Location: Big Cypress Recreation Center
Time: 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Google directions to Big Cypress
3110 Hendry Dr, Wildwood, FL 34785
December 13, 2024 Meeting
December 13, 2024 FNPS Program
12:45-1:15—Make A Botanical Holiday Ornament
Decorate a 3” grapevine wreath the old timey way!
Please bring small natural items to glue onto your ornament.
(Examples: holly, grasses, dried flowers and berries, nuts, feathers, shells)
Wreath provided at no charge.
1:00-1:30—Socialize and Native Plant Tasting
1:30-1:45—Being a Part of the Executive Committee
Sue Egloff, President and Vicky McLean, VP of Programs
1:45-2:45—Speaker: Jim Davis
Jim is a favorite speaker at FNPS!
"How Native Plants Are Used In Food, Medicine and Shelter," by Jim Davis,
UF/IFAS Multi-County Extension Director for Sumter and Hernando Counties.
Jim Davis
Jim E. Davis is the UF/IFAS Multi-County Extension Director for Sumter and Hernando Counties. His program areas include Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Urban Pest Management. Jim has been in Extension for 17 years serving in previous positions such as Florida Yards and Neighborhoods agent, Residential Horticulture agent, and Master Gardener Coordinator. Jim earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Horticulture specializing in Public Garden Management and Master of Science in Entomology, specializing in Urban Pest Management from The University of Florida. He is a native Floridian and wildlife photographer.
"Florida Ethnobotany - How Natives Plants Were and Are Used." - Insights to specific plants by Jim Davis, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Urban Pest Management Multi-County Extension Director, Sumter and Hernando Counties - Extension Agent III
November 8, 2024 Meeting
Conservation Work at Oakland Nature Preserve
by Jackie Rolly, Lead Master Naturalist Instructor from the University of Florida
Our November program veers away from residential landscape and moves to a greater view of our state’s native habitats. Preservation and conservation are major goals of the Florida Native Plant Society. We are honored to have Jackie Rolly speak to us about the history of Oakland Nature Preserve. She will show us how they restored the property to its original habitat (after extensive years of citrus and slash pine agriculture). What they’ve accomplished at this site is amazing in our land of nearly unbridled development.
Oakland Nature Preserve is located on the south side of Lake Apopka, near Winter Garden. Our chapter’s field trip to this site is on Friday, November 15. Sign up through Pam Powell at one of our meetings. Pam may also be contacted by phone at (352) 750-2420 or via email at pamelynne1943@gmail.com.
Jackie Rolly
Jacqueline (Jackie) Rolly is a resident of Seminole County and a member of the Tarflower Chapter of Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) since 1997. She retired from government service in 2006. A fourth-generation Floridian, she now has time to pursue her passion of conserving and restoring native plants of the Florida she once knew.
Ms. Rolly has served in various positions at the State and local chapter levels of the Florida Native Plant Society.
She has been salvaging plants from construction sites for over 15 years and has learned many techniques and tips for transplanting, propagating, and maintaining Florida’s unique native vegetation. Her work over the past 15 years in restoration at the Oakland Nature Preserve continues to provide knowledge about the native plant communities and the wildlife that depends on those communities.
Jackie also holds certification as a Lead Master Naturalist Instructor from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and has presented the Basic Courses of Upland and Wetland programs for 10 years.
Jackie highlights points to be seen on a field trip later in the month.
Sumter County Proclamation
October is Native Plant Month
October 11, 2024 Meeting Cancelled
Due to Building Closures after Hurricane Milton
Socialize. Purchase plant drawing tickets. Check out new brochures. Get to know fellow gardeners.
Announcements
What Our Executive Committee Members Do: Jo Hudak, Secretary
Our Water System In The Villages
Learn How Our Precious Resource is Managed for Drinking, Irrigation, Storms, and Conservation
If you’ve traveled to a country with “Don’t drink the water!” warnings, you are glad you can expect clean water in the U.S. If you’ve traveled where salt water intrudes into fresh, and the briny liquid pours out of the kitchen faucet, you begin to truly appreciate good drinking water.
Most Americans have the luxury of rarely worrying about the quality of our highly monitored water system. The Villages water management system is one of the best in Florida.
Do you know how many Florida homes can receive water permits? Do you wonder what happens to our stormwater and irrigation runoff? We marvel at the management of our ponds during drought and hurricanes. Are you worried about how our freshwater aquifers are holding up? These are some of the topics Bryan will cover.
Bryan Schoel, Vice President at Vikus Water, is coming to teach us about Water Management and Conservation here in The Villages. Vikus Water has served as The Villages Community's primary water resource engineer since 2007. Vikus Water services include conceptual design through operations and maintenance oversight. Bryan will speak to us about how our water management system works and he’ll also answer our questions. It ought to be a great session!!
Ryan Schoel
Ryan Schoel graduated in 1995 with a B.S. in Marine Science from Texas A & M. In 2003, he became a Project Manager for The Villages Lake Sumter, Inc. Next, he worked for sixteen years for Arnett Environmental, a planning and development company, in Water Resource Compliance and Management. He joined Vikus Water as a Vice President in 2022.
Since 2003, he has overseen water resource management, water use permitting & compliance, and utility systems operations. He specializes in responsible management of The Villages Community water use, and balances the needs of the community, with the availability of this precious resource.
His array of skills includes policy compliance, sustainable resource planning, procurement, and risk management. His specialties include permitting and implementing alternative water resources, and design & construction of non-potable utility systems.
Plant Raffel
September 13 Meeting
1:00 - Socialize. Purchase plant drawing tickets. Check out new brochures. Get to know fellow gardeners.
1:30 - Announcements
1:45 - WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DO: Jo Hudak
2:00 - SPEAKER: Jamie Daugherty "Native Florida Trees in Our Urban Setting"
2:45 - PLANT DRAWING
“Using Trees In Your Villages Landscape and Their Wow! On Your Walk”
Do you (or do you want to) incorporate shade into your Villages landscape? Do you ever wish you could call out the names of trees you see along a trail or a lake? That’s just what we’ll hear about in September! We’ll look at tree size, habits, and sun requirements. We’ll learn more about tree benefits and how to handle key pests. Bring questions to ask our speaker, and soak up all the knowledge you can from this certified arborist!
Come make new friends and enjoy catching up with old ones during our social time and plant drawing!
Jamie Daugherty
Jamie’s presentation stems from plenty of experience with Florida native trees, as well as Florida-friendly ones. However, after she completed her Biology degree in Florida, she headed to fabulous New Zealand to study Ecology and earn her Master in Forestry Science. Next, she worked for The Million Tree planting project—in New York City! Hard work and knowledge finally yielded her the Arborist Certification. Florida drew her back, and with her degrees, certifications, and experience she took on the challenge of being a utility arborist—looking after trees around utility lines and underground pipes. Education, though, is very dear to her heart, and The Sumter Extension Office was lucky to snag her from Lake County! Jamie’s responsibilities at the Lake County Office included managing the beautiful Discovery Garden in Tavares—if you haven’t been there? Go. It’s amazing! Until then, come meet her on Sept.13!
May 10, 2024
Location: Big Cypress Recreation Center
Time: 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Google directions to Big Cypress
3110 Hendry Dr, Wildwood, FL 34785
“The June Garden Tour and Native Plant Sale”
“Jo’s Award-Winning Native Plant Landscape and How To Apply For the Award”
Jo Hudak
One of our favorite speakers and gardeners is Jo Hudak. She and Steve Turnipseed,
founder of FNPS The Villages are organizing our June 1 Garden Tour and Native Plant Sale.
Learn all about it and how you can come on the tour!
Jo’s yard earned a 2023 Gardens of Honor Award from the Florida Native Plant Society,
and she’ll give you pointers on application, how the award works, and how to start keeping
records and photography of your yard. She will share photos of her landscape design as it
was installed and developed. In addition to being a favorite presenter and our chapter’s secretary,
Jo helps lead a mystery book club, loves fine dining and wines, has been a scuba diver and
world traveler, and is an organizational whiz!
“Gardening Game—How Many Native Plants Can You Identify?”
Bob Keyes (Game by Vicky McLean)
In any garden, one hears the echo of “What’s that?” This team sport will test your skills
at identification. Come have fun with other gardeners! Bob, our chapter’s representative to the
state FNPS organization (and avid butterfly gardener) will lead the game. Good luck!
April 12, 2024
Stephen Kintner “Rescuing and Reawakening Lyonia Preserve With Native Plants”
Learn from Stephen Kintner as he describes native plants and how they helped reawaken Lyonia Preserve http://www.lecfriends.com/learn-about-lyonia/visit-lyonia/ in Deltona.
This conservation project began in 1870 and fell into disrepair. Today volunteers http://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/2023/09/06/lyonia-preserve-in-deltona-undergoing-2-weeks-of-restorative-work/70767257007/ continue to create partnerships, organize, and work hard to achieve a beautiful, natural, balanced habitat for native plants and the amazing bird, the Florida Scrub-Jay.
Stephen Kintner
Stephen is the Vice President and Conservation Chair of the West Volusia Audubon Society. He has focused years of work on water conservation, water supply, conservation of natural areas, and protection of the Florida Scrub-Jay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_scrub_jay In 2023 Mr. Kintner received the National Audubon Charles H. Callison Award for remarkable contributions to conservation through coalition building, creative thinking, and perseverance. It’s one of the greatest honors in the conservation community.
March 8, 2024
Location: Eisenhower Regional Center
Time: 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Google Eisenhower Regional Center
3560 Buena Vista Blvd, The Villages, FL 32163
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM--Socialize, Purchase plant drawing tickets, Check out new brochures, and Get to know fellow gardeners.
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM--A short business meeting, Presentation, Plant Drawing
Sue Howorth: “Our Beautiful Native Salvia”
Gardener and snowbird Sue Howorth is excited to teach us about growing native Florida salvia, commonly known as “tropical sage”. This beautiful and prolific plant adds gorgeous color to a garden! We’re delighted to learn from Sue before she heads back North to get her hands into her northern soil!
Sue Egloff: "Why Plant Natives"
Sue Egloff, accomplished environmentalist and our chapter president, will kick off with misconceptions about turf and how to create a landscape that’s sustainable for birds and pollinators. With her impetus, we’ll break into groups for ideas about getting our gardens ready for summer. Advanced native plant gardeners will be available for questions. It’s time! Ready, set, weed, prune, plant, and grow!!!
Sue graduated from Pace University with a BBA.
Her work experience led her to become a Contract Negotiator for large hi-tech companies to the Federal Government.
She grew up North of NYC, moved to the DC Metro area in the late 80s, and came to The Villages in 2016.
Recognizing Florida was a completely different habitat than NY and Virginia, she joined the Florida Native Plant Society. She wanted to experience the stress releaser of gardening. She also began to positively focus on her environmental concerns about the conservation of potable water.
She joined FNPS, serves as our chapter president, and continues to learn and teach about Florida native gardening.
Small Group Discussion
Make new friends and enjoy catching up with old ones during our social time and plant drawing!
Sue graduated from Pace University with a BBA.
Her work experience led her to become a Contract Negotiator for large hi-tech companies to the Federal Government.
She grew up North of NYC, moved to DC Metro area in late 80s and came to The Villages in 2016.
Recognizing Florida was a completely different habitat than NY and Viriginia, she joined the Florida Native Plant Society. She wanted to experience the stress releaser of gardening. She also began to positively focus on her environmental concerns about conservation of potable water.
She joined FNPS and serves as our chapter president and continues to learn and teach about Florida native gardening.
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February 9, 2024
Location: Big Cypress Regional Center
Time: 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Date: Friday, February 9, 2024
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM--Socialize, Purchase plant drawing tickets, Check out new brochures, and Get to know fellow gardeners.
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM--A short business meeting, Presentation, Plant Drawing
Steve Turnipseed and Dr. Chris Marble
“Weeds In Groundcover—Testing Herbicides To Control Invasive Grass”
Frogfruit is a favorite groundcover and turf substitute in Central Florida. Grass blades growing up through it are a gardener’s bane. Pulling out upshoots of grass is time-consuming and not always successful. So our FNPS chapter decided to find out what could discourage or eradicate pesky grass and yet allow the frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) to flourish. We were able to use grant funds to UF to research herbicides to solve exactly this problem. The ever-popular Steve Turnipseed, award-winning master gardener, and Dr. Chris Marble, UF weed control specialist, teamed up on this research project and will share not only the procedure and results, but will offer their expertise in a Q/A session.
Come make new friends and enjoy catching up with old ones during our social time and plant drawing!
Steve Turnipseed
Steve’s popular presentations stem from plenty of experience with Florida native plants. The landscape at his Villages home has been recognized with multiple awards from the Florida Native Plant Society and was featured in an episode of television’s “Flip Your Florida Yard” and featured in Dwell Magazine. Steve, as founder, provides passionate, strategic leadership for The Villages Chapter of FNPS and has served as the chapter president. As an advocate for native plant landscaping, Steve has helped gardeners with design, plant selection, navigating approval, and maintaining yards.
A Chemical Engineer by degree, Steve is retired from a 32-year international career with Chevron. He’s a Certified Master Gardener and is a Florida Water Star Accredited Professional.
Dr. Chris Marble
Excellent Weed Identification Series on YouTube.
Dr. Chris Marble is an associate professor of ornamental and landscape weed management in the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida, Mid-Florida Research & Education Center. Dr. Marble is a passionate horticulturalist and educator, studying the growth and management of weeds and invasive plant species in landscapes and ornamental plant production. Marble’s research program aims to develop new methods of weed control using an integrated approach combining both chemical and non-chemical treatments.
As an instructor for Pest Management University, Marble focuses on teaching pest control professionals about the importance of identifying weed species before applying treatment. Marble works with extension faculty and staff, growers, landscapers, homeowners, and other stakeholders to deliver the latest information on weed pests and provide the most effective, economical, and environmentally friendly methods of weed control in and around ornamental plants.
Friday, January 12, 2024
Location: Big Cypress Regional Center
Time: 1:00 - 3:30 pm
1:00 - 1:30 - Socialize, Purchase plant drawing tickets, Check out new brochures, and get to know fellow gardeners.
1:30 - 3:00 - A short business meeting, Presentations, and Plant Raffle
Come make new friends and enjoy catching up with old ones during our social time and plant
Central Florida is the only place in the world where Warea grows! (See picture below.) It’s right in our “backyard” in Lake Griffin State Park. It’s an endangered species. Mark Knapke, the Park Manager, and our FNPS The Villages chapter team are working to save this beautiful plant from extinction.
Our Paynes Prairie field trip is scheduled for January. Tracie Johnson will share with us why this area is so special.
Paynes Prairie is arguably one of the most beautiful places on this planet. And it’s one of the most important for our water system—the Floridan Aquifer system and the Alachua sink. Tracie Johnson, Park Specialist, will explain how this 21,000-acre park is rife with native plants and animals. Bison, alligators, wild horses, deer, birds, and fish are only a few that draw nature lovers to the park. The nature center and observation tower give a great overview, and the boardwalk around the sink is spectacular! Hiking trails, both short and long, give walkers a chance to get up close with plants and, with luck, a bit closer to bison or wild horses. It’s a great place to visit, to take your grandkids, to just get away and take a breath, and to marvel at natural Florida.
Please be respectful of COVID-19.
