Ixia Chapter Upcoming Events
Chapter Meeting
October 5, 6 pm to 8 pm - Garden Club of Jacksonville, 1005 Riverside Avenue, 32204 and on Zoom - "Planting A Native Habitat For Birds" by Jody Willis
The October 5 meeting will feature Ixia Chapter Outreach Director and past president of the Duval Audubon Society making a presentation about planting a native habitat for birds.
We are experiencing an unprecedented decrease in our North American bird population and an insect apocalypse, especially our pollinators. Jody will talk about why we need to create native habitats for birds in our gardens and 13 steps you can take to create one in your yard.
We will also have a Plant Raffle for those attending in person. Bring a Florida native plant and you will get a ticket for a drawing to select a plant of your choice.
Register in advance for Zoom at the following link or click on the Zoom Registration button:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsde6gqzwuHdLrHfXg3RMq6xga6nmKl-2g
Zoom Registration Garden Club of Jacksonville Google Map Location
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Volunteer Opportunity
October 8, 8:30 am to 11:30 am - Native Park Volunteer Workday, 3306 Park Street, Jax 32205
This is the Ixia Chapter monthly workday in our adopted Native Parks to remove weeds and perform other maintenance. Come anytime and work for an hour or two. Bring gloves, your favorite gardening tools, water and any other refreshments & snacks you like. Dress for outdoor summer temperatures. You will learn about native plants and meet people with shared interests in gardening and native plants. No RSVP is required to participate.
Native Park Google Map Location
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Field Trip
(not an Ixia event)
October 15, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm - Ralph E Simmons Memorial State Forest, Two miles east of U.S. Highway 1 on Lake Hampton Road at the power line right-of-way, Hilliard, FL 32046
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED, $10 FEE FOR NON-MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA WILDFLOWER FOUNDATION (Registration ends October 13)
More Information & Tickets Location Map
The Ixia Chapter will not be hosting a field trip in October but you may want to join the Florida Wildflower Foundation for a guided hike to Ralph E. Simmons State Forest on October 15.
Foundation staff member Emily Bell will lead a hike down a hilly powerline row that alternates between sandhill and wetland habitats. The low-lying areas are full of Hooded and Parrot pitcherplants (Sarracenia minor, S. psittacina), Pine lilies (Lilium catesbaei), and two different Honeycombheads (Balduina uniflora, B. atropurpurea)! The trail then curves along the St. Marys River before turning back and winding through the floodplain forest that gives way to a Turkey oak-Longleaf pine savanna. Expect lots of blooming Vanillaleaf (Carphephorus odoratissimus) and Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus) covered in butterflies, and beautiful waves of Lopsided Indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum).
Previously known as the St. Marys State Forest, this area was renamed the Ralph E Simmons Memorial State Forest in recognition of a former member of the St. Johns River Water Management District who was integral in its acquisition. The property was purchased by the Water Management District through the Preservation 2000 and Save Our Rivers programs and is managed by the Florida Forest Service.
Pipevine Swallowtail on Carphephorus corymbosus_Emily Bell
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) on Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus). Photo by Emily Bell.
This hike is about 4 miles long and will take 3-4 hours to complete. The first half of this hike is hilly, but the terrain flattens out in the last half.
To prepare for the day:
Bring water, snacks and whatever else you need to stay comfortable and hydrated in an outdoor setting. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and stay after the hike.
Sunscreen and bug spray may be necessary. If using aerosol products, please be mindful of others and apply before you arrive.
Wear weather- and environment-appropriate clothing. Typical forest hazards such as roots and soft sandy areas are present, so closed-toe shoes are recommended. A portion of hike will be exposed (no tree cover), so a hat may also be preferable.
Registration is free for Florida Wildflower Foundation members and $10 for nonmembers.
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Volunteer Opportunity
October 23, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Black Creek Eco Fest, Camp Chowenwaw, 1517 Ball Road, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Volunteers are needed for the Ixia Chapter outreach table to provide information about the chapter and native plants to people who attend the event. Send an email to ixiachapter@gmail.com along with the time period you can volunteer for this event.
Join St. Johns Riverkeeper’s Education Team in Clay County for Black Creek Eco Fest! We’ll be celebrating the ecology and history of Black Creek and the St. Johns River. The day will include a birding walk with Duval Audubon, exploration of macroinvertebrates with Camp Chowenwaw, a guided hike, vendors and food trucks!
The Ixia Chapter will lead a guided plant walk at 11:30 am.
Volunteer Camp Chowenwaw Google Map Location
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Chapter Meeting
November 2, 6 pm to 8 pm - Chapter Meeting at the Garden Club of Jacksonville, 1005 Riverside Avenue, 32204 and on Zoom
Details will be posted soon.
Garden Club of Jacksonville Google Map Location
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Volunteer Opportunity
November 5, 8:30 am to 11:30 am - Native Park Volunteer Workday, 3306 Park Street, Jax 32205
This is the Ixia Chapter monthly workday in our adopted Native Parks to remove weeds and perform other maintenance. Come anytime and work for an hour or two. Bring gloves, your favorite gardening tools, water and any other refreshments & snacks you like. Dress for outdoor summer temperatures. You will learn about native plants and meet people with shared interests in gardening and native plants. No RSVP is required to participate.
Native Park Google Map Location
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Looking for great native plant content? Check out all of FNPS's past Lunch and Learn series at this link.
The map below shows the location of Native Park
