Trees, Shrubs, Native Plants Class and Plant Guilds - May 4 and 19 in Ridgefield Continuing Ed

Advance registration is required. Registration contact information and the website link to all classes is at the bottom of this article.

Make Room for Natives: Sharing the Environment with Wildlife
There has been a lot of hype about “Natives” in the past year or so.  Jackie Algon’s class will explore what native plants are and why they are important. For beginning or fairly-new gardeners, we will start with the basics: getting your soil ready, removing invasive plants from your property, assessing what is already growing in your yard and what you can consider adding or deleting from it, the “New Best Practices” for gardening that will help make your garden more sustainable, resilient and functional not only for the aesthetics that please humans, but also for the support of wildlife and ecology. Instructor, Jackie Algon is an Advanced CT Master Gardener and Gardening Lecturer, a Board member of the Pollinator Pathway. She has taught many classes in the CT master Gardener program and an adult class at Norwalk Community College on topics related to natives, invasive species, and the Pollinator Pathway.

1 Session $ 31 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 27)
Mon, 5/4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at East Ridge Middle School.

Plant Guilds:  Native Trees, Shrubs, Perennials and Ground Covers That Grow Well Together
Certain plants grow well together. Often called companion plants, today they are known as Plant Guilds.  These plants require similar variables of light, soil, moisture/humidity, topography, nutrients, water and many other environmental factors to survive and to thrive.  In this class, we will examine a few of the plant guilds that are common in our ecological system (Eco59) in CT and we will get familiar with some specific trees, shrubs and a few perennials and ground covers that should grow well here.  If you are preparing to plant or expand your landscape, this class will help you determine which plants to consider in creating a successful garden and in supporting wildlife. Instructor, Jackie Algon is an Advanced CT Master Gardener and Gardening Lecturer, a Board member of the Pollinator Pathway. She has taught many classes in the CT master Gardener program and an adult class at Norwalk Community College on topics related to natives, invasive species, and the Pollinator Pathway.

1 Session $ 31 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 27)
Tue., 5/19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Veterans Park School.

Mushroom Walk with Mycologist, Zaac Chaves
Grab a notebook and join Zaac Chaves on a mycologically focused ecological tour at a state park Ridgefield (a different state park than we have used in the past). During this outing we will identify seasonal mushrooms. You will help us catalog species (including possibly rare sightings) and even help document increasing evidence of climate change locally. No experience required. Zaac Chaves works on species surveys for several sites and sometimes with organizations including Harvard University, the New York Botanical Gardens, and the National Parks Service. We have found several new species at many sites and are also helping recognize others which are rare and disappearing. He also serves as the chief editor of the Boston Mycological Club Bulletin, established in 1897.

1 Session $ 29 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 25)
Sun., 5/31 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at a public park in Ridgefield. Directions to class location will be emailed on Fri., 5/29.


Advance registration required. Visit https://ridgefieldschools.org for registration and more information. eMail ridgefieldce@gmail.com or phone Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.