Courtyard Gardens

Ms. Crisan’s 7th grade skill’s classes, along with Mr. Olmsted’s classes have been busy constructing and filling the 4 raised flower beds for the 7 Red Team. Pam Ford, from ______, will be helping us get an early start on our plantings. We’ve been asking for milk jugs since September so we are ready to construct winter planting jugs. These plant seeds require a period of time in the cold so the last week of January- first week of February we will be making our winter greenhouse jugs. We will be using 4 different plant types.

Plant Name Picture Ecology Uses Important nectar source for Milkweed filaments from the coma native bees, wasps, and (the "floss") are hollow and coated other nectar-seeking insects. with wax, and have good insulation qualities and were Larval food source for monarch butterflies and as a substitute for kapok. their relatives, as well as a variety of other herbivorous insects. Is grown commercially as Milkweed a hypoallergenic filling for pillows.

Milkweed fibers are used to clean up oil spills.

Milkweed is beneficial to nearby plants, repelling some pests, especially wireworms.

Also known as Bee Balm. Considered a medicinal plant by Wild Special Value to Bumble many Native Americans used most Bergamot Bees commonly to treat colds. Use Wildlife: Birds, The plant's strong antiseptic action, Hummingbirds, Butterflies and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. Use Food: Leaves boiled for tea, used for seasoning, A tea made from the plant was also chewed raw or dried; flowers used to treat mouth and throat edible. infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis. Attracts: Birds , Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Nectar Source: yes Plant Name Picture Ecology Uses Black Butterflies, bees and a The plant also is a traditional Native American medicinal herb in several variety of insects are [9] Eyed attracted to the flowers tribal nations; believed in those for the nectar. As they cultures to be a remedy, among Susan other things, for colds, flu, infection, drink the nectar, they swelling and (topically, by poultice) move pollen from one for snake bite (although not all parts plant to another, causing of the plant are edible) it to grow fruits and seeds The roots but not the seedheads that can move about of Rudbeckia hirta can be used to easily with the wind. boost immunity and fight colds, flu Butterflies, bees, flies, and infections. and other It is also an astringent when used in a warm infusion as a wash for sores and swellings. It is used it as a poultice for snake bites and to make an infusion for treating colds and worms in children. The plant is also diuretic. Juice from the roots has been used as drops for earaches.

It is tolerant of deer and It is traditionally used as a healing Anise drought, and also attracts herb. hyssop hummingbirds and butterflies Anise hyssop was used making it an attractive medicinally by Native Americans selection for gardeners. for cough, fevers, wounds, diarrhea. The soft, anise-scented Herb lovers claim it as a leaves[5] are used as a seasoning, culinary herb, using the as a tea, in potpourri, and can be fresh or dried leaves in tea crumbled in salad. The purple and crumbling the tangy flower spike is favored by bees flowers over fruit salad — who make a light fragrant honey but the wildflower books list from the nectar. it as a native wildflower of north-central North America.