On Saturday, June 15, the Bucks County Branch of the Woman’s National Farm & Garden Association (WNF&GA), in partnership with Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve (the Preserve), will feature five Doylestown area residential gardens on a unique and educational “Designed for Nature” Garden Tour.
The event receives support from its Friends – the Bucks County Audubon Society, Bucks Beautiful, Bird Town Pennsylvania, the Doylestown and Lahaska Bookshops, and Penn State’s Master Gardener and Master Watershed Steward programs.
All the gardens are in transition to native plants, and several demonstrate creative ways of water conservation for the home gardener. The gardens vary in size, from small borough plots to larger properties, and from casual habitats to more manicured presentations. Knowledgeable persons will be present at each of the gardens to talk about the gardens and answer questions.
Not only do native plants thrive in their own habitats, but they also support native birds, mammals, and beneficial insects, resulting in gardens that sustain biodiversity. The connection between the health of local ecosystems and human well-being is well-documented in University of Delaware Professor Doug Tallamy’s book “Bringing Nature Home.”
“As gardeners and stewards of our land, we have never been so empowered – and the ecological stakes have never been so high.”
Proceeds support scholarships for Delaware Valley University students whose studies focus on the environment, plants and/or animals, the preserve’s Internship Program, and other nonprofit organizations’ programs for youth about nature and sustainability.
The tour, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine, costs $15 in advance, $20 on the event day. Tickets are available www.facebook.com/bucksfg/events, at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, and at the Doylestown and Lahaska Bookshops. A selection of native plants and raffles for a hand-painted rain barrel and garden-themed gift basket will be available for sale at one of the gardens.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
