Pequaywan Lakes Garden
History of Pequaywan Township Native Garden Established June 2009
By Marialice Arndt
With the willing hand of volunteers and the financial help from the Pequaywan Lake Association and the Township of Pequaywan, a native wildflower garden was started in this June (2009).
Phyllis Mead started the process by requesting financial help from the Lake Association and the Township and also in getting permission from land owners Ed and Pattie Soderberg. After receiving the approval of expenditures of $150 from each organization, Phyllis and Marialice Arndt developed a design, plant list and made inquiries to varies plant nurseries.
With previous knowledge about Dragonfly Gardens and with their pricing being very good, it was decided to work with that nursery located in Amery, Wisconsin*. Plants were ordered on May 1. Their contact persons, Louie and Jean, were helpful in narrowing down our plant selection to varieties of flowers and types of grasses.
Along with our purchases of anise hyssop, butterfly weed, purple prairie clover, thick spike blazing star, large flowered beard tongue, blue bottle gentian, culvers root, prairie phlox, swamp milkweed, cup flower, little bluestem, side oats grama, indian grass, drop seed grass, donations from Mead and Arndt gardens included big blue stem, yellow sunflower, yarrow, monarda, narrow leaf purple coneflower, obedient plant, turtle head and prairie smoke.
A tear-shaped garden of approximately 250 square feet was sprayed with Round Up by Dick Arndt May 20. Dick, Marialice, and Scott Mead also mowed, pruned, and did a general cleaning of the entire lot around the Township sign that day. On May 28 a second application of Round Up was applied. The temperature was around 65 degrees. On May 31 it was 44 degrees with rain and several days later, we had frost warnings.
On June 4 with temperatures in the mid- 70's Dick, Scott, and Marialice tilled the tear-shaped plot. Rocks, roots and tufts of dead grass were removed and the site leveled. Phyllis traveled to Amery that morning to pick up the plants. Planting crew consists of Phyllis, Scott, Dick, Marialice, Lorene Sorlien, and Judy Strom.
Plant stakes were placed by each variety for identification. Approximately 50 gallons of lake water were used to water the plants. On June 6 (overcast and 55 degrees) an additional 100 gallons of lake water were used to water the plants. We also received a light shower that evening. June 8 was a rainy day in low 50's. The cool temperatures and rain were ideal for the establishing of this new garden.
*Dragonfly Gardens
491 Hwy 46
Amery, Wisconsin 54001
(715-268-7660 Phone)
(715-268-9622 Fax)
