Seeley Lake garden hosts native plants

By Jean Pocha, Pathfinder Correspondent

SEELEY LAKE -- Native plants had their first summer in the Clearwater Resource Council's (CRC) Native Plant and Pollinator garden.

Bearing up under the hot summer, with exceptional care from volunteers with daily watering taught organizers many things.

"Thanks to Ginger Williams and other volunteers we were able water the plants nearly every day, which I think also kept the plants super happy and healthy," said Miske.

"The success of the plants seemed to depend on their positioning to receive maximum sunlight," said Caryn Miske, Executive Director of CRC. "Shorter plants that were planted near taller ones didn't grow as well.

Goals of introducing native plants to the community and boosting pollinator habitat were met in the first season.

"This year we were thrilled to see native pollinators visiting the garden," said Miske.

Next year will be a challenge because Williams will not be as available to water the garden. CRC may consider automated watering if funding is available, although having shared water source with the RV dump makes a dedicated system difficult, said Miske.

Months of research and planning during winter 2021-22 resulted in building and planting the garden near Lindy's. Wrapping the planters in plastic for the winter to insulate the soil and boost plant survival is a possibility, said Miske.

The plants that grew best were; maximilian sunflower, little bluestem, hairy evening primrose, gideoats grama, blue wildrye, clarkia, purple coneflower, wild blue fern, prairie junegrass, yellow prairie coneflower and strawberries.

Plants that were less prolific; harebell, alberta penstamon, stonecrop, sticky geranium, cutleaf daisy, prairie smoke, purple coneflower and scarlet gilia.

If anyone wants to volunteer to help with watering in 2023, please contact CRC  Lindy Bernstrauch  lindy@crcmt.org