Friends of the Walt

03/24/2025

We started off the gardening season on Sunday morning. On a chilly but sunny day, seven of us braved the nip in the air to walk the park and do trash pickup. Thanks to Brian, Darlene, Paola, Ryan, and Ryan's parents from out of town! The ground looked frozen and it was around 30 degrees so we didn't start out in the garden beds. We did find some interesting items including a strange garden tool and a metal lantern. After a cookie break, Emma started in on the cleavers in the north bed, and then Chris came to help. We made some good progress! Chris found a caterpillar under the leaf litter--a good reminder that leaving the leaves and not raking until warmer weather saves butterflies and moths, who overwinter as caterpillars or chrysalids.
Collective volunteer hours: 8.5
We'll resume next weekend.

03/12/2025

We are in the process of planning for the upcoming season at the Walt— stay tuned for more information on how you can get involved. In the meantime, the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District has launched their “Native Plants Are Awesome” bracket challenge. The winner will receive a native plant kit with $160! Fill out your bracket below

THE NPAA IS BACK, BABY!

Starting Monday, March 31, the NPAA competition pits native plants against each other!

We know ALL native plants are awesome, but we want to see which one YOU vote for during the month of April, which by the way, is National Native Plant Month!

Competition and voting are on Facebook only! Battles will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting at Noon! You'll have 24 hours to vote for your favorite native plant in that round.

We need YOU to join the fight!

If you're up to it, fill out the form and get ready to rumble!
Native plant competition submissions due by Friday, March 21st!

https://forms.gle/FkkpBubtTYdVY1pL7

Good luck, all!

06/17/2023

A huge thank you to the volunteer crew of young leaders from HOBY Ohio North! They removed ~20 bags of invasive Canada thistle, stickie w***y, and crownvetch from the gardens at the Walt today. Thank you for helping us protect the native plantings that make our park beautiful and attractive for birds, butterflies and bees.

05/20/2023

This Sunday will be hosting a Sustainable Gardening Event from 11am to 2pm along with the University Heights Green Team at The Walt. Come visit booths for the Friends of the Walt, Rust Belt Riders, Meadow City Native Plant Nursery, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, Heights Tree People, and the UH Green Team. There will also be a Backyard Composting 101 Workshop from 1pm-2pm presented by the Cuyahoga Recycles. More info available at https://universityheightsgreenteam.org/

09/25/2022

After last fall’s planting weekend, Thistle Hill is blooming.

06/20/2022

06/20/2022

A group of youth volunteers taking part in Ohio North LSC, a leadership seminar hosted by John Carroll, chose the gardens for their June 18th service project. Working with Eran’s guidance, they cleared an estimated 630 lbs of invasive weeds. A huge improvement- their hard work much appreciated!

06/19/2022

Birds are enjoying the fruits of the serviceberry trees that surround the rain gardens. Some are plucked clean while others appear untouched - why, we don’t know.

06/16/2022

UH neighbors, Saturday’s forecast looks great for gardening. Bring your gloves and favorite weeding implement and meet us at the pollinator gardens off Fenwick Road. We arrive around 9 and will be checking what’s in bloom and of course, clearing some weedy invasives. New helpers are welcome!

06/11/2022

High on the weekly task list: pulling and bagging Cleavers, aka Velcro Plant or Sticky W***y, seen here subduing a milkweed. Sticky W***y spreads via little hooks which grip onto clothing, fur, and any nearby vegetation. It’s a prolific annual invasive, but shallow rooted, so it is easily yanked, ideally before setting seed in spring. We do what we can..

06/07/2022

FoW volunteers are working to keep The Walt's pollinator gardens clear of thistle and other invasives. In among the purple field of sage next to Fenwick Road, Hairy Beardtongue is beginning to bloom.
Drop by and join us any Saturday morning between 9 and 11 - we're always happy for extra hands!

12/06/2021

Tune-in Wednesday evening for a virtual presentation from awardees of FutureHeights Mini-Grant program including the Friends of the Walt! Learn more about the Spring and Fall plantings and weekly volunteering efforts over the course of 2021. Hope to see you there!