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Mrs. Andrea Keller

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mrs.andreakeller

Andrea Native Plants & Design🌼| Native Nerd | Community Garden Coordinator

Big things coming to the nursery 💛 I’ve been gnawi

Big things coming to the nursery 💛 I’ve been gnawing on an idea the past couple of weeks and since deciding to go for it other things have been clicking into place. The vision for the fence is crystal clear now and everything is coming together piece by piece. Hopefully the weather cooperates and we can make some progress out here. But for now, more seed collecting, cleanup, and client work to do while it’s nice out ☀️

My attempt at being a wild flower for Halloween ✨🌼

My attempt at being a wild flower for Halloween ✨🌼

Made more progress on a new client project yesterd

Made more progress on a new client project yesterday and found this wasp nest 🫶🏻 this used to be lawn and soon enough will be filled with pollinators and song birds. I swear they know too, multiple times yesterday I had dragon flies landing on my rake while I was working.

More transformations are coming too. So many more 🥹more reflections, so much more learning, more things to be thankful for, more journaling, projects, ideas, hopes, and I’m sure so many more tears. And I’m going to need help building all the things. If that’s something you’re passionate about or interested in, let’s grab a drink 🤗

Autumn is bittersweet. I say goodbye to my blooms

Autumn is bittersweet. I say goodbye to my blooms and welcome the seeds 🍂 October means collection and cleaning with lots of reflecting. (Seeds and milk jugs🥹🤗) I love collecting almost more than I do planting which helps 💛

This year will be our biggest harvest yet, but it will be small compared to what’s coming. This year we grew several thousands of plants and planted thousands on our property that in the coming years will provide. Each year we get a little bit better at collection and cleaning methods and thankfully enjoy the process of doing so. This year was a ginormous learning year and we’re feverishly working on what can be improved so that we can be more efficient and avoid burnout. But our little fluttering friends remind us why this is so important to us. We’re moving many operations to our pole barn, so more posts on that as we transform that space to better support this mission. We’re gearing up to start collecting milk jugs again and welcome any donations of them. My neighbors quite literally just drive by and throw trash bags of them full of them in my yard-you can too 😂💁🏼‍♀️And yes, I do still have plants growing in them🙃

Thanks to everyone that has supported, encouraged, purchased, and collected to help us in this work 🫶🏻

Closing out September with some website updates an

Closing out September with some website updates and taking the time to think on fall plans. There’s still so much to do but it’s nice to reflect on what was accomplished this year and start dreaming for next 💛🌼🐝

We added two more compost bins to the garden today

We added two more compost bins to the garden today! This area is getting some love as we think through up-potting processes for next year. I’m excited to get into the other ones because from what I could see it was gardener gold 😍 also, one of the bins grew the largest cherry tomato plant I’ve ever seen 🍅😂 Lots of work still to be done this fall for a hopefully 🤞🏻 much easier and efficient growing season next year. Big things are coming 🤗

One of the many things I’ve been wanting to share

Native plants are a core sustainability practice a

Native plants are a core sustainability practice and one of many puzzle pieces of making our community better. Anyone is welcome to attend Warsaw Green Drinks, a monthly informal gathering at a local establishment to learn about different sustainability practices.

This month we’ll be at Ledgeview Brewing Co on 9/24 at 5:30. As an added bonus, swing out early or after to see the progress on the native prairie at the Zimmer property Nextdoor on Lake Street! 🩵💚Hope to see you there!

Today my favorite homeschool co-op came. We talked

Today my favorite homeschool co-op came. We talked host plants, hunted for caterpillars, foraged raspberries, and talked about collecting different seeds and how to winter sow in milk jugs.

Right before they arrived I also discovered some fritillary caterpillars on the blue violets in the new bed out front. So that was exciting! If you have them in your yard you should move them to a spot where they can be protected from the mower. 🫶🏻

The last couple of weeks of summer did not disappo

The last couple of weeks of summer did not disappoint but I am ready for the slowness of fall.🍁 September and the season changing always has me in a chokehold of reflection and this one is no exception.

Yesterday I landed myself in the ER -I’m fine and home thankfully- but definitely had me reflecting on how I do not have the time to be sick and will have to make the time to do better in general, but mostly at rest, balancing, and self abandonment. Depending on feels and bed rest there will probably be several posts coming but for now here’s some random clips from this amazing end of summer.

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I’m really starting to love the look of the fall grasses, the nursery is taking shape, the community garden was excellent for its first year, things are going to seed, one of my first habitat installs is flourishing with butterflies and caterpillars with plans to expand next year, we hosted another successful workshop to help people create habitat, I’ve got several properties that I’m quoting, we removed some invasives, cleaned up the back plant area, and really so much more🥹🌼🫶🏻

Tonight we finished the nursery-for now at least.

Tonight we finished the nursery-for now at least. No fence yet, but at some point hopefully. Still have more ideas for this area but that’s for another day. However, the new raised beds are built and filled, the rest of the stone down and spread out, and a new bed around the oak tree. 🌼

One of our many larger projects this year💛🥹 After

One of our many larger projects this year💛🥹

After falling in love with our first native flower bed we decided to add another. For the life of me I can’t remember what book the kids and I were reading but it had a gorgeous cottage garden in the front yard with paths, climbing roses on the house, butterflies, etc. As we studied the illustrations, Beckett asked why our house didn’t look like that. So began the idea to convert more lawn…4,000 sq ft to be exact🤪

This was our first time using a chemical application and there was a lot of anxiety around doing it properly. Outside of the occasional weed in the driveway I’ve never used chemicals. We took what we learned, applied it, and learned through it.

As much as I love a plan, sometimes can’t do it. I did not know what this space would look like in any way. This go around had its own set of challenges. Before, I had mowed my paths to visualize what I wanted. If I didn’t like it the grass grew back and I started over. I was a little overwhelmed with my big blank canvas but excited. I can only imagine how I looked from the neighbors viewpoint, walking around trying to figure out what paths I wanted to make. Then pulling out hoses and extension cords to lay it out.

After mulching (a crucial step) it was much easier to dream about the space. There’s a large zinnia patch by the road (the unmulched area in one pic)- I’ll have to do a separate video post for this. In between planting thousands of plugs, we finally decided to give the stone paths a shot. We pulled the weeds that had taken space where there was no mulch and I started marking and digging out dirt. Several truck bed loads later I put our first batch of limestone down, then a finer stone to top it. Walking barefoot is important to me and thankfully the crushed stone is so comfy. It looked like cat litter at first 😅 but once it dried it looks lovely. I love the whimsy curves too! Hoping once it stops raining to take some updated shots of it. There’s still much to be planted but it might have to wait until spring.

This area will also serve as a demonstration garden connecting the nursery to the other garden beds around the yard.💛

Here we go again you guys!! 🥹😍 We’re bringing ano

Here we go again you guys!! 🥹😍

We’re bringing another Beyond Lawns Workshop - but with an emphasis on Site Prep! Even if you came to the first one I still would recommend you come to this one! It’s going to be interactive and way more fun than a slide show!

This time we’ll be outside at my house/nursery-giving attendees an immersive and hands on experience.💛Lindsey from Spaulding Restoration will be sharing her expertise from doing lawn conversions for years. This is perfect for anyone doing any size project. OH! And it’s FREE. So yeah, you should come!

You’ll be able to see first hand design principles applied in the landscape and natives in all stages of growth. As well as what to buy to terminate your grass, how to properly mix and apply herbicides and plant your plugs (all with live demonstrations) You’ll see and hear examples of what happens when you don’t follow the instructions too. 😅😂

We’re gonna break everything down into easy manageable steps and have plenty of time for your site specific questions. Registration is required.

TOMORROW!! (8/8) Is the Butterfly Extravaganza fro

TOMORROW!! (8/8) Is the Butterfly Extravaganza from 3-6pm at 7295 W Bensart Dr in Claypool! 🦋

This is a MUST attend event and one of my favs. Every year hundreds (I think last year was over 400) of people flock to Cindy’s lake house to learn about the Monarch Migration, butterfly lifecycles, host plants, native habitat, get FREE plants, and learn how you can help support these magical insects. Come to tour the gardens, watch monarchs get released, eat a taco, and so much more!!

Though Cindy will still have private tours of her property available I’m sure. This year will be the last year at her place as she has asked me to take over the event at my gardens🥹🫶🏻 It’s such an honor and I truly cannot wait to carry on her legacy and love for butterflies and education😍

We snuck away to Ohio for the last weekend before

We snuck away to Ohio for the last weekend before school starts. Today I got to go back to Butterfly Ridge🌼🦋

July of 2023 I brought the family to Hocking Hills for the first time after going solo on a yoga retreat the summer before. (It ended up being an enlightening experience hiking with butterflies and them being around ever since) On this trip we learned of Butterfly Ridge and only got a tiny bit into our tour of the grounds before our airbnb host called saying we were supposed to be checked out. We thought we had the rental for another day but I booked it wrong. So we had to leave to go pack up and there wasn’t time to get back. We took the opportunity to visit our friends-turned-family and they told us about another place to check out. We went and learned of the Arc and an upcoming event they had. 2 weeks later I was back in Ohio driving out to random preserves at midnight until almost 4am blacklighting moths with Doug Tallamy and other authors and naturalists. Then experiencing Sam Jaffe’s caterpillar lab and hiking with Doug the next day. Each summer since I haven’t been able to get back to BR or Mothapalooza but we were able to stop today. I had such a greater appreciation and better understanding than that first visit this go around.

Just driving in, there were swallowtails flying by💛 We connected with the owners and there’s a possibility we could be hosting Mr. Kline next year for a project he’s doing so I’m super excited about that. Tomorrow I’m looking to make some progress on another project I’ve had in my head since that 2023 trip and can’t wait to have that in motion.

Anywho-today was lovely and I’m out for the weekend✌🏻🫶🏻

You guysss😭Last night was our biggest green drinks

You guysss😭Last night was our biggest green drinks gathering to date!💚

Feeling overwhelmingly grateful for the growing number of people interested & committed to adding native habitat. Thank you to those that could make it and endured my painful explanation of our journey and tour😅 (it will be better next time)

From almost 10 years ago starting seeds to grow our first milkweed plants to launching a nursery and installation business-none of which would have been possible without the support and guidance of so many people🫶🏻

Thanks to @thewatershedfoundation for the opportunity to be a speaker, to @chapmanlakenursery for some amazing pollinator shots and to @allenpylant for all of the help🥹

Green Drinks meets the last Thursday of every month at 5:30pm with a different environmental/sustainability focused speaker at an area business. We’d love to see you at future meet ups!

ALSO! Save the Date! We’re doing another Beyond Lawns Workshop!!🩵This one will be on August 24th 6:00-7:30. We’ll have 30 min presentation on design and technical how to, 30 mins of hands on demonstration showing how to terminate and prep your yard this fall for either fall or spring planting, and 30 mins of q&a time. Location coming soon!

ALSO ALSO! 🦋Don’t miss Gack’s Butterfly Extravaganza coming up on 8/8 from 3:00-6:00pm!! This is your chance to be immersed in butterflies and native flowers and hear from speakers on monarch migration and so much more! Last year we had 400 people attend and are hoping for more-come join us!

Took some me time this morning while everyone slep

Took some me time this morning while everyone slept to just take in the flowers, watch the bees buzz pollinate, and practice morning light shots. The weather is wonderful so trying to get as much planted out front as possible today 💜 Sound on: listen to those birdies 🥹

Big camera shots from this evening✨

Big camera shots from this evening✨

The @communityhealinggardenwarsaw at @homechurchwa

The @communityhealinggardenwarsaw at @homechurchwarsaw is starting to come to life! Zinnias are starting to pop, zucchini are coming on like crazy, there’s sooo many different kinds of peppers out here, tomatillos, herbs galore and very soon tomatoes, and more! Furniture has been ordered and some of it has arrived already. More coming next week and our fun egg chair swings will be here in time for the fire pits.

✨it is weeded and watered and just waiting for YOU to come get some produce✨

I’ve been bad about giving this space the spotlight it deserves on the feed but things are easing up a bit so here we go! 🍅🫑🌶️🧅🧄🥕🥒🫛💚

This is a free, u-pick garden. And right now it’s looking like just a garden…but we want this to be so much more. A gathering space, a hangout, a remote work spot, etc etc. We still have big plans for the space. Fire pits, electric outlets, string lights, a water feature, Adirondack chairs, signage, wildflowers (of course), a share shelf, a seed library, and future events (think canning/cooking/preserving classes), along with resource fairs where organizations like @makeroom_today @livewellkosciusko @unitedwaykosciusko @milford_food_bank @goto_kccf and more can share their resources for those in need or those looking to get involved with issues in our county like food security, housing, and so much more.

Gardening has been a healing and therapeutic practice for me for a while now but let’s be real starting one at your own place can be expensive. We wanted to create a space that not only addresses some of the food insecurity challenges in our community but create a space for people to heal, learn and connect without the cost being a barrier.

Very soon I’ll have signage up, a platform for volunteers to sign up for time slots, and some celebratory events. We do still need sponsors and donations for some items. If this is something you feel you can do or if you’re interested in helping call on some businesses I’d love the help. Just send me a message, or email garden@homechurch.ch 🫶🏻 there is also a spot on home churches website where you can give specifically to the garden. You can see the inspiration on the last.

It’s been hella busy. Iykyk 💁🏼‍♀️there’s been a lo

It’s been hella busy. Iykyk 💁🏼‍♀️there’s been a lot of progress and I need to do some updates on things. But it’s a lot 😅🤪

Today we officially finished planting 2/4 beds out front. I’ve been planting hundreds of plants with what feels like almost every day now. And memories reminded me that last year we planted the liatris (tally spiky plants) and a bunch of other things. Look at how much they’ve shot up - they are taller than me! I’m really starting to love how things are coming out here and it’s getting a lot easier to plant and configure combos that I like.

I’m pushing to get the remaining 2 beds planted tomorrow. I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with the pond so no promises on when that’s coming 😂

A post is coming on the new front bed and nursery. So much has happened there and planting has begun 😍

Literally SoOoOo excited to share all the projects and progress 💛it’s all gonna be so freaking beautiful 🥹

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