Upright weeding tool lending service courtesy the Greater Madison Healthy Lawn Team

Frank is participating in the Greater Madison Healthy Lawn Team's upright weeding tool lending program. This program is intended to promote chemical-free weed control by loaning out quivers of several types of weeding tools that can be operated easily from a standing position. If you are in the Madison metro area would like to borrow these tools for a few weeks let Frank know and we can check the tools out to you for a few weeks. For more information about the GMHLT, see: www.healthylawnteam.org

Come See Us at Green Day

We're going to hosting a booth at the Green Day Expo at the Monona Terrace this Saturday April 25th. This is a great time to stop by and meet us in person to discuss native landscaping and ecological restoration... or just say "Hi".

Furthermore, Frank will be giving a presentation at a break-out session at 3pm titled: "Native Plants for a Sustainable Landscape". He will discuss the environmental benefits of landscaping with native plants and offer advice as to how you can go about adding natives to your home or business landscape.

We hope you can make it!

Good Oak Wildflower Walk Schedule for Spring 2009

We've finalized the Good Oak Wildflower Walk schedule for April, May and June. For any of these hikes, be sure to wear appropriate clothing such as long pants and sturdy boots. Also bring with you any water or snacks you might need. Contact Frank for meeting location and more information.

And with that said, here is the schedule:

Tuesday, 4/21, 6-8pm Early spring ephemerals hike at the UW Arboretum
Sunday, 4/26, 1-6pm Early prairie wildflowers at Walking Iron Prairie
Tuesday 5/5, 6-8pm Woodland spring ephemerals at the UW Arboretum
Sunday, 5/10, 1-6pm Rare spring wildflowers of Abraham's Woods
Tuesday, 5/19, 6-8pm Woodland spring ephemerals at Cherokee Marsh
Sunday, 5/31, 1-6pm Wildflowers of Blue Mounds and Pleasant Valley
Tuesday, 6/9, 6-8pm Wildflowers of Koltes and Ripp Prairies
Saturday, 6/20, 1-6pm Wood Lily extravaganza at Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie
Tuesday, 6/23, 6-8pm Grady Tract and Green Prairie of the UW Arboretum

Contact Frank Hassler at frank  goodoakllc.com or 209-0607 for meeting location and more information.

Report from the first wildflower walk of 2009

We had a wonderful early-spring walk in the UW Arboretum on Thursday. Though there is little other apparent plant activity this early in the spring, we found mosses, ferns and wood avens all green and actively taking in energy from the sun along the side of the trail. And as we hiked along we listened to the soundtrack provided by dozens of species of singing birds, ranging from red-bellied woodpeckers to sandhill cranes to the common cardinal.

When we finally made it to Skunk Cabbage Bridge, the skunk cabbage was in full bloom and their unique fragrance filled the air along the gentle stream where you can find them. For those not familiar with the plant, here is a photo I took last year of some flowers that melted their way through the heavy snow cover:





Our next wildflower walk will be in mid-April. We'll post our full schedule for spring and early summer here soon, so stay tuned.

First Good Oak Wildflower Walk, Thursday March 26th

Spring is finally on its way, and so we announce our first wildflower walk of the season. On Thursday March 26th at 6pm, join us at the UW Arboretum and explore some of the first signs of spring. Chief among these will be a visit to a patch of skunk cabbage. This unique plant is the first to bloom each spring with flowers that can even melt away snow above it as it sprouts.

We'll meet at the Wingra Springs parking lot. From the Mill street entrance take Arboretum Drive past the residential area and up the hill through Gallistel Woods. The parking lot is at the top of the hill.

Hope to see you there!