Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Save the Date: Sept. 14 Will Be Our Annual 'Picnic in the Park'!

The 8th Annual Green Meadows West “Picnic in the Park” event will be held Sun., Sept. 14, from 4 to 7 p.m., near the neighborhood’s signature gazebo located on the association’s privately maintained “Dover Park.” Other days, the park is available for rental through the association manager.

There will be live music, and the event will again feature inflatable play equipment for younger children, including a bounce house, obstacle course, and giant slide. A free catered barbecue dinner will be served to association members and families.

City leaders and staff–including fire, police, library, and public works personnel–will also be invited to meet with Green Meadows West neighbors during the event.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

2014 Educational Prairie Tour Schedule Starts This Thursday, June 5

The Green Meadows West Homeowners Association has announced a third series of educational walking tours for the 2014 summer season. Led by expert Inger Lamb of Prairie Landscapes of Iowa LLC, neighbors of all ages are invited to learn about the plants of the neighborhood's more than 12 acres of prairie.

The 2014 dates are:
  • Thurs., June 5
  • Wed., June 18
  • Tues., July 8
  • Tues., July 29
  • Wed., Aug. 20
  • Wed., Sept. 10
Walks begin at 7 p.m. at the Windsor Park trailhead, located near the intersection of Windsor Parkway and King's Row. The path through the neighborhood's central prairie is paved.

While the tours usually last about an hour, participants are welcome to come and go as their schedules require. Children are welcome, too. The beginning of the summer season is an ideal time to observe progress on association efforts to maintain and improve storm water drainage through the prairie, as well as to hear about efforts to develop a new prairie area adjacent to a new bike trail connection to N.W. 62nd Avenue.

Prairie events are part of a comprehensive prairie restoration program administered by the association's board of directors. Attendees will learn to identify various types of native and non-native plants, and discussions will often focus on how neighbors can help maintain and improve the quality of the area's showcase landscape.

The prairie area is a unique feature of the Green Meadows West neighborhood, which was originally designed and developed by a subsidiary of the Pioneer Hy-Bred company, now known as DuPont Pioneer.

In addition to running a native landscape restoration and maintenance business, Lamb is a past contributor to publications such as Woodlands & Prairies magazine.

A list of articles of potential interest to prairie enthusiasts is available at her business website here. Resource lists, including planting recommendations for rain garden and native landscapes, are available here.