How to Make Seed Balls

June 1, 2010

Seed balls are fun for all ages. (Photo: Emily Adam)

Balloons, gift bags, presents, and cake.

Tired of the same old kids party routine?  Green up your next gathering with some hands-on fun—make seed balls!

Seed-ball making is a simple activity that engages children of all ages.  Seed balls are essentially self-contained mini-gardens containing compost, seeds and clay. They are extremely easy to make and satisfying to toss—an ideal kids’ activity.

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Comments Off | Craft Corner, Green Tips, Vancouver | Permalink
Posted by Kim from Common Grounds

Leigh Davidson is Volunteering for Nature

June 1, 2010

Leigh Davidson in the field (Photo: Tom Brown)

A passion for nature and a love for people make Leigh Davidson tick. After 33 years of IT work, she has recently retired and keeps busy traveling, getting outside, volunteering for Evergreen and serving on the board of Riverdale Share Community Association, which raises funds to support grassroots, family-oriented projects.

Why volunteer to green your city? I love the plants and I love the people.  You never know who you’ll meet, what they are interested in and what you can learn.

What motivates you? The youth in our cities need to connect with nature. If they fall in love with it, they will protect it.

Highlight: At one wetland planting we all put on hip-waders, scooped up mud for the plant roots, and then just tossed the plants into the pond!

What inspires you? I’m always checking up on the secret little planting we did amid some tucked-away grasses. It took two volunteers half an hour to clear only a few square metres to plant wildflowers–so far, the flowers have survived.

Can you really get close to nature in a city like Toronto? It’s amazing how much wildlife I’ve seen: chimney swifts, great blue herons, muskrats…  I’ve seen 2 to 3 dozen cedar waxwings and half a dozen goldfinches.  I’ve even seen some endangered dragonflies!

How did you get started? A week of volunteering during Earth Week in 2004 was only the beginning. I have been deeply involved in stewardship projects at Evergreen Brick Works and beyond, as well as acting as a stewardship lead with the City of Toronto, working with LEAF, being part of the Friends of the Don East and becoming an Evergreen Ambassador and Green Leader.

Join Leigh in greening the city. Learn how.

Comments Off | Toronto, Volunteer | Permalink
Posted by Christine from Volunteering

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