- Sally Johnson – on the native plant garden planted at the playground on the East Bay Bike Path funded by the RIWPS, the first East Bay / Bike Way / Art Day and future vision to create the “East Bay Line” a suburban native plant corridor modeled on the High Line.
- Karen Asher – on the work of the Plant Conservation Volunteers sponsored by the Native Plant Trust. Karen encouraged members to become involved with the program.
- David Vissoe – on the efforts to collect, clean and propagate native plants using volunteers at the Kettle Pond garden. This project is sponsored by the Rhode Island Master Garden program and is at the US Fish and Wildlife headquarters in Charlestown. RIWPS has recently become a partner in this project
- Kate Lacouture – on Garden Time an organization she founded that works with the incarcerated population to plan and plant gardens at correctional facilities in the state. A RIWPS grant helped fund one of their gardens.
- Jennifer Soukup – on her thesis research to identify what is causing phragmites die back in some areas. Some of her work was sponsored by a grant from the RI Wild Plant society.
Most important, during the afternoon, RIWPS members and friends were able to talk with one another about why and how they Go Wild about native plants. Thanks to all who brought food to share!
Seed Starters East used this opportunity to sell over 100 packets of seeds. The offerings were increased this year to six varieties: Verbena hastata, Penstemon digitalis, Lobelia cardinalis, Lobelia siphilitica, Asclepias tuberosa, and Asclepias incarnata. These varieties were selected because they are relatively easy to grow and have good germination. Instructions were given to sow the seeds now in containers to be placed outside where they will germinate in the spring. Written instructions were included in each seed packet. Many members and guests left with something new to try and new varieties of native plants to add to their gardens.
