Bird watching at Venable
March 2014
Spring is around the corner!
Venable's Trees
We are lucky to have some really lovely trees around the grounds of Venable, both large and small. In the next few months we are going to highlight some trees to give you a perspective their, and our history.
For example can we find the trees planted in 1995 by Emily Carnan. Emily contributed an historic tree for each grade level, dedicated to a character in history. Are they still here?
For example can we find the trees planted in 1995 by Emily Carnan. Emily contributed an historic tree for each grade level, dedicated to a character in history. Are they still here?
- K Booker T Washington - White Oak
- 1 Lindburgh - Red Maple
- 2 Walden Wooods - Red Maple
- 3. Edgar Allen Poe - Hackberry
- 4. Walden Woods - Red Maple
Southern Red Oak - Quercus falcata
Baldcypress -Taxodium distichum
Our own Baldcypress was a gift to the school from Jim and Bess Murray about 10 to 15 years ago. They also gave us the White Buckeye next to the Southern Red Oak in front of the school. The trees were planted by Jim Murray and came from their tree nursery.
It is a native tree that likes to be in full sun, and wet roots. The area where it is planted holds water underground, and planted before the sidewalk and ramp were built. Care was taken to protect the tree and its roots while the ramp was constructed. It has grown fast but was hurt during an ice storm some years ago. The top of the main trunk was broken off. We all worried it would not survive but we are happy it has grown and is happy. The pale green needle-like leaves turn a coppery red in the fall before dropping. To some it looks like it is dying, because a deciduous conifer is unusual. Look at the seeds! Some say they look like small human brains! They are round or oval and are brown or green. Some birds and squirrels like to eat the seeds/fruits. Baldcypress trees have "knees" - root projections near the base of the tree. The base of the tree is very thick. Sometimes large Baldcypresses can have huge knees that stick way out of the water, when they grow in water or at water's edge. Our tree is just developing its knees. |
Milkweed for Monarch Butterflies
September 2013 by Nancy Newman
When you walk around Venable School and visit the gardens, you will see milkweed growing. You will also see lots of different flowers that bloom in spring and summer and a few bird baths. Venable is an official Monarch Waystation because there is milkweed for Monarch butterflies to lay eggs on, flowers for them to get nectar (food), and places to rest.
This year 2013 has not been a good year for Monarchs in our country. There are not many flying through Charlottesville because of many reasons. Part of it is the weather where they were last spring, loss of habitat and less milkweed, and other reasons. Luckily, a few females found our Venable's gardens and we found three caterpillars on milkweed last month. Maybe next year will be a better year for the butterflies. We hope so.
All three first grade classrooms are raising one Monarch caterpillar. When it emerges from its chrysalis, the children will give it time to dry and then they will all go outside and release their butterfly. That butterfly will migrate all the way to Mexico where it will spend the winter with thousands of others. Wow! What a journey!
17 Year Cicadas
Has anyone found these in their yard yet? These photos are not from the school but they emerged on Mother's day where I live. To think they have been in the ground for 17 years, I'm very proud to have my own community of these facinating creatures - Look around your yard for these different clues - if you haven't heard them already!
May in the Gardens
Bursting into Spring!
April 2013
Seeing Red!
Some lovely 'red' birds that have visited the feeders at the Annex this year. Thank you Suzan Roberts for snapping these for us (and feeding them).
Venable's Hawk
Nature Watch!
Wow! That is a sight. A bird of prey in the City! and he's chosen Venable to hang out. A great compliment and verification of our 'wildlife sanctuary'. To see a hawk in the City is such a rare treat make sure you take the opportunity to spy him - he's there every day!
Other sightings: Suzan at the Annex has reported the return of the Little Kinglet that will spend the winter at Venable. Other birds eating in the gardens are Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Wrens, Goldfinches, Nuthatches, Titmice, Sparrows, and OUR bluebirds. Black swallowtail caterpillars were eating the Rue outside Mrs Hartwell's room quite late in the fall.
Nancy Newman and Fran Boninti, our resident, honored volunteers, wildlife experts and garden tenderers, have been very busy over the fall: They've planted more plants and gave some tiny bluebell bulbs to Mrs. Hunter's class and the Science Explorers to plant in the primary beds. All of the fancy lilies have been divided and planted in many areas of the wildlife habitat. Though they probably won't bloom for two years, they should be beautiful as they were in the Annex Garden.
Please be sure to take an opportunity to have your class take a wildlife walk with Nancy or Fran. They are a wealth of information and make the whole grounds come alive. Maybe we can organize a "Walk on the Wildside" at the Spring Fair?
Nancy Newman and Fran Boninti, our resident, honored volunteers, wildlife experts and garden tenderers, have been very busy over the fall: They've planted more plants and gave some tiny bluebell bulbs to Mrs. Hunter's class and the Science Explorers to plant in the primary beds. All of the fancy lilies have been divided and planted in many areas of the wildlife habitat. Though they probably won't bloom for two years, they should be beautiful as they were in the Annex Garden.
Please be sure to take an opportunity to have your class take a wildlife walk with Nancy or Fran. They are a wealth of information and make the whole grounds come alive. Maybe we can organize a "Walk on the Wildside" at the Spring Fair?
Venable's Nature Gardens
Long before the vegetable gardens were established in the spring of 2012, there were nature gardens grown around the perimeter of the school.
In the beds that mainly hug the foundations of the south, primary wing, are plants dedicated to attracting wildlife. There are flowers to attract butterflies and bees. Bird baths, tables and nesting boxes to attract the birds. Squirrels are also welcome!
Not only do they attract wildlife, but the plants are primarily native species too. That means they are species that have been growing in Virginia for hundreds of years and part of our local ecosystem.
The garden behind the Annex is was established solely with historic plants grown by Thomas Jefferson himself. Now the garden has developed and
'grown' a few others have been introduced - all with the intention of attracting wildlife and remaining native! This garden is a haven for birds lovingly fed and watered by Ms. Roberts of the CLASS program.
These gardens were lovingly established and nurtured for many years by Nancy Newman, Fran Boninti (a Master Gardener) and helped by Donna Morris. A real treat is if you can arrange a tour with Ms. Newman herself and she will walk you round the wonders of nature and talk about the birds and the bees.
In the meantime here is an description of the gardens in Ms. Newman's own words. And photos of the flowers we have popping up in our gardens throughout the year and tell you of the wildlife they attract.
In the beds that mainly hug the foundations of the south, primary wing, are plants dedicated to attracting wildlife. There are flowers to attract butterflies and bees. Bird baths, tables and nesting boxes to attract the birds. Squirrels are also welcome!
Not only do they attract wildlife, but the plants are primarily native species too. That means they are species that have been growing in Virginia for hundreds of years and part of our local ecosystem.
The garden behind the Annex is was established solely with historic plants grown by Thomas Jefferson himself. Now the garden has developed and
'grown' a few others have been introduced - all with the intention of attracting wildlife and remaining native! This garden is a haven for birds lovingly fed and watered by Ms. Roberts of the CLASS program.
These gardens were lovingly established and nurtured for many years by Nancy Newman, Fran Boninti (a Master Gardener) and helped by Donna Morris. A real treat is if you can arrange a tour with Ms. Newman herself and she will walk you round the wonders of nature and talk about the birds and the bees.
In the meantime here is an description of the gardens in Ms. Newman's own words. And photos of the flowers we have popping up in our gardens throughout the year and tell you of the wildlife they attract.
Summer 2012
Venable Nature Gardens by Nancy Newman
Monarch butterfly
For almost 20 years, the nature gardens have been planted, replanted, evolving and improving with time and effort. Sometimes students in primary classes have planned areas and planted bulbs, seeds, and plants bought, donated, and raised in classrooms and in afterschool clubs.
The opportunities for students to learn and appreciate the gardens and schoolyard wildlife and trees are endless. Plants in the gardens have been selected to provide shelter, food, places for nests and other homes, and water (in birdbaths and puddles).
Pollinators are observed and appreciated for the job they do for us. Birds nest in the birdhouses, in the hollies, in the ivy at the Annex garden, in the huge sycamore tree and chimney swifts in the very top of Venable. Bluetailed skinks, praying mantises, salamanders, squirrels and rabbits are known to live in the schoolyard habitat. A pair of hawks visits regularly and grabs a snack now and then at the birdfeeders near the new vegetable gardens and the feeders at the Annex.
For years in September, some primary classrooms have raised Monarch caterpillars inside and released the butterflies to migrate to Mexico. The Venable gardens are officially designated by Monarch Watch as a Monarch Waystation. That is because the gardens provide plenty of milkweed for the eggs and plenty of nectar plants for food for adults. Also, when you see flat rocks or stepping stones in the gardens, these provide a warm spot for butterflies to bask or warm up.
The plantings provide beauty all year round and some are selected purposely to bloom during the school year for students to study and enjoy. Most are native plants which grow best in our gardens. Some are herbs like rosemary and mint. Some are thorny like the Devils Walking Stick. Some are host plants like spicebush, milkweed, and parsley. Some are invasive vines and grasses which we do NOT want in the gardens.
And we must not forget the beautiful trees in Venable's schoolyard. Some are large old trees that have been growing as long as Venable has been a school. New trees have been planted over time by PTO and the city. A number of the trees have green and white labels naming the trees. The labels were put up by a group of 4th grade students for families and study.
The newest gardens at Venable are the great vegetable gardens and the rain garden that is next to the playground and helps with water runoff from the parking lot. The City Horticulture team planted the rain garden when the parking lot was redesigned. Students and families planted our new vegetable gardens in spring 2012.
The nature gardens are also designated are an official Wildlife Habitat by National Wildlife Federation. In order to receive that designation, there must be nectar and food plants, host plants, shelter, water, and plant diversity. It takes quite a cooperative effort to maintain this honor. Many parents, volunteers from UVA and Day of Caring, Venable students and staff, the CLASS program, clubs leaders and members, the Rivanna Garden Club which has donated funds various years, community individuals and businesses donating plants and advice, friends of Venable like Fran and Andrew Boninti who donate hours of their time, native plants and on-going advice and training for all of us novice gardeners.