty, healthier habitat.”

Vermeulen went on to explain that in the first year, native plants “sleep,” growing deep, water-cleansing roots. The second year they “creep,” beginning to beautify, and the third year they “leap” to their full glory.

Daisies come in several shapes, sizes, and colors (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)

“Since caterpillars are a primary food source for our dwindling bird population, nibbled leaves mean the garden is doing its job,” said Vermeulen.

Native plants will be available for purchase after Babcock’s presentation.

Parking is available on the south side of the KDL Grandville Branch. The building is wheelchair accessible.

For more information or questions, contact Martha Stout Vermeulen at seasister8@gmail.com.