Canandaigua Botanical Society

HERBARIUM WORKSHOP

2012-02-09T20:39:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, February 15, 1 pm - 4 pm – Life Sciences section will hold a workshop at the RAS Herbarium, located in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC). No experience needed! Plan to come and help with this valuable collection – and see some interesting plants! Lunch is served in the RMSC Cafe until 2 pm. If you plan to attend, please send an RSVP to Elizabeth Pixley. Then, at RMSC, go to the front desk and ask staff person there to call ext. 368, the phone in the Herbarium. For more information, contact Elizabeth Pixley, herbarium curator (334-0977 or epixley@rochester.rr.com).

CALL FOR PROGRAM IDEAS!

2012-01-10T18:20:00.003-05:00

We will soon be putting together the 2012-2013 Canandaigua Botanical Society Program. Your ideas and interests are requested. Is there a program you are interested in, something you would like to know more about, a repeat of a past favorite botanical event? Do you know of possible presenters or field trip leaders? Let us know! Peggy Kane and Laura Ouimette (and anyone else interested in helping put together program ideas) will be working these next couple of months to have a printed program guide ready for the April 20th potluck dinner. You can contact Laura or Peggy by phone (check the 2011-2012 program for our phone numbers) or Email CanandaiguaBotanical@gmail.com.

***Please consider family friendly programs too***

HERBARIUM WORKSHOP - Saturday, January 14, 2012

2012-01-10T18:18:00.001-05:00

Saturday, January 14, 10 am – 2 pm - Life Sciences section will hold a workshop at the RAS Herbarium, located in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC). No experience needed! Plan to come and help with this valuable collection – and learn about plants in the process. Lunch is served in the RMSC Cafe until 2 pm. If you plan to attend the workshop, please send an RSVP to Elizabeth Pixley. Then, at RMSC, go to the front desk and ask staff person there to call ext. 368, the phone in the Herbarium. For more information, contact Elizabeth Pixley, herbarium curator (334-0977 or epixley@rochester.rr.com).

2011-12-09T17:45:00.010-05:00

Minutes from November 19, 2011

Attending: Bill Bross, Robert, Caroline & Charlie Gray, John & Ruth Hyde, Peggy Kane, Leona Lauster, Patty Love, Anita Messina, Laura Ouimette,

Due to new and re-construction several folks had difficulty finding room C 220. Before our next indoor meeting we will attempt to put a map online and provide directional signs on the FLCC campus.

We are looking for a new Canandaigua Botanical Society president (or assistant president). If you are interested, or know somebody who might be…please let us know! Also, we will be putting together the 2012-2013 program in January/February. Let us know if there is a particular program or event you’re interested in for next year.

Laura Ouimette was presented with Newcomb's Wildflower Guide and Peterson Field Guides: Wildflowers, Northeastern/North-central North America. A special thanks to Leona Lauster who knew how important these guides can be to a Botanical Society secretary!

A copy of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv has been purchased for the Wood Library in memory of Maya Hobday. Maya and Laura read this book together after attending the March 2011 Canandaigua Botanical Society presentation by Bruce Gilman.

Notes from “Where the Wild Things Are” by Patty Love

People are interested in the science behind forest gardening.

Observations of natural world – Adirondack region

Humans create monocultures in controlled spaces while nature is messy yet productive and does have patterns.

Natural Gardens are everywhere: Bristol, Italy, Serbia, Madagascar, Tasmania, Kazakhstan (humid temps. - origin of apple wild gardens with 80 varieties of apples).

Monoculture vs. Polyculture

Easthill Farm – chickens in orchard, breaks pesticide cycle, fertilize soil, cleaning, scratching.

Robert Hart – Forest Garden in England

Alley cropping – fruit trees and annuals together with chickens – a way to transition!

Polycultures producing plentifully (Camp Epworth, Hudson Valley)

Knowing Natives knew: Native Americans were managing forests – harvests, controlled burns and clearing for the three sisters.

Peggy Livingston Stark: “We are on the cutting edge of 10.000 year old technology.

Degenerative > regenerative: to meet everyone’s needs.

WHY PERMACULTURE?

People Care…Earth Care…Resource Share

Permanent agriculture (perennials 3-3000 year life spans)

Provides for needs we all have (fun/play)

A way of looking at ecological design system

Natural building

What would happen if we did NOTHING?

Purposely creating healthy ecosystems

Edible Forest Gardens – Art and Science of putting

plants together in a conscious way

(more than sum of parts)

Why Edible Forest Gardening (EFG)?

High yields diverse products

Self maintaining garden (once established) – eliminate weeding!

Creates healthy ecosystem

Moral imperative “Forest gardening helps us take our rightful place as part of nature doing nature's work, rather than as separate entities intervening in and dominating the natural world" - Dave Jacke, author of Edible Forest Gardens

Maximizing net primary productivity

Swamps, marshes, estuaries are most productive

Seven stories (layers)

* Canopy

* Understory

* Shrub layer

* Herbaceous

* Ground cover

* Underground

* Vine layer

Elements > architecture

Key EFG tool = polyculture

Multi functional: food, fiber, fun, fuel, farmaceuticals, function, fodder.

Use perennials as much as possible with annuals too.

Fill niches in

TIME (polyculture)

SPACE (guilds - plants happy to live together)

SUCCESSION (things will change over time)

Fighting succession = mowing lawns

Try to get many functions from one plant

Creating Diversity, Stability, Resiliency via planting and design

Needs are met in many different ways. “As it is above, so it is below”

* Nitrogen fixing – nitrogen releases when plant dies or is cut

* Dynamic accumulator – long tap roots pull up minerals into

leaves then release into ground

* Invertebrate shelter – so bugs are kept in control

* Nectar plants – butterfly garden, bee balm fills many

functions

* Confuse animals with scents (mint to confuse deer)

* Coppicing

* Stack functions – like patchwork quilt, interlock pollination

* Issues and strategies

* OVERPRODUCE

Youtube: Greening the desert by Jeff Lawton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohI6vnWZmk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG_vRG66wkA&feature=related

Patty Love is available for workshops, consulting, and speaking. You may contact her at patty@barefootpermaculture.com.

ALL ABOUT PERMACULTURE - THE WAY OF THE FUTURE

2011-11-05T20:23:00.003-04:00

Indoor meeting at Finger Lakes Community College

Saturday, November 19, 2011

10 am Room C220 FLCC

This presentation will be a follow up to our August visit to the Permaculture Center in Rochester. Patty Love will introduce the vision of forest gardening with some scientific background, a few living examples, and a sampling of some useful edibles you can use in your own garden.

Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium Workshop

2011-10-12T16:52:00.002-04:00

Saturday, October 15, 10 am - 2 pm – Life Sciences section will hold a workshop at the RAS Herbarium, located in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC). No experience needed! Plan to come and help with this valuable collection – and see some interesting plants! Lunch is served in the RMSC Cafe until 2 pm. At RMSC, go to the front desk and ask staff person there to call ext. 368, the phone in the Herbarium. If you plan to attend, please send an RSVP to Elizabeth Pixley, herbarium curator, 334-0977 or epixley@rochester.rr.com.

To check out minutes from the Canandaigua Botanical Society's visit click here: Herbarium visit

Wood and Field Walk minutes

2011-09-24T14:05:00.026-04:00

On Saturday, September 17, 2011 we gathered to walk the Ontario Pathways trail from County Rt 4 near the C.R. Zornow barn to the wooden water tower on Waddell Road in Orleans, NY.

Those attending included:
Fay & David Connelly, Arlene Copeland, John & Ruth Hyde, Peggy Kane, Leona Lauster, Laura Ouimette, Betsy Russell, Nan Seyfried, Pat Weaver, Tim Wilbur.

Ontario Pathways began in 1994 when what was most recently the Penn Central Railroad was turned into trails. The trail is now open without detours from Canandaigua east to Stanley and then north to Orleans. Tim Wilbur (who did some critter hole filling during our walk) invites anyone to join the crew of folks on Wednesday mornings to meet up to clear the trails. You can check out designated crew days at ontariopathways.org or call 585-234-7722 to get on the Wednesday morning Email list to know where the crew will be each Wednesday.
Tim Wilbur with his unique walking stick: Nan being introduced by Betsy:

Betsy Russell who was responsible for beginning the Ontario Pathways Trail in 1994 introduced Nan Seyfried who studied and taught at Delaware State University before making the Finger Lakes her home.

Nan explained how handy the Newcomb's Wildflower Guide is for identifying wildflowers by identifying the flower type, plant type, and leaf type of a species. By taking the numbers assigned to each of these flower/plant/leaf types you check to see what pages that combination appears in the Newcomb's Wildflower Guide to identify the species. Peggy Kane gave it a go and found it easier with practice.

Nan told us that there are 40 species of asters and 70 species of goldenrod. She did not claim to be an expert of either but seemed to know quite a few on our walk along the Ontario Pathways trail.
New England aster, unknown goldenrod, and white asters:

Canada Goldenrod (evident by the gall on the stem). The chickadees love this white grub of a little wasp.

Ragweed - the pollen culprit:

Smart weed: tearthumb princess smartweed:

Mayweed (stinking): very pungent smelling species from the chrysanthemum family.

Yellow tansy, bitter buttons: brought from Europe as a medicinal plant -
abortions in cows, tea herb for female cramping, ant repellant.

Bouncing Bet: soapwart - soap suds from stem of plant used in museums to clean delicate lace

Saint John's Wart: The leaves have resin dots which allow light to shine through. Good for depression.

Sumac: good for lemonade. Vitamin C from Sumac helped Native Americans through the winters. Great winter food for birds. Nan had us try the sumac by setting the hairs on our tongues.

Jewel weed, Touch Me Not: from the impatient family. The blossoms hang like jewels (garnets). The leaves repel water and look as though covered in diamonds when submersed in water. Peggy Kane recalled a time when Maya Hobday described the silver looking wet leaves as fairy wings to small children. When mature pods are touched seeds dispersal happens with a pop. Remove the brown seed covering to reveal a blue turquoise. The roots of the jewel weed are ruby red.

Teasel: Purple flowers that bloom in rows. used for felling wool and felt.

Crown Vetch (from the bean family):

Butter and Eggs (snapdragon family):

Leona listens for birds and Tim looks for critter holes:

Nan points out the invasive buckthorn and berries:

John Hyde pointed out this Viburnum Opulus. Red berries,wild raisins, wild cranberry

Osier dogwood. red stems - leaves have latex strings

Gray dogwood with white berries and red stems; blue berries on dagwood

Raspberry leaves have white undersides while blackberry leaves are green with spines:

Physalis (ground cherries) (Andy Fellenz grows these for CSA distributions)

Hawthorn apple:

Thimble weed in seed (anemone)

Tussic moth caterpillar, furry moth caterpillar, and fox berries.
Fuzzy caterpillars turn into moths. Smooth caterpillars turn into butterflies.
wide bands of colors on caterpillars and hearty fox berries...are these signs of a long winter?

Oxalis and Yellow globe Biden stick tight

Bracken fern and milkweed (favorite food and egg laying site for monarchs)

Climbing buckwheat. Triangular seeds, tiny white flowers

Horsetails: Great to use for scouring pots and pans

White Campion catchfly, sticky spots on stems

Bed straw and honeysuckle

Virgins bower and false solomon's-seal

Black Locust? Used for fence posts and perhaps natural arrows (or was that the viburnum?)

Obituary for Maya Hobday

2011-09-15T09:12:00.001-04:00

Maya M. Hobday Our beloved mom CANANDAIGUA - Maya M. Hobday, age 87, passed away on Monday, Sept. 12, 2011, at Elm Manor Nursing Home in Canandaigua. She is survived by four children, Peter (Sabine) Hobday, Hilda (Lawrence) Mannato, Eric Hobday (Polly Hart) and Sylvia (Jim) Moore; six grandchildren, Joshua-John (Lyn) Mannato, Rachel Mannato, Josiah Moore (fiancé Ruthie Romero), Jordan Moore, Nathaniel Moore and Jonathan Moore; two great-grandchildren, Alexis Mannato and Luke Mannato; sister-in-law, Aletka Calvert; and extended family in West Virginia and Germany. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Samuel L. Hobday, in 1998; and brother-in-law, Kenneth E. Hobday. Maya was born on June 7, 1924, in Berlin, Germany to J. Wilhelm and Hildegarde Kahle. She attended the University of Berlin and University of Heidelberg before immigrating to the United States in December, 1948, to marry Samuel. They were wed on December 22 in Washington, D.C. In December, 1953, she and her family moved to Charlotte Street. They later joined the First United Methodist Church, where Maya especially enjoyed the bell choir. Maya was a devoted mother, homemaker and friend. She especially loved the outdoors and was a knowledgeable field botanist. Maya was a member of the Canandaigua Botanical Society since the early 1950s. She was also a member of the Ontario Pathways and a supporter of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. She loved gardening and transformed her yard into beautiful flower and vegetable beds. The family extends special thanks to the staff of Elm Manor Nursing Home for their compassionate care and patience shown to Maya and her family. Friends may call on Friday, September 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Johnson-Kennedy Funeral Home Inc., 47 N. Main St., Canandaigua. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 17, at 2 p.m. at Door to Hope Church, 3844 County Road 46, Canandaigua. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Canandaigua. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Canandaigua Botanical Society c/o Laura Ouimette, Treasurer, 126 Charlotte St., Canandaigua, NY 14424; Ontario Pathways, P.O. Box 996, Canandaigua, NY 14424; or Finger Lakes Land Trust, 202 East Court St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Condolences may be offered at www.johnsonkennedy.com.

http://obituaries.mpnnow.com/obituaries/mpnnow/obituary.aspx?n=maya-m-hobday&pid=153636520

WOOD AND FIELDS WALK

2011-09-11T10:18:00.002-04:00

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Time: 10 am (or 9:30 am if carpooling from the Ontario County Courthouse parking lot)

Where: Orleans Pathways trail beginning at the historic wooden water tower in Orleans, NY.

(Waddell Road between Route 488 and county road 23)

This walk will be a joint venture between the Canandaigua Botanical Society and Ontario Pathways. Nan Seyfried – a member of our society and a noted birder/naturalist will lead the walk. The pathways are well maintained by Ontario Pathways members although you may need a walking stick or boots if it’s been rainy. We’ll see autumn leaves, listen for birds, identify plants (wildflowers & vines), and maybe see some mushrooms.

Minutes from our visit to the Rochester Permaculture Center on August 20, 2011

2011-08-27T17:22:00.021-04:00

Patty Love greeted Peggy Kane, Leona Lauster, and Laura Ouimette for a tour of the Rochester Permaculture Center on Helen Road along Red Creek near Genesee Valley Park. Again, a wonderful wealth of information was shared to which I will only touch on in these minutes.

Patty had her son bring out an unidentified species that she found at a site visit for us to identify. Leona later determined it to be buckwheat. (If you have Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide it is on page 188. If you have A Field Guide to Wildflowers by Peterson & McKenny it is on page 70.)

In collaboration with Seeking Common Ground, Patty Love, founder of Barefoot Edible Landscape and Permaculture, formed the Rochester Permaculture Center this past year.

Patty Love had four books on hand that she recommends as references for growing your own edible forest. (You may purchase any of these books directly from Patty.)

Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke with Eric Toensmeier.

Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier. Gaia's Gardenby Toby Hemenway.

Patty’s overall design will consist of concentric circles around a central gathering place. Triangular beds will be planted and various path widths are designed to create easily manageable gardens.

At the entrance of the garden is a strategic materials depot (wheelbarrow, shovels, supports) and a nursery bed of species from Miller Nurseries in Canandaigua. Several species which already existed around the .15 acre will remain as they fulfill a purpose (such as mulberries which critters often prefer over other fruits such as cherries). The main garden is enclosed in a locally and sustainably harvested black locust post and netted fence to keep the deer from entering.

Patty began the garden by cutting down a tree line and sheet mulching in November 2010. (Sheet mulching involved laying goat & chicken manure over the ground, covering with comfrey leaves, and then corrugated cardboard with 1 ½ inch overlays. Patty then covered the cardboard with 4 inches of autumn leaves.) Sheet mulching requires no digging or tillingprior to planting. She discussed coppicing and pollarding with one of the standing ash tree trunks as an example. Coppicing involves trimming the tree trunk low to allow shoots to grow for animal fodder, baskets, and fences (wattle and daub). Pollarding involves trimming the tree trunk higher to allow shoots to grow at a harvestable height or to allow feed for animals by trimming the shoots to drop when ready. Some species that lend themselves to these practices include hazelnuts, filberts, ash, and willow.

Following Dave Jacke's idea of seven functions (food, fiber, fodder, fuel, fun, fertilizer, and “farmaceuticals”) Patty plants in polycultures (mini forests) including layers of canopy (oak, pecan, maple); understory (dogwood, red bud (flowers are edible), fruit trees, quince); shrubs (gooseberry, sea berry, beach plum); herbaceous layer (black eyed Susans, iris, mugwort, comfrey, bee balm, sweet cicely); ground cover (alpine strawberries); and root layers (horse-radish, dock, comfrey). Considering the functions of each plant such as attracting beneficials and dynamic accumulators is also important.

Patty told us about dynamic accumulators and how she uses the “chop and drop” method to fertilize and mulch other plants with their leaves allowing the minerals they have accumulated to be distributed around the garden or compost. Dynamic accumulators have deep roots which draw minerals up to the leaves and then the topsoil when they die back. Examples include dandelion, mullein, thistle, yarrow, and horseradish. Comfrey brings up 6 minerals and dock 5 minerals.

Patty discussed nitrogen fixers which host fungi and bacteria among their root that pull nitrogen out of the air. Nitrogen gets fixed on root hairs and then distributed into the soil when plants die back or are trimmed. Many permaculture experts recommend that forty percent of a garden’s biomass should be in nitrogen fixing plants include peas, locust, buffalo berry, lupines, and red clover.

It was suggested that Native Americans numbered close to 12 million and lived well by managing edible forest agricultures. I appreciated Patty’s perspective on weeds as “very enthusiastic plants” often with a purpose of bringing nutrients up from below the ground to build the soil. Patty showed us around the garden sharing several edible samples as she described species and their functions.
Comfrey:chop & drop, flowers in salads, tea, herbal remedies, skin salve
Paw Paw seeds, tomato, peppers, celery, fig tree in nursery bed
Good King Henry: heart shaped leaves, perennial vegetables, eat shoots and greens.
Elderberries and Marshmallow: medicinal uses
Persimmons as an alternative to apples, which have many pests and diseases
Sweet cicely: white blossom, seeds with licorice flavor
Dames Rocket has 4 petals and the flowers are edible. Phlox has 5 petals and is NOT edible.
Monarda didyma (not Oswego tea)

Purslane to thicken stews

Anise hyssop: sweet mint (tea), purple, bees love it

Dayflower: blue, edible, mucilaginous qualities, salads

Burdock root: roots for eating and medicinal
Nero' Aronia: high antioxidant fruit creates dry mouth – available at Millers
Curly dock: yellow, dock root is high in iron, use for chop and drop
Egyptian walking onion: a perennial vegetable
Seedless grapes: from Miller Nurseries
Jerusalem artichokes: perennial potato substitute

Sea berry: Vitamins C and E, beta carotene, flavinoids in orange berries, alternative fruit Turkish rocket: fuzzy edible leaves
Other species: Horseradish, gooseberry, blueberries, bush cherry, lemon balm, rosa rugosa, red lake current, Thistle, Spearmint, Wood sorrel, 3 in 1 Asian pear, high bush cranberry, self pollinating Rocket peach, currant, Ostrich fern.

We had a discussion about the permaculture ethics: Earth care, people care, and resource share (also known as fair share) as well as discussing sustainable and regenerative living.

Patty Love is available for workshops, consulting and speaking. You may contact her at patty@barefootpermaculture.com.

Maya Hobday

2011-08-20T17:45:00.004-04:00

Most of us know Maya Hobday as a lifetime member of Canandaigua Botanical Society. She has been a member since moving to Canandaigua in 1950! Maya left her home on April 9th this year by ambulance to Thompson Hospital. She was admitted with pneumonia and later had complications with a heart attack and C-diff. She was sent to Elm Manor on North Main Street in Canandaigua for what was supposed to be a two week stay for rehabilitation. Due to a decline in her health Maya is still at Elm Manor. Her mental capacity is still strong but weighed down heavily with the dissatisfaction and frustration of her current living situation and loss of physical strength and energy. Maya would love to be back in her home with her gardens but that's just not possible without around the clock care.

I have been in to see Maya 2 - 4 times each day. She appreciates a good cup of coffee (3 creams) and being in touch with what's happening outside of Elm Manor. She's missed her playtime with our yellow lab Jake so Jake began visiting Maya several times a week (being a favorite visitor to many others as well).

Many folks have asked about Maya and I do encourage you to keep in touch with her by visiting (room 10B), calling (585-919-3215), or dropping her a card or letter (her address in the Botanical Program). Please don't let her rough patches scare you off. She does have them but they are fewer when contact with her familiar friends are more frequent.

Just this week she delighted in a letter from Myrtle Eames and she is proud to show off the new book that Leigh Jones and her brother wrote about their cobblestone house (available at the Ontario County Historical Society). Often it is the little things that make the biggest difference for Maya.

Some days I ask Maya to tell me three good things about the day. There is a beautiful butterfly bush outside one of the windows where she often sits. She likes the bush and the butterflies it attracts. She tells me that she looks forward to having one of her own butterfly bushes one day. The butterfly bush and many memories of times with the Botanical Society are often mentioned in her list of three good things.

I will be out of town quite a bit over the next few weeks and know that Maya will be missing my daily visits. Please do consider checking in on her especially through Labor Day. THANK YOU!

PS: The visit to the Permaculture Institute was wonderful and I will be posting minutes and photos when I get a chance these next few weeks.

A VISIT TO THE PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE

2011-07-28T16:54:00.009-04:00

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Time: 10 am (or 9:15 if carpooling from the Ontario County Courthouse parking lot)

Where: 163 Helen Road, Rochester, NY 14623**

In January 2011, the Rochester Permaculture Center was established. Healthy forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves naturally. When we understand how these properties emerge from forest ecosystem structure and function, we can apply that knowledge to the design of “food forests” that mimic natural forests while growing food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, farmaceuticals, and fun. Located in an urban/suburban/forest edge site, the edible gardens forests will be planned and planted over the year. Come see how far along the “edible forests” will be on our visit.

Patty Love is a permaculture designer, teacher, and researcher based in Rochester. She holds a Permaculture Design Certificate together with a traditional B.S. and M.A.L.S. degrees. She is the director of Barefoot Edible Landscape and Permaculture Design Firm.

**Going northwest from Canandaigua: take Rt332 to I-90 W. Take exit 46 and go north onto I-390 N. Take the Rt. 15/W. Henrietta Road ramp. Go .4 miles and merge onto East River Road/CR 84. Go .9 miles and turn left onto Helen Road.

Canandaigua City Tree Talk with Arborist Chris Dorn

2011-07-18T11:03:00.016-04:00

Saturday, July 16, 2011: Sunny and pleasant morning

Attending: Bill Bross, Jack Clawson, Dave Connelly, Tom & Kathy Crocker, Caroline, Robert, Philo & Charles Gray, John Hyde, Dick Kent, Leona Lauster, Robert & Annette Leopard, Laura, Ron, Bethan & Thomas Ouimette, Dave Poteet, and Paul Reed.

Several Botanical members gathered to check out the dandelion leaved sundrop moon flowers before beginning our tour with Chris Dorn. (http://canandaiguabotanicalsociety.blogspot.com/2010/06/dandelion-leaved-sundrops-open-in-real.html)

Chris Dorn is the Canandaigua City Arborist who studied at Cobleskill and Cornell. Chris shared a great wealth of information and I will attempt to impart a fraction of his knowledge here. (Please feel free to make corrections or additions via comments or email and I will add them to our Canandaigua Botanical Society minutes.)

Being on Charlotte Street we learned about the Platanus acerifolia (sycamore with maple like leaves). London Plane is a hybrid of Platanus orientalis (oriental plane) and Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore). Several years ago Chris used an air chisel to find out where the roots of the London Planes were. They are under the right of ways, the sidewalk and driveways but not under the deep hard compact of the road. American Sycamore has more white than green on the base bark. The seed pods are the best way to differentiate the two. The tips of the individual seeds in the seed pods have different shapes. Often the London Plane has multiple seed pods (two together) where the American Sycamore has only single pods. There are two American Sycamores in the city – one near Gibson Street Park (Park Circle and Park Stree) and the other near Buffalo at Main. Although London Plane trees are strong urban trees they are not a choice tree in Canandaigua because of Antracnose (a fungal disease). The London Plane trees of Charlotte (80 to 105 years old) are in senescence (nearing end or winter of life). They may live another 5 to 50 years.

Chris explained that trees are essentially huge living pumps. Exhaust, salt slush and cinders hinder the healthy life of a tree. The number one cause of death to a tree is mower damage. The city of Canandaigua uses Glyphosate (Round up) to trim grass around the trees. Chris cautions that it is NOT okay to use Glyphosate around young trees with green bark. The city of Canandaigua no longer sprays trees (contaminants reach other places besides the trees) or uses injections (the tops of trees are often not reached by injections).

Oak Leaf Hydrangia

Proper planting, hydrating, and pruning are the best ways to maintain healthy trees. All city trees are planted by hand. This saves from having to call before they dig.

Chris spoke about brace roots and girdling roots. Brace roots extend down and out of the base of the trunk of a tree into the ground. Girdling roots cross over the trunk of a tree instead of growing down and should be removed since they can choke trees. Maples are famous for girdling roots causing sidewalk heaving.

brace root and girdling root

Mulching trees – Visible tree bark helps protect the tree from the elements. The “bark” underground has the purpose of taking in nutrients. Generally trees have feeding roots 12 inches deep. In forests there is a layer of leaves above a layer of last year’s composted leaves all over a thick bed of rich organic soil. Mulch can help to keep the roots cooler and keeps moisture from evaporating away from the tree roots. Mulch should not be any deeper than 2 inches and should not be right up against the visible bark of the tree. Volcano-ing mulch around the base of a tree is essentially like tying a strangling wire around it. Colored mulches should not be used since the color from the mulch seeps out of the mulch and into the food source for the tree. Red mulch makes the soil too acidic and black makes it to basic.

Chris spoke about Box Elder (true maple tree), sugar maples (sharp pointy buds) and Norway maples (flat rounded buds), and Crimson king trees. For true tree identification you need to look at the buds of a tree (11 months) as opposed to the leaves (9 months). The buds carry the genetic characteristics determining each branch of the tree.

A question was asked about Emerald Ash Borer. The EAB has been spotted in Chili and Rochester. It’s only a matter of time before it comes to Canandaigua. The expense of injections is too high to consider on city trees. Ash trees are very porous and a dead ash won’t stand much more than a year. A maple can stand dead up to 20 years.

Chris talked about his consideration in purchasing trees and explained that the city may own the right of way (area between the road and sidewalk) but that the utilities are in control of the space above the right of way. This often means that a tree which grows higher than 15 or 20 feet could be destroyed by utility lines (or access of lines). Chris spoke about the “worth” of a tree and what goes into his calculations. Damage to the root system of a tree can be just as harmful (if not more so) than damage done to the visible tree. Construction takes a toll on trees.

Chris has lists of acceptable and unacceptable city trees. As a rule a street will not have more than 70% of any one tree. The trees that rank highest on work orders are Locust and Norway maples (Norway Maples are on the invasive list, with roots – often girdling with no brace roots); followed by Horse chestnut and silver maple (which tend to be brittle in high winds and ice storms). Fruit trees and oak trees are often “too messy” to be desirable in front of city resident’s homes. Linden (basswood) trees often attract bees and aphids and are therefore undesirable as city trees. Red Oak and Beech trees have especially sensitive (ground level?) root systems and it is vital that the ground within the drip line of these trees is not upset (making them destine for trouble as street trees). Tulip and Ginko trees are two favorite varieties. There is caution to purchasing only male Ginko trees as the female Ginkos drop seed which smell like dead fish.

benign growth and scarring from damage

heaving from water damage and fire blight

When Chris came to Canandaigua there were about 500 vacant tree sites in the city. There are now only 100 vacant spots and trees are always replaced when one is removed.

Chris discussed pruning a tree for growth. A young tree should be left alone for three years – especially low branches. He showed us an example of how a cut should be made 1/16 of an inch from the collar of a branch and cautions never touching the collar itself. Chris mentioned trimming out crossed branches and dead branches. Several members expressed an interest in a future Botanical event focusing on tree pruning. Chris offered to present a pruning program and could use several city trees as examples.

Back to the barn for Chris Dorn's book of tree specimens and refreshments.

CANANDAIGUA CITY TREE WALK/TALK

2011-06-30T13:25:00.003-04:00

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Time: 10 am

Where: Meet at 126 Charlotte Street in Canandaigua (across from the Army Reserve and near Sonnenberg Gardens)

Canandaigua is a TREE CITY. Chris Dorn, Canandaigua’s Arborist, will be giving us a tour of our urban forest. Join us as we tour the city, studying the many and varied trees. Chris Dorn will explain how city trees are selected, maintained, removed, and replaced. After an easy walk along the city sidewalks we will return to Charlotte Street for some lemonade.

SENECA BREEZE BERRIES TOUR

2011-06-28T14:20:00.017-04:00

Canandaigua Botanical members Caroline & Robert Grey, Peggy Kane, Leona Lauster, Laura Ouimette, John Purdy, and Norma & David Rugg, were joined by Dennis & Susan Hess and ten FIRST Lego League Robotics students for a tour of Seneca Breeze Berries on an overcast Saturday morning. The FLL students (and their siblings) asked fantastic questions in hopes of learning more to meet the Food Factor Challenge they will face later this year.
Paul Cooley told us how he got started with this hydroponic farm bought as a kit from Florida. The farm covers one third acre and is enclosed in a deer fence under bird netting. There are 14 rows of rotating styrofoam pot stacks receiving hosed water, nutrients, fertilizer, and fungicide on a regulated schedule. 15,000 plants will provide berries from June to October.
Corell stones in top of each stack

The pump house has a main control which communicates with controls at the end of several rows (under the black boxes) determining when small black hoses are activated.

Paul demonstrates scissor cutting the berries with long stems to lengthen the shelf life of berries.

Wide rows convenient for many pickers

John Purdy supervises

Berries get weighed for purchase

Great thanks to Paul and Kathryn Cooley!

At the stand you can taste test the many varieties of jam.

Strawberry species grown at Seneca Breeze Berries include: Nourse Seascapes, Krohne Seascapes, Albion, Evie-2, and Ozark Beauty. Also grown in the hydroponic stacks are Black seeded Simpson lettuce, Looseleaf mix lettuce, Prizehead early lettuce, Parris Island lettuce, Freckles lettuce, Arugula, Buttercrunch lettuce and salad fresh spinach.

Leona liked the petite ball of basil.

For more information: http://www.senecabreezeberries.com/

Photos of the Japanese Paperpot planter used at the Fellenz Family Farm

2011-05-23T20:19:00.002-04:00

I went to visit Andy today and noticed the paperpot planter was in one of the hoop houses keeping dry from the rain between plantings. There's a photo of Andy's planter with two videos about how it is used:

http://canandaiguabotanicalsociety.blogspot.com/2010/07/fellenz-family-farm-tour.html

A VISIT TO SENECA BREEZE BERRIES in Penn Yan

2011-05-18T19:47:00.002-04:00

Saturday, June 25, 2011
Time: 10 am (or 9:25 if carpooling from the Ontario County Courthouse parking lot)

Where: 1166 Earls Hill Road, Penn Yan, NY 14527

Paul and Kathryn Cooley began this adventure in 2009. They decided to use their past experiences and capacity to learn new things to start a hydroponics strawberry farm. 2010 was their first season that included their U-pick Farm, the Geneva Farmers Market, The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Geneva Wegmans. They also started making strawberry jam which was an unexpected hit and available year round.

Paul Cooley will give us a guided tour of the hydropinics farm including the pump house. It should be timed just right for picking berries from the hydroponic cones.

http://www.senecabreezeberries.com/

Identification Quiz

2011-05-14T15:35:00.010-04:00

Scroll down past this quiz to see photos of the BLUEBELLS!

It was a rainy morning when we enjoyed the Bluebells - too rainy to bring guide books along.
We discovered many other species during our walk and decided to post pictures here for identification. We knew many of them but I will leave all of the names off to see how many can be identified. Your identifications can be reported using the comment section below or by Emailing them to Canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com (numbers are under each photo).

1 (we saw and heard several birds...this one was still enough for a photo)

2

3

4

5 (4 year old Thomas's favorite)

6

7

8 (Note the thorns)

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 (note the white curly sprigs)

17............................and............................18

19 (note the small paw shaped leaves)

20

21

22 (this had spikes on the underside of the leaves)

23

Bluebells at Mertensia Park

2011-05-14T14:53:00.009-04:00

On the rainy morning of Saturday, May 14, 2011 we got together to enjoy the Mertensia in the woods along Mud Creek at Mertensia Park in Farmington, NY. Those in attendance included: Bill Bross, Ellen Foster, Victoria Harris, Peggy Kane, Laura and Bethan Ouimette, Jeannie Randall, Norma and David Rugg, and Sue Winslow.

Bethan taught us how to sip the nectar from the Bluebells.

LOCATION CHANGE FOR BLUEBELL WALK!

2011-05-13T14:26:00.002-04:00

Due to the wet spring weather it is too wet to safely transport us across the creek at the Bowerman Farm to the island of Bluebells. We will still meet to check out the Bluebells and other wildflowers at Mertensia Park in Farmington, NY. Mertensia Park is at the south end of Mertensia Road between Routes 96 and 41. Anyone interested in joining us should meet at 10 am in the Mertensia Park parking lot.

We will plan to return to the Bowerman Farm in May of 2012.

Gideon’s Gardening Series at the Granger Homestead

2011-04-29T18:45:00.002-04:00

I went to drop an events poster and Canandaigua Botanical Society business cards off at the Granger Homestead yesterday and heard about the Gideon's Garden Series. Thanks to Kim, I have several of the butterfly papers to distribute at the Bluebells walk on Saturday, May 14th.

Check out details and plan to attend any or all of the monthly classes:
http://www.grangerhomestead.org/index.php/component/content/article/4-page/97-gideons-gardening-series

A VISIT TO BLUEBELL ISLAND

2011-04-10T17:17:00.002-04:00

SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2011

Bring the whole family for a tractor pulled hay wagon across the creek to see bluebells and other spring wild flowers!

Time: 10 am (or meet at 9:35 am if carpooling from the parking lot behind the Ontario County Courthouse, accessed from Sly St., off Ontario St., east off Main St. in Canandaigua.)

Directions to the Bowerman Farm: Go west from Canandaigua on Rt. 5 & 20 to 444. Right on 444N from Bloomfield to Victor. Right turn onto 96E. Left on Church which becomes Victor-Egypt Road. Right onto Gillis Rd. to the end. Left on Cline Road. 319 Cline is on the right side of the road. It is an old, white farmhouse with sloping drive. Parking is along the road.

Leaders: Brice and Nancy Bowerman

The Past and Future of Rochester Academy of Science

2011-04-10T16:53:00.007-04:00

Elizabeth Pixley; Herbarium Curator gave a presentation on the Past and Future of Rochester Academy of Science

The RAS was formed in 1881 at the University of Rochester bringing together several existing collections to form the Herbarium.

Most specimens were collected with the help of horse and buggy and many early samples came from the Bergen Swamp (Bergen Swamp Preservation Society was formed in the 1920s). Women played a leading role in the RAS.

As early as 1687, when the Denonville Expedition occurred, this area was identified as having enough sugar maples to provide all of “America” with sugar. For more information on the Denonville Expedition and the Mendon area check out: http://www.crookedlakereview.com/articles/136_167/143fall2007/143sheret.html

Elizabeth shared some chronological highlights:

1842 – Dr. Chester Dewey, Professor at University of Rochester, published a Catalogue of Plants and Time of Flowering In and About the City of Rochester for 1841.

1843 – John Torrey publishes Flora of the State of New York.

1860s – Listings of Native and Naturalized plants

1881 – Rochester Academy of Science formed a Botanical Section with 11 members for the purpose of making the collection of plants of Rochester, NY known through collecting, preserving, mounting and identifying. (Orchids were a popular focus.)

1896 – RAS Proceedings volume 3 number 1: Plants of Monroe County New York and Area

1896 – Species no longer present and new plants introduced from nurseries were noted.

1911-17 – Descriptive Supplementary List including 1761 species. Many from Bergen Swamp, Mendon Ponds, Ravine at Holley.

Elizabeth explained that many species were found along Railroad lines – probably transported that way as well.

Some important people of the RAS:

George T. Fish, 1838-1926, was a charter member who “discovered” Bergen Swamp. In 1864 he collected a Lady’s Slipper – the first in NY State.

Mary Streeter and Major Streeter hosted many meetings. Mary collected most specimens with her horse, Bonnie, and her dog, Gypsy including an orchid collected within a buggy ride from her city home.

Charles Booth, a charter member with connections to South America (Quinoa) collected lots of specimens and lists duckweed from Irondequoit Bay. The duckweed took us on a short discussion about ways of mounting specimens such as in casings.

Florence Beckwith held the RAS presidency from 1897-1929. She ruled meetings with a heavy hand and was all business with no humor. Florence traveled widely and had a concern for preservation. She was noted for saying, “Flowers have nerves. I've seen them tremble when I pick them.”

Mary McCauley was a Cornell University graduate and popular teacher. Botany was her favorite subject. She would often take students to the Genesee Gorge for field trips.

Joseph Fuller was a printer by trade and the first curator for the RAS. Joseph had a special interest in the study of systemic botany.

Edward Hankinson was a Newark, NY resident and lifelong corresponding member for Wayne County.

Milton Baxter joined RAS in 1893 and became a curator. He most enjoyed trips to the Bergen Swamp. Milton worked for Bell Telephone’s international division and collected specimens from places such as Switzerland, Holland, and Russia.

Warren Matthews was a very large collector specifically interested in sedges and grasses. Warren exchanged specimens with others all around the globe and contributed many specimens pressed and labeled but not mounted.

Babette Brown Coleman is remembered as the cheerleader for the RAS back when Elizabeth joined the RAS. The Herbarium was housed at the Parks Department on Westfall Road. Babette taught at the U of R and traveled extensively, especially to the Arctic, bringing back shoe boxes of mosses and lichen. She was actively involved in the Bergen Swamp Preservation Society.

The ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE HERBARIUM has around 60,000 specimens in assorted cabinets at the Rochester Museum and Science Center basement. Specimens include an amazing diversity with a number from Central America. A majority of the collections date from 1860-1950.

Currently volunteers work with maintenance and repair as their main focus. Most specimens are not on acid free paper. Volunteers work at monthly workshops to replace folders family by family. Remounting is done a few times each year.

The future goal is to have all of the data digitalized and photographed. This requires a lot of time, effort, and equipment. Hopefully, through a grant for Natural History Collections there will be a time when RAS can loan duplicates out to teaching colleges and museums.

RAS has visitors including researchers and taxonomists who come to borrow plants an add labels or corrected information to specimens. Elizabeth has E-mailed digitally photographed orchid labels to someone in Poland. This year an Anthropology/Art student from Geneseo came looking for information on Indian uses of plants. Another student from Saint John Fisher was looking to add to a DNA database for plants and snipped of bits into vials.

Elizabeth brought several samples including the American Elm and American Ash trees.

If you are interested in volunteering at the RAC Herbarium please contact Elizabeth Pixley at epixley@rochester.rr.com.

Annual Potluck Dinner and Meeting Minutes

2011-04-10T16:47:00.002-04:00

30 people were in attendance on Friday, April 8, 2011:

Bill & Marie Bross, Molly Chapin, Rhonda Craugh, John & Marion Fladd, John Gradwick, Betty Freese, Bruce & Margo Gilman, Victoria Harris, Leigh Jones, Peggy & Peter Kane, Carman Kuenen, Dorothy LaBrake, Leona Lauster, John & Lauralee Maas, Laura & Ron Ouimette with Jeffery, Bethan & Thomas Ouimette, Elizabeth Pixley, David Poteet, John & Mary Purdy, and Brad and Joan Purdy.

Interestingly, we had a fabulous variety of dishes for our Potluck dinner but no desserts!

After the presentation of the RAS Herbarium by Elizabeth Pixley we held our annual meeting.

Laura Ouimette gave a secretary’s report sharing the 2010-2011 Canandaigua Botanical Society Yearbook including minutes from last year’s annual meeting and events as well as memorial pages for Betty Herriott and Bob Guthrie. Laura shared that her main focus has been to get the word out about the Botanical Society through website, postcards, business cards, internet, newspapers, magazines, television news, and posters. Bruce Gilman took posters to hang at FLCC and the Finger Lakes Institute. Molly Chapin took a poster for the Geneva Library. Laura will distribute posters to the Wood Library, Granger Homestead, and Sonnenberg Gardens. Gardenscape and the Farmers Market were additional suggestions. Please contact Laura if you need posters to post.

The treasury was passed from John Purdy to Laura Ouimette. A checking account was opened at the Canandaigua National Bank with a balance of $758.27. $132 was collected in dues bringing our current balance to $890.27.

Peggy Kane presented John Purdy with a gift of chocolate from Sweet Expressions in appreciation for the many years of service as Canandaigua Botanical Society’s treasurer.

Thanks to Bruce Gilman for creating 2011-2012 program guides.

Peggy Kane reviewed the events for this year’s program and encouraged people to think about programs for the 2012-2013 year. Perhaps somebody else would like the honors of program coordinator?

Peggy Kane told us about the creation of a Gleaner’s Kitchen Vegetable Garden and asked for a $50 donation for Sue Daggett towards the garden. John made a motion for a $50 donation, Lauralee seconded it and it was passed unanimously.

Peggy then explained that the $100 donation made last year for the Preservation of Lagoon Park was returned from the City of Canandaigua. Jim Engel has the go ahead to move forward on the Preservation Project but will accept the $100 from us directly instead of through the city. Mary made a motion to give $100 to Jim Engel. Lauralee seconded and the vote passed.

Laura Ouimette has the programs for this year. If anyone is interested in being a member please have them contact Laura at canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com

ANNUAL POTLUCK DINNER AND PRESENTATION

2011-03-20T20:34:00.008-04:00

Friday, April 8th beginning at 6pm.

The potluck dinner will be held at Saint John's Episcopal Church, 183 North Main Street, Canandaigua. We will meet downstairs in the Parish Hall. Use the rear entrance on Saint John's Court off Howell Street. (Same location as the Gleaner's Kitchen.)

The evening's program will be History of the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium by Elizabeth Pixley, Herbarium curator. Come learn about the creation and preservation of this extensive and valuable plant collection.

Bring a dish to pass and your own place setting and a guest or two if you wish. Bring cash or your checkbook to pay your annual dues ($7 individual or $10 couple/family) and receive the 2011-2012 Botanical Society Program.

The Herbarium program will begin at 7pm. Following the program we will have a business meeting.

Click here to see the post of our visit to the RAS Herbarium.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

WOULD YOU LIKE LOCALLY GROWN, FRESH ORGANIC VEGGIES AND FRUITS EVERY WEEK?

2011-03-08T08:33:00.009-05:00

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Canandaigua (UUCC) Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) provides just that!

Every Monday for 24 weeks from May 23 through October 31, UUCC CSA members pick up a wide assortment of home grown organically certified seasonal fruits and vegetables at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 3024 Cooley Rd in Canandaigua .

Share Contents

Share contents change each week. There is always something different in the share. Small and Large shares are a mix of pre-packed staples like cooking greens, salad greens, roots, potatoes, and seasonal favorites like strawberries and tomatoes.

Through-out the season, a market table will be set up at distribution for members to choose several items to supplement their basic share. The market table will have 10-25 different vegetables and fruits ranging from staples like carrots and potatoes, to specialty vegetables and fruits, and vegetables which people either love or hate.

Large shares usually include 8-12 different fruits and vegetables. Small shares have 6-8 items. A micro-share is 4 choices from the market table (maximum of 2 fruit choices).

A large share works well for a family or a couple who cook almost every night. A small share is often best for a single person or a couple. A micro-share is good for a single person who isn’t always home for a meal or doesn’t have a lot of time for cooking.

Fresh cut herbs and hot peppers are also available during the season on a “take what you can use” basis.

Meat, eggs and honey: The UUCC CSA works with several other local farms to offer pork, beef, poultry, eggs, and honey on an extra cost basis to our members.

Work Option: CSA members who volunteer to work on the farm for at least 12 hours will receive a $50 rebate at the end of the season.

Share Pick-up: Mondays from 5:15 to 7:00 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 3024 Cooley Rd. in Canandaigua. After hours pick up at the church or pick up at the farm can also be arranged.

About the Fellenz Family Farm

Since 2003, the Fellenz Family Farm has grown organic fruits and vegetables on a small scale for families in the Finger Lakes area.

To learn more about the CSA or the farm, visit our website: www.fellenzfamilyfarm.com

Email: Andy@FellenzFamilyFarm.com

or call: 315 548 6228 or 585 260 2477.

2011 share prices:

Micro-Share (4 items/week) $300.00

Small Share (6-8 items/week) $480.00

Large Share (8-12 items/week) $600.00

Andy will be there!

ANNUAL POTLUCK DINNER and PRESENTATION - HISTORY OF THE ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE HERBARIUM

2011-03-08T08:16:00.005-05:00

We are working to put together the 2011-2012 program that will be available at the annual potluck dinner and presentation on Friday, April 8th

beginning at 6pm.

The potluck dinner will be held at Saint John's Episcopal Church, 183 North Main Street, Canandaigua. We will meet downstairs in the Parish Hall. Use the rear entrance on Saint John's Court off Howell Street. (Same location as the Gleaner's Kitchen.)

The evening's program will be History of the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium by Elizabeth Pixley, herbarium curator. Come learn about the creation and preservation of this extensive and valuable plant collection. ( http://www.rasny.org/Herbarium.htm )

Bring a dish to pass and your own place setting and a guest or two if you wish. Bring cash or your checkbook to pay your annual dues ($7) and receive the 2011-2012 Botanical Society Program. The Herbarium program will begin at 7pm. Following the program we will have a business meeting and all are welcome.

Minutes from PRESERVING OUR NATURAL HERITAGE given by Dr. Bruce Gilman for the Canandaigua Botanical Society on Saturday, March 5,

2011-03-07T17:31:00.012-05:00

Attended by: Bill Bross, John & Marion Fladd, Margo Gilman, Maya Hobday, John Hyde, Peggy Kane, Dick Kent, Carman Kuenen, Laura Ouimette, John & Mary Purdy, Dave Spier, and Connie Watkins

Dr. Bruce Gilman began his presentation with an introduction of the biological diversity of NYS created from the ancient oceans to an ice invasion which created 28 broad glacial valleys including our 11 Finger Lakes. He referenced the book Roadside Geology of New York by Bradford B. VanDiver.

When looking at protecting our natural heritage we need to identify the “elements” of biodiversity. The New York Natural Heritage Program (http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/29338.html) states their mission to “facilitate conservation of New York's biodiversity by providing comprehensive information and scientific expertise on rare species and natural ecosystems to resource managers and other conservation partners.”

The biodiversity on New York includes several elements which Bruce Gilman expanded on:

Vascular plants (3195 species)

Nonvascular plants (insufficient data)

Birds (over 250 breeding species)

Mammals (over 75 species)

Fish (165 species)

Reptiles and amphibians (71 species)

Invertebrate species (insufficient data)

Bruce continued to explain the following information from the New York Natural Heritage Program

Assessing New York's Biodiversity

NY Natural Heritage data provide a picture of the status of biodiversity in New York. The graph {below} represents all 2,863 vascular plants, natural communities, and vertebrate animals native to New York State. It does not include data regarding invertebrate animals. Although NY Natural Heritage tracks several invertebrate groups (notably butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies, beetles, and mollusks), insufficient data are available to make general statements about the status of native invertebrate species. In the graph, New York's biodiversity is separated into six categories as described below.

Half of New York's biodiversity appears to be secure, but 37% of the state's native plants, vertebrate animals, and ecosystems are in jeopardy of extirpation, and 7% may have been lost already.

Presumed extirpated - 4%: All known occurrences are gone and there is little chance of finding new populations.

Historical - 3%: No occurrences have been reported in the last 15 years, but more survey work is needed. These may still be present within NY or they may be extirpated.

Critically imperiled - 15%: Known at five or fewer locations in the state.

Imperiled - 10%: Known at just six to 20 locations.

Vulnerable - 12%: Known at 21 to 100 locations.

Believed Secure - 56%: Known at more than 100 sites.

Bruce discussed the Ecological Communities of New York State (Edinger et al. 2002) using the Southern Honeoye Lake Watershed as an example. How to protect and the need for timely implementation were also discussed.

Examples of protected locations and areas include:

French Creek Watershed (NY and PA), Alleghany State Park, Rome Sand Plains, Chaumont Barrens Preserve, Eastern Lake Ontario Shoreline, Zurich Bog, Hemlock & Canadice Lakes, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Genesee Land Trust, Byron Bergen Swamp Preservation Society, RMSC Cummings Nature Center,Boy Scout and Girl Scout properties, military properties, and Seneca Army Depot.

Bruce concluded the presentation urging the need for environmental education noting that many of our children today are growing up in “E-bubbles”. He proposed we ought to instill a program called “NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE”. Author Richard Louv of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder would probably agree.

We were left with these quotes to ponder:

“You shall enter the living shelter of the forest. You shall walk where only the wind has walked before.” ~ Ansel Adams

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

“And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.” ~ William Shakespeare

"In the woods, too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough, and at what period soever of life is always a child." “…in the wilderness, I find something more dear and connate than in the streets or villages…in the woods we return to reason and faith.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"They tell us that plants are perishable, soulless creatures, that only man is immortal, etc.; but this, I think, is something we know very nearly nothing about. Anyhow, this palm was indescribably impressive and told me grander things than I ever got from a human priest.” ~ John Muir

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” ~ Albert Einstein

“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” ~ Dr. Seuss

"Speaking of Nature" Lecture Series

2011-03-06T19:01:00.005-05:00

Bruce Gilman told us about an exciting and informative lecture series at the Muller Field Station of Finger Lakes Community College. Presentations by college faculty, staff and local scientists are free and light refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited and reservations are required for each program. For more information and to make reservations, call Nancy Lawson at 585-785-1257.

FLCC Muller Field Station
6455 County Road 36 - Honeoye, New York

http://www.flcc.edu/muller/events.cfm

FREE GARDENING LECTURE SERIES

2011-02-25T15:44:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Lenore Friend for this information:

http://fingerlakescommunitycollege.blogspot.com/2011/02/free-gardening-lecture-series-in-geneva.html

Finger Lakes Community College will offer a free gardening lecture series called Ecological Gardening in four evening sessions starting March 15 in room 307 of the Geneva Campus Center, 63 Pulteney St.

Classes will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the following Tuesdays: March 15, March 29, April 12 and April 26. Entry is free but reservations for one or more of the sessions are requested at (315) 789-6701, Ext. 6000 or 6001.

Jana Lamboy, associate professor of ornamental horticulture at FLCC, will lead the lectures and discussions. Lamboy has a Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She retired from the Integrated Pest Management Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension and has taught at FLCC since 2004.

The Ecological Gardening series classes are as follows:

· March 15: Gardening Alongside Deer: Learn about deer resistant plants and other strategies to protect gardens. Topics include plants with fragrances and tastes that deer do not like, barriers, repellents, and other strategies.

· March 29: Composting and Soil Health: Making compost from kitchen garbage and yard waste is easy and saves money. The product is a valuable amendment for gardens, because compost supports the soil ecosystem and stimulates healthy plant growth.

· April 12: Constructing a Rain Garden: Even in an urban neighborhood, we can purify water by creating a special garden in which native plants happily receive a temporary flood with rain water. These gardens make suitable habitat for hummingbirds and beneficial insects.

· April 26: Gardening for Butterflies: This presentation is designed to teach about the requirements of several species of butterflies. To create a butterfly-friendly garden, one must welcome the larvae as well as the adults. The survival strategies of butterflies are very interesting and diverse.

PROGRAM CHANGE

2011-02-25T14:07:00.003-05:00

Canandaigua Botanical Society will be holding an indoor meeting on Saturday, March 5, 2011. Jim Engel is unable to attend that morning but we will still meet for a presentation by Dr. Bruce Gilman. Please join us for this PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE presentation in room C220 at the Canandaigua FLCC campus at 10 am.

PRESERVING THE BIODIVERSITY OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES

2011-02-07T21:01:00.005-05:00

**NOTE** Jim Engel was unable to present this program and it will be rescheduled for another date.***
Please join us for this indoor presentation
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011 at 10am
Finger Lakes Community College room C220.

Jim Engel, landscaper and native plant expert, will explain how to integrate native plants into your own backyard. Most of our woodlands were once used for farming and later abandoned. When farm fields reverted to woodland, what developed was a forest with canopy trees and little else. Most of the understory species, woodland wildflower, are missing. Learn how to control invasive species and re-establish native plant communities by collecting and planting native seed of native plants. Jim has been in the business of propagating and growing more than 80 species of native shade trees and native flowering shrubs since 1995.

Jim owns WHITE OAK NURSERY
http://www.whiteoaknursery.biz/index.html

With cherished memories...

2011-01-31T09:48:00.002-05:00

Robert G. Guthrie
KEUKA PARK - Robert G. Guthrie, 77, died Thursday (January 6, 2011) at home.Calling hours for Robert will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 11) at Weldon Funeral Home, 102 E. Main St., Penn Yan, where a Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 12).In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cummings Nature Center.Robert was born April 8, 1933, the son of Frank and Faye Gammon Guthrie. He served with the U.S. Army, loved nature and was involved with several Nature Conservancy Groups. He is survived by four sons: Stephen (Keshia) Guthrie, Peter (Donna) Guthrie, Mark (Laurie) Guthrie and Michael Guthrie, all of New Jersey.
Published in Finger Lakes Times from January 10 to January 12, 2011

“All About Bluebirds – And More”

2011-01-14T22:12:00.001-05:00

Minutes from the indoor meeting at FLCC submitted by Peggy Kane:

Fifteen members of the Botanical Society joined John Rogers for an inspiring and entertaining power point on the Eastern Bluebird.

John is a recognized authority on bluebird conservation and co-founder of the New York State Bluebird Society. Recipient of many prestigious awards, he is an experienced birder and a member of the Onondaga Audubon Society.

He said that when the Pilgrims saw bluebirds in 1620, they called them Blue Robin. Bluebirds are actually related to Robins as both are in the Thrush family. The Eastern Bluebird is a bit larger than a sparrow. Coloring is blue with a rusty red breast and appears round-shouldered when perched. The female is duller and the young bird is speckle-breasted, devoid of red and always has the telltale blue on wings and tail. Their range is East of the Rockies and from Canada to the Gulf States; also Arizona to Nicaragua. The bluebird population has fallen dramatically due to loss of habitat, pesticides, and starlings that prefer to nest in their boxes. Therefore, John has worked to maintain an extensive trail of bluebird nest boxes in central New York north of Oneida Lake. In two decades he has fledged over 12,000 Eastern Bluebirds.

Location and type of box are essential for maintaining such a population. Placement of boxes should be in sparse, short vegetation and in pairs 6-12 feet apart. To avoid predators, boxes should be on a pole (preferably metal), 5-6 feet above the ground, with an opening of 1 ½ to 1-¾ inches to keep out the starlings. Most bluebirds migrate and return in March. If males have no mate they return first and sing and display. Through banding, he has found that if the bird was successful one year, it will return to the same box the following year. Nesting is in April and May with 3 to 6 blue and white eggs per clutch. Incubation is 12-14 days. The adults brood for several days and then leave in the daytime to feed hatchlings mealworms. Fledging is in 17-22 days but the adults continue to feed for another month. They often have two nestings per year, the second being in July. The birds molt and then migrate in October.

He encouraged all of us to put up bluebird boxes or chickadee boxes if we have a small yard. He had boxes to build for sale and many of us did buy to build and put up in the spring.

Although his theme was bluebirds, John demonstrated his passion about the entire natural world.

ALL ABOUT BLUEBIRDS - AND MORE

2010-10-11T19:46:00.003-04:00

Please join us for our indoor meeting at Finger Lakes Community College on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 11 am in room C220 for this presentation by John Rogers.

This PowerPoint presentation encompasses the life history of the Eastern Bluebird, nest box management, other birds that nest in bluebird boxes, and more. The focus is on bluebirds but John Rogers also shares his passion for the natural world.

John Rogers has maintained an extensive trail of bluebird nest boxes in central New York north of Oneida Lake for decades, and has fledged over 12,000 Eastern Bluebirds. He is a recognized authority on bluebird conservation. He was co-founder of the New York State Bluebird Society in 1982. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards. An experienced birder, John Rogers is a member of the Onondaga Audubon Society.

This presentation is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Listing of species found in Lagoon Park

2010-08-27T10:57:00.005-04:00

This is the list of species found in Lagoon Park that Dave DeMallie shared with us.

*** from April 2004, by Bruce Gilman***
Trees
Box-elder ---Acer negundo
Swamp Maple ---Acer x freemanii
Tree of Heaven ---Ailanthus altissima
Shadbush ---Amelanchier arborea
European White Birch ---Betula pendula
Green Ash ---Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Eastern Red Cedar ---Juniperus virginiana
Red Mulberry ---Morus rubra
Norway Spruce ---Picea abies
Scotch Pine ---Pinus sylvestris
Sycamore ---Platanus occidentalis
Eastern Cottonwood ---Populus deltoids
Sweet Cherry ---Prunus avium
Black Locust ---Robinia pseudoacacia
American Elm ---Ulmus americana
Japanese Yew ---Taxus cuspidata
Northern White Cedar ---Thuja occidentalis
European Linden ---Tilia cordata

Shrubs and Vines
Hawthorn ---Crataegus sp.
Silky Dogwood ---Cornus amomum
Gray Dogwood ---Cornus foemina
Red Osier Dogwood ---Cornus sericea
Russian Olive ---Elaeagnus angustifolia
Fly Honeysuckle ---Lonicera morrowii
Tartarian Honeysuckle ---Lonicera tatarica
Crabapple ---Malus sp.
Virginia Creeper ---Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Smooth Buckthorn ---Rhamnus frangula
European Buckthorn ---Rhamnus cathartica
Staghorn Sumac ---Rhus typhina
Multi-flora Rose ---Rosa multiflora
Shrubby Rose ---Rosa sp.
Blackberry ---Rubus allegheniensis
Black Raspberry ---Rubus occidentalis
Pussy Willow ---Salix discolor
Shrubby Willow ---Salix sp.
Poison Ivy ---Toxicodendron radicans
Cranberry Viburnum ---Viburnum opulus
Riverbank Grape ---Vitis riparia

Herbaceous Plants
Yarrow ---Achillea millifolium
Meadow Garlic ---Allium vineale
Garlic Mustard ---Alliaria petiolata
Spreading Dogbane ---Apocynum androsaemifolium
Common Burdock ---Arctium minus
Swamp Milkweed ---Asclepias incarnata
Yellow Rocket ---Barbarea vulgaris
Brome Grass ---Bromus inermis
Spotted Knapweed ---Centaurea maculosa
Canada Thistle ---Cirsium arvense
Bull Thistle ---Cirsium vulgare
Crown Vetch ---Coronilla varia
Orchard Grass ---Dactylis glomerata
Queen Anne’s Lace ---Daucus carota
Common Teasel ---Dipsacus fullonum
Whitlow Grass ---Draba verna
Quack Grass ---Elytrigia repens
Willow Herb ---Epilobium sp.
Daisy Fleabane ---Erigeron annuus
Wild Strawberry ---Fragaria virginiana
Wild Cleavers ---Galium aparine
White Bedstraw ---Galium mollugo
White Avens ---Geum canadense
Ground Ivy ---Glechoma hederacea
St. John’s Wort ---Hypericum perforatum
Spotted Touch Me Not ---Impatiens capensis
Elecampane ---Inula helenium
Yellow Iris ---Iris pseudoacorus
Rush ---Juncus sp.
Purple Dead Nettle ---Lamium purpureum
Everlasting Pea ---Lathyrus latifolius
Ox-Eye Daisy ---Leucantheum vulgare
Bird’s Foot Trefoil ---Lotus corniculatus
Moneywort ---Lysimachia nummularia
Sweet Clover ---Melilotus sp.
Eurasian Milfoil ---Myriophyllum spicatum
Yellow Pond Lily ---Nuphar variegata
Evening Primrose ---Oenthera biennis
Reed Canary Grass ---Phalaris arundinacea
Tall Reed Grass ---Phragmites australis
Ox Tongue ---Picris hieracioides
English Plantain ---Plantago lanceolata
Common Plantain ---Plantago major
Smartweed ---Polygonum sp.
Curly Pondweed ---Potamogeton crispus
Cinquefoil ---Potentilla recta
Self-Heal ---Prunella vulgaris
Tall Buttercup ---Ranunculus acris
Curly Dock ---Rumex crispus
Sour Dock ---Rumex obtusifolius
Wool Grass ---Sedge Scirpus cyperinus
Canada Goldenrod ---Solidago canadensis
Common Dandelion ---Taraxacum officinale
Red Clover ---Trifolium pretense
Colt’s Foot ---Tussilago farfara
Narrow-leaved Cattail ---Typha angustifolia
Blue Vervain ---Verbena hastata
Corn Speedwell ---Veronica arvensis

Ferns and Allies
Field Horsetail ---Equisetum arvense
　
　
　

The Lagoon Park Landscape Restoration Project Tour - August 21, 2010

2010-08-27T10:33:00.007-04:00

Dave DeMallie talked about the native and invasive plant species at Lagoon Park on Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua. A proposal was made to the City of Canandaigua to have invasive plants removed from this forever wild flood plane and protected wetland. Due to funding shortages the project has not yet commenced.
European Buckthorn would be the primary target for removal without disturbing wildlife. Invassive plants will be cut at the base and a herbacide would be applied to the stumps only as needed. Replanting would occur with native species.

Jewelweed/Touch Me Not (a soothing remedy for poison ivy)

A bridge similar to this would look great and be very useful crossing 5 and 20 at South Main Street.

Monarch caterpillar (frass on upper left leaf)

A few members enjoying the view

Bob Guthrie and Maya Hobday discussing select species

A Blue Heron

Maya Hobday keeping clear of the Poison Ivy edging

Smartweed

More poison ivy growing all around the tree trunk

The "Y" shoots from the main branch of the river wild grape are tasty

Species identified during the Canandaigua Botanical trip to The Lagoon Park

European buckthorn, black willow, black locus, jewel weed, fragrent white water lily, golden rod, queen Ann's lace, dogbane, high bush cranberry, evening primrose, mullen, ash tree, grey dogwood with white berries, knapp weed, crab apple, river wild grape, smart weed, St. John's weed (has tiny, little holes in its leaves; look against the sky or through a magnifying glass to see them), self heal, horehound (has square stem), teasel, birdfoot trefoil, downy willow herb, fleabane, elecampane (sunflower like flower).

Interesting factoid: maple, ash, and dogwood MAD have opposite leaves.

Gathering at the Lagoon Park - August 21, 2010

2010-08-27T09:56:00.002-04:00

The following Canandaigau Botanical Society Members were present to meet Dave DeMallie for a tour of the Lagoon Park on Saturday morning August 21, 2010:

Bob Guthrie, Maya Hobday, Peggy Kane, Carmen Kuenen, Leona Lauster,Donna Middlebrook, Laura Ouimette, John & Mary Purdy and guest Ben Cornelius

Before heading out on the walk a discussion took place regarding a gift to be made to Wood Library in memory of Betty Herriott's passing earlier this year.

The Lagoon Park Landscape Restoration Project Tour

2010-08-02T23:42:00.001-04:00

Saturday, August 21, 2010 10 am

Meet at the Steamboat Landing parking lot.

The Lagoon Park is on Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua across from the Steamboat Landing Restaurant.

The purpose of our tour will be to compare and contrast the native and invasive plant species and to look at their implications for providing habitat for wildlife. Also, we will look at the work underway to remove invasive plants and discuss the various strategies being used to re-establish a wider diversity of native flora in the park. We’ll check out the territory along the easy-to-walk and well groomed pathways.

Leaders: Dave DeMallie, graduate of the Conservation Program at FLCC and
Project Leader, Jim Engel of White Oak Nursery.

FELLENZ FAMILY FARM TOUR

2010-07-29T11:15:00.007-04:00

Andy Fellenz welcomed us to his Organic Fellenz Family Farm on Saturday, July 24th. Botanical members in attendance were: Kathie Crocker, Tom Crocker, Leona Lauster, Laura Ouimette, Joan Purdy, and Peter Purdy.

Andy talked about the three Community Supported Agriculture programs he farms for in Canandaigua, Geneva, and Pittsford before bringing us to the fields and high tunnels (hoop houses) to talk about how he manages the tomatoes and cucurbits. Andy shared a wealth of information about organic farming.

Andy asks what we're interested to hear about in the shade of the packing shed
Andy talks about growing his tomatoes in the field

Tomatoes growing in the field with support from criss-crossed lines between plants

Andy shared a taste of Asian Tat Soi with us

A view of the fields and high tunnels from Lester Road

Tomatoes in a high tunnel

Chester the dog rests nearby as Andy talks with Canandaigua Botanical Society members

A view from inside the high tunnel

Discussing tomatoes in the high tunnel

Tomatoes growing in the high tunnel

A high tunnel with a field waiting for its next planting

This shows a clip holding the vine to a string that comes from the top of the high tunnel

Cantaloupe growing in a high tunnel

Cucumbers growing in a high tunnel

Between the planting sheds

Seeds planted in honeycomb grid (which straightens out to evenly spaced lines for planting)

Andy showing us a honeycomb seed frame

Japanese Paperpot Planter (See video) (set up video)

Squash growing in the tasting orchard
Jan and Andy by the Fellenz Family Farm stand

Andy has two websites that can be viewed for more information:
http://www.fellenzfamilyfarm.com/ and
http://www.localharvest.org/fellenz-family-farm-M6712

Resources spoken about during the tour:
Northeast Organic Farming Association: http://www.nofa.org/index.php
Organic Materials Review Institute: www.omri.org
www.Highmowingseeds.com and www.Johnnyseeds.com

Tour of the Organic Fellenz Family Farm

2010-06-29T14:42:00.004-04:00

Saturday, July 24, 2010 - 10 am at 1919 Lester Road in Phelps (or 9:30 am if you wish to carpool from the Ontario County Courthouse parking lot off Sly Street in Canandaigua).

Join the Canandaigua Botanical Society as we tour the Fellenz Family Farm. Andy Fellenz will show us the summertime workings of his organic farm and discuss managing tomatoes and cucurbits in high tunnels.

Andy Fellenz established the organic Fellenz Family Farm in 2002. He created and maintains three Community Supported Agriculture programs (Canandaigua, Geneva, and Pittsford) from his seven-acre organic farm. Andy has given presentations on issues such as agriculture in the Finger Lakes, organic farming, small-scale farming, and sustainable farming. Andy is also the president of the Ontario County Farm Bureau.

http://www.fellenzfamilyfarm.com/

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M6712

Dandelion-leaved Sundrops open in real time!

2010-06-23T23:00:00.004-04:00

BEFORE

AFTER

My neighbor gave me these "Moonflowers" several years ago. I was told that they were planted along forest paths for indian princesses to follow home to safety. They are Oenothera acaulis aurea in the Onagraceae (Evening primrose) family. I have them planted along the sidewalk in front of our house and on some evenings they draw crowds and applause.

Here's a YouTube link with the same video:

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzoHwWCVAWs

They bloom in the evening between 8:30 and 9:30 pm from May through August. Blossoms will bloom once and be spent by noon the following day. Each plant will produce several blossoms each week throughout the four months.

Visit to the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium

2010-06-19T16:59:00.015-04:00

On Saturday, June 19, 2010 the following Canandaigua Botanical Society members met with Elizabeth Pixley, curator of the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium, in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center: Kathie & Tom Crocker, Peggy Kane, Donna Middlebrook, Bethan & Laura Ouimette.

A herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts usually in a dried form and mounted on a sheet. Mounting is done with glue, tape, and in one case wire. Small envelopes are also used for some specimens or seeds.

The office of the Rochester Academy of Science Herbarium

A specimen of American ElmTables set up in the hallway for working and viewing (cabinets of specimens are to the right)Specimans are organized by families (ending in aceae)Cabinets are labeled by family and genusElizabeth Pixley showing the specimens organized by species inside cabinetsSpecimen labels include family name, genus, species, location & date of collection, and collector name and sometimes stamps for viewer recordingBethan impressed by the blue coloring of the Mertensia virginica after 115 yearsTom Crocker assisting with the opening of a hallway storage cabinet Insect control once managed by moth balls can also be dealt with by freezing specimens Many of the specimens had artistic value. It's important to invert a leaf for future reference.

Lily specimen

Fern specimen with roots

RAS Herbarium has over 60,000 specimens from around the world dating back to 1850.

Fern specimens

Elizabeth Pixley will be our guest speaker at the April 8, 2011 Annual meeting and potluck dinner. If you have an interest in helping to repair or remount RAS Herbarium specimens please send an Email to us at canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com and we'll get you in touch with Elizabeth Pixley.

**We were surprised not to find any sunflower specimens. Bethan mentioned "moon flower" as a favorite which we did not locate either. Laura has since researched to locate the name of the moon flower that Bethan mentioned. It is commonly called Dandelion Sundrop. Its botanical name is Oenothera acaulis aurea of the Onagraceae family (evening primrose family).**

A VISIT TO THE HERBARIUM at the ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

2010-06-05T22:14:00.005-04:00

SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2010 - 10am (or if carpooling, meet at the Ontario County Courthouse parking lot at 9:25 am.)

Where: Herbarium at the Rochester Academy of Science, in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center, 657 East Avenue (at the corner of Goodman St.). Go to the RMSC front desk and ask for staff person to call ext. 368, the phone in the Herbarium.

Elizabeth Pixley, Herbarium Curator, has invited the Botanical Society to come and help with the Herbarium's valuable collection. The 60,000 preserved plant specimens are a significant record of the Rochester area ecology; most were collected between 1860-1950. We will learn about different plant species and help file specimens. In the past years, members of the Botanical Societywere required to bring plant specimens to each meeting; in this tradition, Botanical Society members can help the Herbarium preserve valuable specimans.

Elizabeth Pixley is Emeritus Professor of Biology at MCC. She has an M.S. in Botany from Cornell University. She is active in a number of professional organizations and has published extensively.

Bluebell Photos

2010-05-06T14:46:00.007-04:00

THANKS to John Gradwick for sharing these photos with us:

BLUEBELLS at the BOWERMAN FARM in Victor

2010-04-18T13:46:00.005-04:00

SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2010

Because of the "warm" spring season the Bluebells are blooming early this year. Brice Bowerman is the man with the tractor and hay wagon who will take us across the creek to see the bluebells.

Time: 10 am (or meet at 9:35 am if carpooling from the parking lot behind the Ontario County Courthouse, accessed from Sly St., off Ontario St., east off Main St. in Canandaigua.)

Directions to the Bowerman Farm: Go west from Canandaigua on Rt. 5 & 20 to 444. Right on 444N from Bloomfield to Victor. Right turn onto 96E. Left on Church which becomes Victor-Egypt Road. Right onto Gillis Rd. to the end. Left on Cline Road. 319 Cline is on the right side of the road. It is an old, white farmhouse with sloping drive. Parking is along the road.

Leaders: Brice and Nancy Bowerman

(Secretary's note: Laura will be unable to attend on May 1. If anyone would like to share photos from this event, please notify Laura at CanandaiguaBotanical@gmail.com )

Garden Path-Ology

2010-04-18T13:10:00.008-04:00

Canandaigua Botanical Society President, Peggy Kane, introduces FLCC Horticulture Instructor, Rochelle Smith.

Rochelle Smith gave a wonderful presentation on GARDEN PATH-OLOGY with several photographic examples from the Niagara Falls area and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Following are Laura's (rough) notes from the presentation:

GARDEN PATH-OLOGY

PURPOSE

Invite people to go somewhere, Allow or Control access to the garden (for people or wheelbarrow access?), Protect frequently traveled routes, Direct the view, Protect the gardens, Control opportunities (Patio or Path?), Offer Options (seating in shade), PLEASURE.

MATERIALS

The Beaten Path (compacted ground), Off the Beaten Path, Mulch, Turf (who will mow it? How wide is your mower?!), Wood (plastic wood), gravel, concrete pavers, natural stone pavers, asphalt, pattern stamped concrete.

DESIGN INFLUENCES

Control the views, Focal Points, Style (formal, informal)

PLANNING TIPS

Path Width, Curves (add interest/intrigue), Straight (long focal points, formal), Steps vs. Stairs, Keeping it level, Keeping it ALL level.

OTHER TIPS

Drainage around stones and pavers, Foundation!!!, Drainage around turf, drainage around mulch and beaten earth (simple path over stream), Dealing with weeds - install properly, (10% clorox)

WHO WILL USE YOUR PATH?!!?

PS: Rochelle Smith is looking for a nice 1 or 2 bedroom rental in Canandaigua beginning June/July. If you know of any rentals please contact CanandaiguaBotanical@gmail.com and Laura will pass the message to Rochelle.

Minutes from our 2010 Annual Potluck Dinner and Meeting

2010-04-18T12:05:00.008-04:00

29 attending: Kathie & Tom Crocker, John & Marion Fladd, Betty Freese, Kelly Gilman, Margo Gilman, John Gradwick, Bob Guthrie, Sharon Horton, John Hyde, Leigh Jones, Peggy & Peter Kane, Leona Lauster, John & Lauralee Maas, Donna Middlebrook, Jean Middlebrook, Laura Ouimette, John & Mary Purdy, Brad Purdy, Joan Purdy, Peter Purdy, Beatrice & Judy Robinson, Rochelle Smith, Elizabeth Socci.

2010-2011 Programs were handed out with collection of this year's $6.00 membership dues.

Please note the following changes:
Field Trip 1. Bluebells at the Bowerman Farm in Victor will take place on SATURDAY, MAY 1st since the Bluebells may be all gone by May 8th or 9th.

Field Trip 5. Indoor Meeting about Bluebirds will start at 11 am instead of 10 am.

John Purdy reported that the Canandaigua Botanical Society had $784.26 before collection dues for this current year.

Laura Ouimette shared the Canandaigua Botanical Society photo album and meeting minutes notebook from the 2009-2010 year. Information and photos are also available here at http://Canandaiguabotanicalsociety.blogspot.com/ .

Peggy Kane shared a thank you note received from the Finger Lakes Foundation for a donation we made this past year.

Peggy Kane mentioned a consideration made by Sylvia Moore that we raise our annual dues (beginning in 2011) to $7. A motion was offered by Bob Guthrie and a second by Lauralee Maas. A vote was taken with all in favor and none opposed. A discussion followed to allow the Botanical Society to negotiate higher honorariums for speakers in the future (especially for those who are traveling from farther distances).

Peggy Kane introduced the Lagoon Park Landscape Restoration Project which we will tour on August 21st. She asked for a $100 donation to sponsor a FLCC intern under the direction of Dave DeMallie and Jim Engel. Laura Lee Maas gave a motion for the donation, Judy Robinson gave a second and the vote to sponsor an intern was passed.

A $25 donation will be made for the use of space at the Saint John's Church.

A $25 donation will be made to Wood Library for a book to be purchased in the memory of Jean Browning, a long time Canandaigua Botanical Society member.

Canandaigua Botanical Society now on FACEBOOK

2010-03-21T16:03:00.002-04:00

In efforts to make the Canandaigua Botanical Society as far reaching as possible as we enter our 136th year..we're now on Facebook! Log onto Facebook and join our group. Feel free to share photos and other interesting Botanical Society tid bits.

Annual Potluck Dinner and GARDEN PATH-OLOGY Program

2010-03-13T10:08:00.004-05:00

We are working to put together the 2010-2011 program that will be available at the annual potluck dinner and presentation on Friday, April 16th beginning at 6pm. The potluck dinner will be held at Saint John's Episcopal Church, 183 North Main Street, Canandaigua. We will meet downstairs in the Parish Hall. Use the rear entrance on Saint John's Court off Howell Street. (Same location as the Gleaner's Kitchen.)

The evening's program will be GARDEN PATH-OLOGY by Rochelle Smith, a Horticulture Instructor at FLCC. Garden Path-Ology is a fun look at the influence a path has on the landscaped environment. The talk explores how the purpose of the path, the materials selected to make it, and the plants around it influence both the design and the impression or "feel" of the landscaped space. Many visual examples of typical and unusual paths and an international variety of garden examples provide the backdrop for this talk.

Bring a dish to pass and your own place setting and a guest or two if you wish. Bring cash or your checkbook to pay your annual dues ($6) and receive the 2010-2011 Botanical Society Program. The Garden Path-Ology program will begin at 7pm. Following the program we will have a business meeting and all are welcome.

Field Trip to GardenScape 2010

2010-03-13T09:33:00.002-05:00

Join the Canandaigua Botanical Society on a tour of GardenScape 2010.

Meet by 10:30 am behind the Ontario County court house on Sunday, March 14th to arrange carpools to the Monroe County Fair and Expo Center, 2695 East Henrietta Road, Henrietta.

Tickets at the door are $12 (free for children 12 and younger)

For more information: www.rochesterflowershow.com

ideas for our 2010-2011 program...

2010-02-21T19:52:00.002-05:00

It's time to get a program together for this coming year. Programs will be available on the evening of our annual potluck dinner and presentation on Friday, April 16, 2010.

If you have any ideas or interests in what types of programs or field trips you would like (or like to present) please let us know. You can send an Email to us at Canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com.

Birds and Bees talk

2010-01-09T15:36:00.003-05:00

I saw this in the January 8, 2010 issue of The Dialy Messenger and thought it might interest some of the Botanical Society members. - Laura

CANANDAIGUA
Talk on birds and the bees

An educational seminar about bluebirds and beekeeping will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, in the Carriage House meeting room at Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, 151 Charlotte St. The morning session, “Bees in Peril,” will feature local beekeepers Richard Reidman and Sam Hall, who will display and discuss the equipment and tools of the trade as well as its interesting history.

The afternoon session, “Bluebirds of Happiness,” will feature John Rogers, co-founder of the NYS Bluebird Society. He will discuss the bluebird’s nesting cycles, migration, habitat and feeding needs, insect food sources, and the problems and predators it faces.

Reservations are $10 per person, $8 for Sonnenberg members, and includes hot soup and a beverage at lunch (bring a sandwich, if desired).

For more information or reservations, call (585) 394-4922.

Rochester Academy of Science welcomes us...

2010-01-07T12:57:00.002-05:00

The Canandaigua Botanical Society is welcome to attend for all or part of the following events:

Saturday, January 9, 10 am – 1 pm - Life Sciences section will hold a workshop at the RAS Herbarium, located in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC). No experience needed! Plan to come and help with this valuable collection – and learn about plants in the process. Lunch is served in the RMSC Cafe until 2 pm. If you plan to attend the workshop, please send an RSVP to Elizabeth Pixley. Then, at RMSC, go to the front desk and ask staff person there to call ext. 368, the phone in the Herbarium. For more information, contact Elizabeth Pixley, herbarium curator (334-0977 or epixley@rochester.rr.com).

Wednesday, January 20, 1 pm – 4 pm – Life Sciences section will hold a workshop at the RAS Herbarium, located in the basement of the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC). No experience needed! Plan to come and help with this valuable collection – and learn about plants in the process. If you plan to attend, please send an RSVP to Elizabeth Pixley. Then, at RMSC, go to the front desk and ask staff person there to call ext. 368, the phone in the Herbarium. For more information, contact Elizabeth Pixley, herbarium curator (334-0977 or epixley@rochester.rr.com).

Canandaigua Botanical Society - a disclaimer

2009-11-22T12:58:00.000-05:00

I was invited to many Canandaigua Botanical Society events by Maya Hobday since I first moved to Canandaigua in 1999. I enjoy the walks, the presentations, the meals, and the socializing with other folks I meet at the Botanical events, yet I was often uncomfortable getting to every event. At first, I found the wealth of information to be overwhelming and intimidating. Eventually I decided to not worry about learning EVERY bit of information that was shared by the presenter or other knowledgeable members. Instead, I just enjoy the gatherings of Botanical Society folk and try to hold onto just one or two bits of information that I find particularly helpful or interesting from each event. I now look forward to getting together with the Canandaigua Botanical Society. I always learn useful information about the botanical world around us and also enjoy getting to know a bit more about other Canandaigua Botanical Society members. There’s never been a “test” of knowledge learned at a Canandaigua Botanical Society event, yet there’s always a wealth of knowledge to gain. Please come join and enjoy us! Please also know that the notes written here on our Blog offer just a glimpse of what is shared and experienced at the actual Canandaigua Botanical Society events.
- Laura Ouimette

PLANTS WITH AN ATTITUDE IMAGES

2009-11-22T11:16:00.006-05:00

I was able to gather a few carnivorous plant images from the internet...

From http://www.botany.org/carnivorous_plants/ the Butterwort, Bladderwort, and Venus Fly Trap

From http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/carnivorous-plants.html: the Sundew and Pitcher Plant

PLANTS WITH AN ATTITUDE

2009-11-22T10:29:00.003-05:00

Canandaigua Botanical Society presentation
November 14, 2009

Dr. Bruce Gilman has been an Ontario County Botanist for the past 33 years. To many of the students at FLCC he is known as “THE PLANT MAN”.

The Plant Man speculated what might be considered plants with attitudes. Although prickly plants (honey locust), plants that harm us (poison ivy), and plants with an ego (ironwood/muscle wood) may indeed be plants with attitudes…Dr. Gilman focused his talk on carnivorous predatory plants.

The Plant Man (aka Dr. Gilman) discussed the classification, evolution, ecology, and feeding of Butterwort, Bladderwort, Sundew, Venus Fly Trap, and Pitcher Plant in our area of the world.

The Butterwort is rare and protected in NY State. It grows on rocky shores and ledges and can be found at Lethchworth State Park. The Butterwort, a perennial, has stalk leaves using a sticky flypaper like trap to collect insects and pollen grains.

Bladderwort is a free floating submersed plant with leaves underwater and a snapdragon like yellow flower in autumn. The submersed leaves have tiny bladders that suction up nutrients (water fleas) which stimulate hairs on the bladder. The closing of the trap doors can be heard as a crackling noise.

The Venus Fly Trap can be found along the coastal Carolinas. This plant uses a snap trap where two leaf jaws snap close creating a cage for the insect that stimulate two or more hairs on the outer edges of the leaves. The insect is then slowly digested by enzymes and absorbed by the leaf. A Venus Fly Trap leaf generally takes on three victims before it turns black and dies.

There are about 152 species of Sundew that can be found in temperate tropical bogs. The Sundew has glandular hairs which glisten like dew in the morning sun. It has stalked glands on the hairs coming off of the leaf. The digestive juices of the Sundew plant increase in production once its prey has been captured.

The Pitcher Plant is perhaps the most aggressive carnivorous plant using the scent of decaying meat and the color of blood red deep purple flowers to attract its prey. This plant has a hollow leaf with waxy surface and a pool of rain water used to drown its prey. The female Pitcher plant has an inverted umbrella where insects breed.

The Plant Man concluded the presentation with a short clip from the 1960’s movie, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS where we giggled at the enormous plant gobbling up its prey of a floral shop robber.

Plants With An Attitude attendance

2009-11-22T10:16:00.004-05:00

The November 14th presentation presented by Dr. Bruce Gilman was attended by:

Renee Conde; Tom & Kathie Crocker; Robert, Caroline, Charlie & Philo Gray; Bob Guthrie; Maya Hobday; Peggy Kane; Dick Kent; Leona Lauster; Maureen Lynch; Lauralee & John Maas; Jim Miller; Laura, Bethan & Thomas Ouimette; John & Mary Purdy; Judy Robinson.

Thanks to John and Mary Purdy for providing refreshments!

Thanks to the Daily Messenger!

2009-11-14T15:05:00.004-05:00

24 people attended the Canandaigua Botanical Society presentation by THE PLANT MAN. Thanks to the Daily Messenger for the following article running in Friday's paper:

Daily Messenger Friday, November 13, 2009

WEEKEND
WATCH:
Carnivorous
plants 101
and more
Messenger Post
You can’t say there’s nothing
to do this weekend. Holiday
bazaar season is in full
swing. There’s Christmas
shopping to start, holiday
decorations to put up, and
yep, leaves left to rake. Not in
the mood for any of those?
How about spending some
time learning about carnivorous
plants at Finger Lakes
Community College. For that
and other events, read on.
Hungry plants
Learn about the intriguing
adaptations of carnivorous
plants in our region at a lecture
by Bruce Gilman, professor
of environmental
conservation and horticulture
at Finger Lakes Community
College and the director of
the Muller Field Station. The
talk will take place at 10 a.m.
Saturday in Room C-220 at
FLCC, which is on Marvin
Sands Drive (off Lakeshore
Drive) in Hopewell. It is free to
attend.

PLANTS WITH AN ATTITUDE

2009-10-22T16:23:00.004-04:00

Indoor meeting at Finger Lakes Community College
10 am on Saturday, November 14, 2009
Room C220 at FLCC (facing the front of the college, C220 is to the far left of the campus, up a short drive).

Join Dr. Bruce Gilman, Professor of Environmental Conservation & Horticulture and Director of Muller Field Station, for one of his ever entertaining and super-informative slide shows. Dr. Gilman will describe the intriguing adaptations of carnivorous plants in our region. Bring your sense of humor and be prepared for a lot of learning!

2009-08-29T21:24:00.002-04:00

This is a photo Laura Ouimette took at Robert H. Treman park earlier this summer. We saw loads of mushrooms and fungi that trip. Like the Lagoon Park in Canandaigua, dogs were restricted in some areas.

LAGOON PARK PLANT LIST

2009-08-29T21:17:00.002-04:00

August 22, 2009
Leader: Bob Guthrie

(Page numbers are from Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb.)

Water Horehound p 90
Spotted Touch-me-not or Jewelweed p 54
Canada Goldenrod p 448
Grass-leaved Goldenrod p 450
Red-Osier Dogwood p 166
Bulb-bearing Water Hemlock p 222
Staghorn Sumac p 320
Canada Thistle p 430
Common Arrowhead p 118
St. Johnswort p 268
Common Hawkweed p 372
White Sweet Clover p 60
Teasel p 160
Queen Anne’s Lace p 220
Dogbane or Indian Hemp p 250
Downy Willow Herb p 156
Hedge Bindweed p 324
Common Reed or Phragmites australis
Common Buckthorn p 168
Spotted Knapweed p 234
Blue Vervain p 282
Great Burdock p 412
Poison Ivy p 330
Highbush Cranberry p. 304
Swamp Smartweed p 192
Swamp Milkweed p 262
Evening Primrose p 134
Chickweed p 274
Birdsfoot Trefoil p 66
Panicled or Gray Dogwood p 166
Bittersweet Nightshade p 328
Brown Knapweed p 210
Common Milkweed p 264
Purple Loosestrife p 351
Curled Dock p 404
Common Mullein p 188
Butter-and-eggs p 48
Field Scabious p 84
Common and English Plantain p 398
Heal-all or Selfheal p 78
Prairie Rose p 318
Calico Aster p 456
Sweet-scented Water Lily p 358 called Fragrant Water-lily in Peterson Guide
Bedstraw
New England Aster p 460
Common Comfry p 188
Elecampane p 376
Boneset p 434
Sweet Pea
Arrow-leaved Aster p 454

THANKS to Leona Lauster for recording this list!

If anyone has photos to share please Email them to Laura Ouimette.

LAGOON WALK - AUGUST 22nd.

2009-08-21T15:14:00.005-04:00

Just a reminder that there will be a Lagoon Walk on Saturday, August 22nd beginning at 10 am.
Meet at the parking lot of the Steamboat Landing on Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua.

Laura Ouimette will not be attending but will welcome species lists and photos to post here. Send Emails to Canandaiguabotanical@Gmail.com.

LAGOON WALK - AUGUST 22, 2009

2009-07-30T08:02:00.002-04:00

Time: 10 am
Leader: Bob Guthrie
Meet at the Steamboat Landing parking lot on Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua.

The warm days of summer and many native plants and trees in the Lagoon Park should be good news for caterpillars and butterflies. We'll check out the territory along the easy walk and well-groomed pathways. With abundance of wetlands, mud puddles, nectar, and weeds, we should have lots to see.

July 11th Photos

2009-07-19T13:16:00.015-04:00

At the Experiment Station

Many species are marked!

Three Ginko trees: male-female-male

Spiderwort

Beebalm

At Dr. Lamboy's Gardens

Sweet pea

Black Alder - new and old seeds

Identifying MANY species

A pear variety

Habitats created by Dr. Lamboy

Minutes from our July 11, 2009 field trip

2009-07-15T21:42:00.015-04:00

Attending the walk at the Geneva Experiment Station and then at Dr. Jana Lamboy's gardens on Saturday, July 11, 2009: Ray Boda, Bob Guthrie, Maya Hobday, John Hyde, Dr. Jana Lamboy, Leona Lauster, Laura Ouimette with Bethan and Thomas, Nan Seyfried, and Elizabeth Socci. Species recorders: Maya and Leona

Stormy weather, but we managed to stay dry.

Dr. Lamboy shared with us: A GUIDE TO THE WOODY ORNAMENTALS OF THE NYS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, GENEVA NY Produced by the Geneva Arboretum Association for Arbor Day April 24, 1992.

Geneva Experiment Station:Pachysandra, Yucca, Mugo Pine, Helleborine, Swamp White Oak, Paper Birch, Ginkgo, White Cedar, Washington Hawthorn, Turkish Filbert (quite large), Sugar Maple, Katsura, European Hornbeam, Cedar Hawthorn Rust, Star Magnolia (& magnolia scale), Native Perennials:Spiderwort, Tickseed, Wild Bergamot, Bee Balm, Joe-Pye Weed (many colors and sizes), Black-eyed Susan, New England Aster, Bleeding Heart, Plantain
Sundrops, Coral Bells, Whirling Butterflies, Creeping Phlox, Butterflyweed, New Jersey Tea, Milkweed (different colors and sizes), Climbing Hydrangea (near wall on driveway), Rose bush (small, very delicate yellow flowers), Liatol blazing star (?)

At Jana Lamboy’s Gardens:Norway Spruce, Phlox, White Aster, Blue Vervain, New Jersey Tea, Dahlias, Blue Lobelia, Mountain Mint, Peppermint, Lisyanthus, Sunflowers, Nigella, Rattlesnake Master, Chestnut, American Elm, Perennial Poppy, Coreopsis, Baby’s Breath, Northern Sea Oats, Rubeccia, Ecinachia, Annual Poppy, Penstamin, Yarrow “the pearl” or Pearl Yarrow, Strawflowers, St. Johnswort, Globe Thistle, Japanese Umbrella Pine (very long needles), White Birch, Pink Yarrow, Black Alder, Carolina Silverbell, Bur Oak (raised from a seed 12-15 yrs ago), Sweetshrub, Mountain Ash, Turkish Filbert, Swamp Milkweed, Obedient Plant, Bald Cypress, Elderberry, Statice, Anemone, Foamflower, Columbine, Lamb’s ear, Bee Balm (different sizes, leaves, and colors), Lilies, Pear tree (where small pears hang down like a bunch of grapes)

UPCOMING EVENT

2009-06-29T14:00:00.003-04:00

Field trip to the Geneva Experiment Station
Saturday, July 11, 2009

Time: 10 am.
OR if carpooling; 9:30 am at the County Court House parking lot.
Meet in the parking lot at the water tower near Jordan Hall off of W. North St. in Geneva. From Canandaigua, take Routes 5 & 20 east, turn left onto Preemption Rd. and turn right onto W. North St. Look for the water tower.

The Experiment Station is closed on the weekends. However, we can tour their native herbaceous flower gardens and have lunch in the gazebo on the Station grounds. Dr. Jana Lamboy, Assistant Professor of Environmental Conservation and Horticulture at FLCC has offered to give us a tour of the gardens which should be in full flower. After lunch, we will go to see Dr. Lamboy's gardens - natural, permaculture gardens. The emphasis is on cut flowers, privacy, natives, shrubs and trees without the use of pesticides or fertilizers.

Photos from our June 27th FLCC Woods walk with Dr. Bruce Gilman

2009-06-29T13:52:00.010-04:00

Under a London Planetree
Bruce with Tulip tree
Weeping Spruce
Austrian Pine (male and female)
White Ash
Mock Orange

Male Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (holds wings back at rest)

Ebony Jewelwing damselfly - female (note the white dot)

***Thanks to Leona for the clarification about the difference between

Dragonflies (hold wings straight out at rest) and Damselflies.***

Poison Ivy

Corkscrew Willow

Blue Cohosh

Black Walnut

Along the boardwalk

White Baneberry (Doll's eyes) in bloom

Enjoying the Herb Garden

Canandaigua Botanical Meeting Minutes from Lincoln Woods walk at FLCC, June 27, 2009

2009-06-29T09:58:00.009-04:00

Led by Dr. Bruce Gilman

Attending: Dr. Bruce Gilman, Bob Guthrie, Mark Hawkins, Maya Hobday, John Hyde, Dick Kent, Leona Lauster, Laura Ouimette & Thomas, Mary and John Purdy, Elizabeth Socci,

Species recorders: Leona Lauster and Maya Hobday
Beautiful morning, pleasantly warm after some rainy days.

In the Arboretum: Started by Bruce Gilman in 1977
Little Leaf Linden; White Mulberry; Norway Maple; Red Maple; London Planetree; Sugar Maple; Pin Oak -deep sinuses, sharp points; Black Oak; Coranga Hedge (carnings tree forming hedges); Gold-tipped Cedar; Native white cedar; Thuja; Juniper; Deadly Nightshade in bloom; Catnip; Tall Hedge; Red Beech, Purple Beech; Native Magnolia or Cucumber Tree; Hackberry tree; Tulip Tree (Bruce’s favorite); Ginkgo-male; Scarlet Pimpernel; Austrian Pine -male & female on one tree; Weeping Norway Spruce-weeping pine; White Pine; Dawn Redwood-cone; Colorado Blue Spruce; Bald Cyprus; Fir tree – white stripes underneath needle; European Larch tree – looses needles;

Then the woods and Fallbrook trail:
Black Walnut; White Ash – seeds hang down like a grape pod; Private Hedge (pivot hedge escape); Buckthorn; Boxelder; European Wayfarer; Redbud; Cottonwood tree; Mock Orange shrub – white blossoms; Thimbleweed or Anemone – in bloom, seed head resembles a thimble; Native Sycamore; Willow; European Viburium; Hog Peanut; Orange-fruited Horse Gentian (genus triosterum); American Elm – lives only about 20 years; Rough Hawkweed – yellow; Field Garlic/Meadow Garlic; Poison Ivy; Smooth Sumac; Honeysuckle; Birdsfoot Trefoil; Crown Vetch; Common Mugwort; Corkscrew Willow –doesn’t grow tall therefore ideal for small yards (John Hyde), also used in floral arrangements; Autumn Olive; Canada Thistle; Butter-and-eggs; Blue-stemmed Goldenrod; Poplar tree; Sugar Maple; Mayapple in fruit; White Baneberry; False Solomon’s Seal; Red Oak; White Oak; Spicebush; Touch-me-not; Enchanter’s Nightshade; Clearweed

Then the boardwalk and trail:
Skunk Cabbage – red ashes; Marsh Marigold; Water Horehound; Red Ash; Yellow Iris; Swamp Dock; Yellow Water Buttercup – small, introduced to swamp by Bruce; Winterberry Holly

After the boardwalk:
Oxeye Daisy; Red Mulberry; Wild Geranium; Helleborine- weed Orchid; Garlic Mustard;
Blue Cohosh; Barberry; Bloodroot; Doll’s Eyes, White Baneberry in bloom

Herb Garden:
Tansy; Spiderwort; Ostrich Fern; Fern-leaf Tansy; Parsley; Foxglove; Yarrow – yellow; Nasturtium; Santalina; Lamb’s Ear; Horehound; Valerian; Sedum, Autumn Joy; Japanese Scholar Tree; Smoke Bush; Columbine aquilegia; Cultivated foam flower & Delphinium;

Paperbark Maple – hoping for a successful transplant this year
Day Lily; Coffee Tree;

UPCOMING EVENT

2009-06-12T07:43:00.007-04:00

THE WOODS AT FINGER LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN SPRINGTIME

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2009 : 10 am

Meet at FLCC parking lot across from the Arboretum entrance.

Let's hope there's sunshine and warm weather for this walk, but if not, there's still plenty to see and experience in the woods across from the FLCC main buildings. We'll see June wildflowers amongst the forest floor and hopefully, catch a migrating bird or two. We'll view forest habitats, follow a boardwalk over a pond, and view grassy areas - all with their own ecosystems. Bring binoculars and camera; also bug spray. Trails are level but could be muddy so wear boots and bring a walking stick.

Dr. Bruce Gilman, Professor of Environmental Conservation and Horticulture and Mullen Field Station Director, will lead the walk.

Lagoon Park Photos

2009-06-11T16:17:00.025-04:00

I've tried to label photos to the right or underneath. A species list for our Lagoon Park walk follows.

Yellow flag/iris

Common Reed

Milkweed and Daisy

Locust in bloom

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Bindweed

Sumac

Daisy Fleabane

Red-Osier Dogwood

Rose

Bittersweet Nightshade in bloom and trefoil (?)

Flax in bloom, bright blue

Looking through "frog spit" (also known as "coo-coo spit")

. Ray finds egg shell and the snail that "walked" with us.
A Beaver lodge and evidence of beaver's work

Lagoon Park Plant List

2009-06-11T14:25:00.004-04:00

Canandaigua Botanical Society
June 6, 2009
Leader: Bob Guthrie
Beautiful morning, pleasantly warm, blue sky.

Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag)
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia (in bloom)
Dogbane Apocynum
Bindweed Convolvulus
Common Reed Phragmites australis
Highbush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum (in bloom also called Irish cranberry - whole white blossoms on the outside, small brown blossoms inside)
Birdsfoot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus
Fox Grape Vitis labrusca
Bittersweet Nightshade Solanum dulcamara
Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina
Thistle Cirsium
Red-osier Dogwood Cornus stolonifera
Daisy Fleabane or Sweet Scabious Erigeron annuus
Common Burdock Arctium minus
Black Medick Medicago lupulina
English Plantain Plantago lanceolata
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Virgina Rose Rosa virginiana (ragusa)
Rough Cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara
Milkweed (2 types)
Blackberries in bloom
Buckthorn
Horsetail
Crabapple
Flax in bloom, bright blue
Curly dock, quite tall
Bedstraw, smooth

We saw Tiger Swallowtail and Wood Satyr butterflies.
Recommended Book:
Butterflies Through Binoculars by Jeffrey Glassberg

**Thanks to Leona Lauster and Maya Hobday for this listing.**

Please note that there may be duplications and errors that can easily be corrected by notifying Laura Ouimette.

Lagoon Park Walk – Focus on Butterfly Habitat

2009-06-07T20:42:00.008-04:00

John and Mary Purdy met us at 10 am in order to share some of the Canandaigua Botanical Society history with Liz Witter of the Messenger Post Newspaper.

Attending the walk led by Bob Guthrie: Ray Boda, Marge and Dick Demallie, John and Marion Fladd, Maya Hobday, Peggy Kane, Leona Lauster, Sylvia Moore, Laura Ouimette with Bethan and Thomas, Dave Spier, Elizabeth Succi, Brenda Voorhees, Julie Warren. Messenger Post Photographer, Adrian Kraus, also joined us for the walk.

Bob Guthrie began the walk with an explanation that we would be looking at butterfly habitat with most everything we see being host plants. He strongly encouraged us to read beyond the photos in guide books because the photo is often not enough for correct identification. Leona Lauster and Maya Hobday kept species notes.

UPCOMING EVENT

2009-05-27T18:58:00.011-04:00

Please join us on Saturday, June 6, 2009 for our

LAGOON PARK WALK - Focus on Butterfly Habitats.

Time: 10 am --- Meet at Steamboat Landing parking lot.

The Lagoon Park is on Lakeshore Drive across from Steamboat Landing Restaurant and circles around to Wegmans' backyard.

We are returning to Lagoon Park this year because we had such an easy and interesting walk there last year and because we want to search specifically for caterpillar and butterfly host plants. (Thanks to Jane Lamboy's recent Botanical Butterfly talk at FLCC.) With many native plants and trees, we think the Lagoon offers an ideal habitat for caterpillars and butterflies - we'll see what we can find.

Our leader for this walk, Bob Guthrie, is a naturalist who has been active for many years in the informal teaching of flora and fauna. He is a member of our Botanical Society and the Eaton Birding Society.

More Rogers' Woods Photos

2009-05-21T13:06:00.008-04:00

Thanks to the Canandaigua Botanical Society President, Peggy Kane, for these photos from May 9, 2009:

Species identified in Rogers' Woods

2009-05-13T15:31:00.013-04:00

On this day 135 years ago the Canandaigua Botanical Society was established. Please enjoy the listing of species seen on our May 9th botanical walk through Rogers' Woods.

Standing among Mertensias/BlueBells in bloom

White Mertensias

Pale blue with pink Mertensia blossoms

Gene welcomes us to Rogers' Woods

Fading white trillium

Pathside variety

False Solomon'seal in bloom

Trout lily: flowers gone

Yellow violets

Violets

Meadow rue in bloom

Cut-leaved toothwort

Wild geranium in bloom

Our species recorder for the day.

Equsitum (horsetail)

Woodpecker evidence

Plenty of poison ivy!

The following species were also seen:

Blood root, flowers gone

Garlic mustard in bloom

Mandrake, finished blooming

Mystery bush with small buds

May 9th Meeting Minutes

2009-05-09T13:56:00.015-04:00

Attending: Ray Boda; Judi & Fritz Cermak; Marge & Dick Demallie (new members); Maya Hobday; Peggy Kane; Sylvia & June Moore; Laura, Jeffery, Bethan & Thomas Ouimette; Mary & John Purdy; Pat Reece (A.T.A.); Gene Rogers; Elizabeth Socci; Isabel Trudeau;

We met at Rogers' Woods at 10am where Judi Cermak had set up a canopy with refreshments for the Canandaigua Botanical Society and All Things Art members who were expected later in the day. Thank you Judi!

Gene Rogers led the group through the woods where we turned left at the fork and enjoyed the multitude of Bluebells along with several other species currently in bloom. The children were especially pleased to taste the "sweet honey" necter of the Bluebell blossoms. Upon return to the canopy for lunch a few members revisited the path and enjoyed the beauty of the right fork that led to even more Bluebells.

BLUEBELLS FOR MOTHER'S DAY at ROGERS' WOODS

2009-05-08T15:30:00.002-04:00

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2009
Time: 10:00 am OR meet at 9:35 am if carpooling from the parking lot behind the Ontario County Courthouse, accessed from Sly Street off Ontario Street, east off Main Street in Canandaigua.

Where: Go west from Canandaigua on Rt. 5 & 20 about 5 miles and turn left (south) on Wheeler Rd (intersection is about half mile before you get to Toomey's Corners). Proceed .9 of a mile to a brown house on the right-hand side of the road in a wooded area. Park on side of road just past this house.

From past experience, we have found that the bluebells (Mertensia virginica) bloom for Mother's Day (and the Purdy's confirm this). Hence, the title for our walk. This wooded area is on a flood plain of Mud Creek. There are two circular paths, one flat and one that requires crossing a small creek so bring a walking stick and wear boots. Bring lunch.

Leader: Gene Rogers

For information, call Mary Purdy 585-394-0952

Canandaigua Botanical Society History

2009-05-08T15:13:00.001-04:00

The Canandaigua Botanical Society is the second oldest* botanical club in continuous existence in the United States, established on May 13, 1874! The early group was composed of avid botanists who sought out and studied all types of plants growing in the local area. An extensive collection of pressed specimens was prepared by the club most of which are currently housed in the Finger Lakes Herbarium at the local community college.

Today the society is made up of individuals who, while having a wide range of knowledge from novice to expert, share a love of nature. Interests range from wildflower enthusiasts to edible wild plant connoisseurs, from fern fanciers to mushroom afficionados.

Many of our members are active in related nature and conservation oriented organizations. Members enjoy leisurely paced hikes which allow time to see what is underfoot, overhead and all around us when we really look.

Check back to this blogsite and please join us for a Canandaigua Botanical Society field trip!

*Torrey Botanical Society was established in 1867

2009 Annual Potluck Dinner

2009-05-08T14:45:00.003-04:00

The Annual Potluck Dinner was held on Friday, April 24, 2009.

Dr. Jana Lamboy gave a presentation about RAIN GARDENS.

Meet some of the members who attended:

John and Mary Purdy (treasurers)

Peggy Kane (president), Dr. Jana Lamboy, & Lauralee Maas

Dr. Lamboy gave a wonderful presentation about RAIN GARDENS.

Barbara Wiseman, Maya Hobday & June Moore

Dottie Maffin, Ray Boda, Doris Lochte & daughter

Betty Freese, Marion and John Fladd

Jean Browning, Sylvia Moore & Myrtle Eames

standing: Lauralee Maas, Elizabeth Socci, John Maas & Son

sitting: Robert Guthrie & Leona Lauster

Peter Kane and Laura Ouimette

Mary Purdy and Judi Cermak

Celebrating 135 years!

2009-05-06T22:46:00.000-04:00

On Friday, April 24, 2009 the Canandaigua Botanical society celebrated 135 years. Thanks to Maya Hobday and Sylvia Moore for our birthday cake!