Date: May 25th, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: 272 Cunningham Ave
Kristina Rudnitski has drawn on a science background (a BSc in environment and an MSc in soil and water chemistry) and 30 years of gardening experience to create a mostly native species garden on her 20 m by 33 m lot in Alta Vista. Mature oaks, maples, basswoods, elms, ironwoods, and birches with an understory of native shrubs provide dappled shade, although parts of the yard get full sun. Grassy or wood chip paths wind between garden beds containing over 100 species of native plants, most at least 5 years old, or even older, like the carpet of trout lilies and violets.
“Growing food is important to me,” says Kristina, “so I’ve got disease-resistant fruit and nut trees, perennial herbs, small berry bushes, as well as medicinal plants.”
Kristina was vice-president of the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library, so she has grown many plants from seeds.
This is a chance to see a wide variety of native species and find out what attracts pollinators this early in the growing season. Dr. Jessica Forest, a professor and bee researcher at the University of Ottawa, will be on hand to identify pollinators and tell us a bit about their life cycles and needs.
Free, but registration required. Link to follow.