Use The Screen To Get Into The Green . . . Week Seven
I am a cycle, but I have no wheels, handlebars, or a seat. What am I?
A Life Cycle, of course! There is no better time to explore the life cycle of plants than in the springtime, when plants are sprouting and flowers are blooming. What sets all this in motion? Flowers are beautiful to behold, but what role do they play in the life cycle of a plant? Week Seven of “A Little Screen Time to Find More Green Time” will encourage you to start thinking about planting gardens to support our important pollinators (even if you have limited space!), and gardens that can provide you with colorful and nutritious fruits and vegetables without leaving home.
Vanessa Stern, Executive Director and Jay DeGregorio, Senior Educator
Special this week: Story reading with local children’s book author, Erin Rounds
Tune in for this special featured story reading by Erin Rounds, local children’s book author, of her new book, Ito.
“To Ito, everything looks big. Join Ito and his hermana, Mana, as they explore nature, bringing Spanish and English words together in this bilingual adventure. Watch the abejas and the flores, and meet the mariposas and the ardillas. A fun and engaging bilingual English/Spanish book, ITO opens conversations with children about what they see in the world and teaches children Spanish words that can enhance their vocabulary and give them the tools to describe their world.”
You can purchase Erin’s new book, Ito, and her other wonderful books, Charlotte’s Bones and Where’s Winter? here: https://www.amazon.com/Erin-Rounds/e/B079KVXZ7W%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Share and Be Entered in the
Spring Outside Raffle!
Inspired by our prompts this week? Let’s keep the exchanges flowing - send us what you see!
Ways to share your inspiration with us: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and share your photos on the weekly posts for each of the themed activities, being sure to use the hashtags for each activity. You can also simply send us an email at info@nature-museum.org.
Every time you share, you’ll be entered into our Spring Outside raffle for a $150 gift card to help get out outfitted for the season ahead. We’ll hold the raffle in early summer (we hope) and look forward to a jar full of entries to pull from!
Use the image to help you write a haiku about the life cycle of a tree, plant, or flower you have observed in your own backyard. A haiku (/ˈhīˌko͞o/) is a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world.
We hope our haikus inspire you!
Seed
A seed lies dormant.
Ready to sprout in the spring.
A stem starts to grow.
Dandelion
Dandelion grow.
Your fluffy white seeds will fly
Sowing new flowers.
It all comes together in a perfect circle
Which tree has bark like this? See our Facebook page on Tuesday for more photos, clues, and the answer!
Hints: This tree has bark that is dark gray, smooth-ish, and with many horizontal lines called lenticels when young. Older trees’ bark is often more plate-like and lacks obvious lenticels.
Creative Gardening for Small Spaces
Before you get “Get Crafty”, read the following guidelines for selecting plants and planting a pollinator garden.
https://www.northeastpollinator.com/pages/planting-for-pollinators
Even if you have limited space, you can plant a colorful garden sure to attract pollinators.
Plant a pollinator garden in a trash can!
https://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/gardening-projects/diy-pollinator-can-zm0z19mazpop
Want a more simple way to support the pollinators in your backyard? Easily plant dandelions by harvesting seeds from ones already in your yard or from nearby:
https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Dandelions
Do you dream of growing your own potatoes, but don’t have the space for a garden? Click on the link to learn how to grow 40 pounds of potatoes in a barrel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul56h88blSM
Herbs can elevate any meal. Click on the link to read Herb Garden Design for Small Spaces and grow a variety of your favorite ones.
In Search of Pollinators
Although there are many different kinds of pollinators, the vast majority of pollinators in Vermont are bees—including honey bees, bumble bees, and many other native bees. Did you know that birds, beetles, butterflies, and mosquitoes can also play a role in the life cycle of plants?
See how many pollinators you can find on your next outdoor excursion. Take a photo, or sketch and write about your findings in your nature journal. Can you find a pollinator busy at work?
Share your discoveries, observations, and pictures with us online. If you share on your social media pages, don’t forget to use the hashtag #TNMFridayFinds.
A Tiger Swallowtail on an echinacea flower
Plants Growing in Surprising Places
Capture the resiliency of nature’s bounty in a photo of a plant growing in an unexpected place. Share your finds with us on Facebook and Instagram, or through email, to be entered into our Spring Outside raffle!
Want to support the life cycle of plants in your neighborhood?
Drawing by Lisel Jane Ashlock for The Nature Conservancy
Read “Planting for Pollinators” and get inspired to create a pollinator garden even in limited space.
Use this Vermont Bird and Pollinator-Friendly Perennial Species List from the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife to plan your pollinator garden.