Wildscape Project – Page 8 – Nature Along the El Camino Real

Purple Rules the Day for Bees

June 6, 2023June 5, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

The El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist Wildscape is awash in purple blooms on flowers, bushes and trees. And all types of bees are all over them. Honeybees, Mason bees and Carpenter bees covered most of the blooms.

The favorite for the bees was Wild Bergamot growing in cultivation in the Wildscape.

Its sister plant the Lemon Bee Balm growing in the wild in the surrounding pasture was a very close second.

Gene Rek, owner of Bird and Bee Farm where the wildscape is located, said the wild Lemon Bee Balm provided the most nectar for his bee farm. They had found the Wild Bergamot, too.

Close in line was a Lilac Chaste Tree, Mealy Blue Sage and Purple Passionflower. Plenty of other plants also are in bloom. Many of those are new to the Wildscape.

The Mason Bees were also filling up the new bee houses put up by some Eagle Scouts.

If you’d like to grow native Texas plants, this is an excellent place to see many of them in bloom. Members of the El Camino Real chapter Texas Master Naturalist will be there on June 17, from 10 to 12. Catherine Johnson, member in charge of the Wildscape, always gives away free starters to anyone interested. It’s located on Fm 334.

Monthly Wildscape Workday

May 22, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

Photos by Patricia Coombs

Much was accomplished at our monthly workday.

Patricia, Donna, Cindy, Pamela, and Alan’s guest weeded the shade garden while Neal expanded the section he is in charge of.

*Pamela, Donna and Patricia take a break.*

Phyllis and Ellen planted new Milkweed, Liatris and Wild Bergamot.

*Catherine, Ellen, and Phyllis have fun with the water hose.*

Alan and Gene cleared excess Asters.

Everyone took home native plants from the Wildscape.

*Cindy sits down on the job, which actually makes weeding easier!*

The best part was visiting with friends.

Some of the beautiful blossoms at the wildscape.

What a Treat for the Wildscape

May 5, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall1 Comment

by Catherine Johnson

Every inch of the Wildscape was explored recently at a Mason Bee program for Milam Home School Co-op. Forty-one people attended, which included twenty-six children and seven Master Naturalists. After the bee houses were assembled, everyone took off to all parts of the garden observing butterflies, hummingbirds, and spiders. The children enjoyed refreshments, hide and seek, and receiving goody bags and nature books.

The parents were interested in building their own Wildscapes and want to return for free native plants. We enjoyed ages from baby to teens and hope to spend more time with them at the Wildscape.

Dorothy Saves the Day at the Wildscape

April 23, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

While we were hiking Mother Neff State Park, Patricia Coombs was coordinating chores at the Wildscape for the monthly workday.

The day became warm and bending over to plant resulted in Patricia becoming ill. Dorothy Mayer and her daughter, Traci, were there working as well. Dorothy poured water over Patricia’s head and cared for Traci after she was stung by something.

Much pruning was done and two flats of Mexican Hat and Black-eyed Susan were planted, plus a bed prepared for Texas wildflowers. Dorothy brought the workday to a successful end.

Note that we have a bunch of blogs to upload, because our blogging team (of one person) has been having computer issues then had the nerve to go camping. At least she did a lot of iNaturalist observations while she was there. Apologies that our blog entries weren’t entered in a timely manner.

Immigrants in the Wildscape

March 23, 2023March 22, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

Immigrants have come to the El Camino Real Wildscape, and no one knows how they arrived. A few bright red Common Poppies and what appears to be some type of Larkspur have produced vivid early
blooms in one bed of the wildscape.

Manager Catherine Johnson assures me that no one planted either of those to her knowledge. Seeds of them could have been in the dirt of other plants bought and planted, or perhaps a bird carried a seed and dropped it off on its way through the area.

The Larkspur is a little puzzling because no one is sure what it really is – not even iNaturalist. When I tried to identify there, it said it was pretty sure it’s a Larkspur, but wasn’t sure which one. It looks most like a Forked Larkspur which is spottily found across the United States, but that one is mostly found in Western Europe. If you know the identification, let me know.

The rooster in the picture showed up because he took his job too seriously at his prior home. I’m told he will be travelling on down the road soon. He is pretty, though.

It was too cold for most bees and butterflies, but a few did crawl around. One red wasp was making a nest on a gardening tool in the decorative mailbox storage. The awning is repaired, and the Malabar Spinach is beginning to grow again.

A few Master Naturalists or those soon to be certified showed up to work on the place. Some pulled up weeds, while another dug up overgrown sages, and planted something else. The sages went home with members to be planted in their gardens. What is in overgrown abundance is Sunflowers. If you want some, they are all over the wildscape.

A week of warm weather should have many things blooming soon.