Columbus Garden Club

06/02/2026

A mouse eats poison. A hawk, owl, fox, or coyote eats the mouse. The poison can then move up the food chain, causing illness, internal bleeding, or death in the predator.

When we use rodenticides, we’re often putting much more than rodents at risk. Protecting wildlife starts with understanding how connected nature really is.

06/02/2026

June Yard of the Month recognizes the efforts of Rev. Ervin Mayberry at 1703 Rampart. This home is a gem to see. It is evident that a lot of love and care go into keeping this yard vibrant and delightful. This yard is proof you can show off your green thumb without planting in the ground. The variety of hanging baskets and planters draw you in to visually explore the front yard. The shapes and hues of knock-out roses, petunias, begonias, periwinkles, marigolds, hibiscus, vinca, and Angelonia Serenita Mix flowers capture the eye immediately and showcase the colors of spring.

06/02/2026

June's Community Beautification award goes to the Colorado County Courthouse. The County crew maintain our beautiful park-like grounds in a manner that gives proper homage to our stunning courthouse. From the magnolia trees lining the streets to the majestic oaks, we should all pause each trip through the Square to take it all in. It is truly a special place to gather and celebrate as we do for many events and Country Markets. The Garden Club acknowledges that we maintain the flower pots and gardens scatter around the Square, but this award is not to call attention to that but rather acknowledge the faithful hard work the county puts into keeping our historic courthouse and grounds beautiful.

05/26/2026

A club member just got a set of these 3.5" × 3.5" coil-bound pocket-sized Aquatic Vegetation Identification Cards and they are worth 3 times the price! Recently updated, this quick reference tool for 59 aquatic plant species commonly found in TX is ideal for aquatic plant identification in ponds, lakes, wetlands, and other freshwater systems. The high-quality photos paired with line drawings assist with fast and confident visual comparison in the field for floating, submerged, and emergent vegetation. Perfect for landowners, pond managers, educators, natural resource professionals, Master Naturalists, and anyone interested in aquatic vegetation.
Price: $13 from TX A&M AgriLife:: tx.ag/IDCards

05/25/2026

Five plants people pull out of the yard are the only nursery for the caterpillars that become the butterflies you want to see.
Adult butterflies drink from many flowers. Their caterpillars often feed on one plant only.

🦋 Pipevine — heart-shaped climbing vine. The only food pipevine swallowtail caterpillars can eat. The toxins carry into the adult butterfly, making it poisonous to birds for life.

Spicebush — woodland shrub, leaves smell like citrus when crushed. Spicebush swallowtail caterpillars live here disguised as tiny green snakes with fake eyespots.
Pawpaw — small understory tree with tropical-looking leaves. The only host for zebra swallowtail caterpillars in the eastern states.

Hackberry — rough bark, asymmetrical leaves. Hosts caterpillars for four butterfly species at once — hackberry emperor, tawny emperor, question mark, and mourning cloak.

Wild cherry — fast-growing, peeling bark, white spring blossoms. Hosts eastern tiger swallowtail, cecropia moth, promethea moth, and hundreds of other species. One of the most productive caterpillar trees in North America.

The butterfly is the announcement. The caterpillar is the years of work 🌿
Shared from the Guardians of Nature

05/22/2026

Thank a veteran or active service member...not only on Memorial Day and other patriotic holidays, but every day you meet one.

05/20/2026

Love this! Colorado (the state) has a turf buy-back program where homeowners can apply to receive funding to help pay for voluntarily replacing water-hungry, disease-prone turf grasses like Bermuda and St. Augustine to native grasses and plants. Who in Colorado County would take advantage of such a program if it were offered?

The Colorado Water Conservation Board has launched funding to support new and existing community programs aimed at helping eligible entities replace nonessential turf in order to reduce outdoor watering, per legislation passed in 2022.

05/09/2026

05/06/2026

Our biennial field trip will be out in the Rosenberg area. We will go to Caldwell’s Jungle Nursery. The next stop will be lunch. After lunch, heading to Enchanted Forest. Not a member? Join us! It is a great way to get to know us. We meet in front of the Walmart in Columbus at 8:30 am. See the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1306297084716791/ for more details including letting us know how if you are coming so we can add you to lunch reservations and be sure to wait for you before leaving. (Pics from the last field trip.)

05/04/2026

Congratulations to winner of the Communication Beautification award for May! Columbus Community Hospital at 10 Shult greets visitors with a massive shady live oak surrounded by Asiatic jasmine. Beyond the entry walkway covered with an architectural curved concrete cover, the terraced garden area features pink Nearly Wild roses set against a backdrop or red tip photinias. A gold dust plant and leopard plants near the entrance complete the serene welcome to a place of healing .