A drone's-eye view of the new Pollinator Garden under development on the Madrone Trail in Canyon Park.
Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) and the Lindheimer Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists are turning an abandoned 1950s-era U.S. Army radar station inside Canyon Park into a spectacular pollinator garden for hikers and bikers on the Madrone Trail to enjoy.
WORD Manager Mike Dussere warns visitors it could take a year or two for this demonstration garden to blossom into something impressive.
The most visible clue something is happening at the site of the old “LORAN” installation, which is fenced, is a 200-foot by 200-foot gigantic butterfly-shaped trail WORD paid to have bulldozed into the ground.
The butterfly is so large that casual hikers will miss they’re even walking something deliberately shaped like an insect, said Susan Bogle, who is spearheading the project for Lindheimer Master Naturalists and oversees the Butterfly Garden at Canyon Lake’s Tye Preston Memorial Library, as well as the Habiscape located in Guadalupe River State Park.
That is, of course, until they run across the piles of rocks master naturalists will shape into an “antenna” for the gigantic butterfly. The butterfly trail will be mulched.
The most unmistakable sign something is happening near the park’s trailhead are the master naturalists working diligently and “arduously” to clear KR Bluestem, a nonnative grass, from the area.
Bogle said they’re leaving the native plants, which regrew naturally after the Army cleared its equipment out.
However, pollinator gardens are meant to support insects and birds that rely on them for food and shelter.
To make life easier for millions of moths, bees, wasps, hummingbirds, bats and other creatures, master naturalists are planting large beds, each containing the same native plants — just like they did at Tye Preston’s butterfly garden.
“It’s kind of like having a food court at the mall,” Bogle said. “It’s less energy they have to spend to get the nutrients they need…We’re providing food and shelter for insects at all stages, whether it’s an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis or actual adult of whatever the creature is.”
Master naturalists are digging up plants out of their own yards to use at the new garden, but Ace Hardware also is donating some plants and providing many others at cost.
Like all projects involving soil, water and plants, the garden will perpetually become a work-in-progress, Bogle said.
She’s not sure how long it will take for the garden to grow to an impressive size as there are too many variables involved but invites the public to walk the trail on a regular basis and watch nature do its thing.
Dussere said WORD will install an irrigation system and a bird blind as well inside the fenced area, whose entire footprint is 90,000-square-feet. The fence will protect plants from deer, who love Texas natives just as much as pollinators. The garden does not have a set opening date yet, and WORD will update the public once the project is nearly complete.
An area Sea Scout is building benches for the garden.
No opening date has been set — Dussere said he will update the public once the project is nearly complete.
The garden is just one improvement WORD has planned for Canyon and Comal parks, which it took over the management of from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2020.
Other areas inside Canyon Park are reopening for the first time in years, and WORD is preparing to break ground on a walking area inside Comal Park.
“We’re just trying to make them better even than they already are,” he said.
Bogle said the unique shape of the garden is the brainchild of former Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Ranger Craig Hensley, now with Texas Nature Trackers.
She invites the public to learn more at the 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 monthly Zoom meeting of the Lindheimer master naturalists, where she is the featured speaker. For more details, visit the Lindheimer Chapter Texas Master Naturalists Facebook page.
“Learn how this new garden came into being and how it will serve to attract the butterflies, bees and birds that are essential for pollination, as well as providing an example to both local citizens and visitors of how to attract pollinators with the proper utilization of native plants and garden design,” she said.
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Now, let's discuss the concepts mentioned in this article.
Pollinator Garden:
A pollinator garden is a garden specifically designed to attract and support pollinators such as insects and birds. These gardens are created by planting native plants that provide food and shelter for pollinators at all stages of their life cycle, including eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, and adults. The goal of a pollinator garden is to create a habitat that supports a diverse range of pollinator species and promotes pollination, which is essential for the reproduction of many plants.
Madrone Trail:
The Madrone Trail is a trail located in Canyon Park. It is mentioned in the article as the location where the new Pollinator Garden is being developed. The trail is intended for hikers and bikers to enjoy and will provide an opportunity for visitors to experience the beauty of the pollinator garden once it is fully developed.
Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD):
The Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) is an organization mentioned in the article. They are involved in the development of the Pollinator Garden on the Madrone Trail. WORD is responsible for managing and improving parks in the area, including Canyon Park and Comal Park. The organization is dedicated to enhancing recreational opportunities and preserving natural resources in Comal County.
Lindheimer Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists:
The Lindheimer Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists is another organization mentioned in the article. They are working alongside WORD to spearhead the development of the Pollinator Garden. The Texas Master Naturalists program is a volunteer-based organization that aims to provide education, outreach, and service to promote the management and conservation of natural resources in Texas.
LORAN Installation:
The article mentions that the Pollinator Garden is being developed on the site of an abandoned 1950s-era U.S. Army radar station, known as the "LORAN" installation. LORAN stands for Long Range Navigation and was a radio navigation system used by the military. The site of the old installation is now being transformed into the Pollinator Garden, which will feature a butterfly-shaped trail and various native plants to support pollinators.
Native Plants:
Native plants are plants that naturally occur in a particular region or ecosystem. They have adapted to the local climate, soil conditions, and wildlife interactions over time. In the context of the Pollinator Garden, native plants are being used to provide food and shelter for pollinators. The master naturalists involved in the project are digging up native plants from their own yards and also receiving donations from Ace Hardware to populate the garden with native plant beds.
Work-in-Progress:
The article mentions that the Pollinator Garden will be a perpetual work-in-progress. Like any project involving soil, water, and plants, the garden will continue to evolve and grow over time. The development of the garden is expected to take a year or two before it becomes an impressive and fully blossomed space for visitors to enjoy. The garden will be regularly maintained and updated as needed.
I hope this information helps! If you have any more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask.
