STORY PHOTO ENLARGEMENT

With one month of summer vacation still ahead, why not discover what’s really in your own backyard. Try the hula hoop project and you’ll be surprised with the results which will introduce you to a deeply satisfying way of appreciating, learning and benefitting from our natural environment. All you need is a hula hoop, or some reasonable facsimile. Simply pick a spot in your yard and throw it down, then, don’t cut the grass around it. Within days you’ll start to see plants emerging Take pictures of what you find growing and send them to the Tribune (info@thetribune.ca) and we’ll keep the readership posted on what’s growing naturally, with a few facts about the plant. That’s the best way to control weeds. Find out what they are and call them that! This pretty little plant might already be familiar to you. It’s called wood sorrel and because it is native to the British Isles, many claim that it is the plant St. Patrick used as his shamrock. Wood sorrel can be found with either yellow or white flowers. Like all plants, wood sorrel has been gathered and used for many purposes. Wood sorrel was used as a digestive aid. When you are trying to find out more about a plant, keep in mind that when you use the internet, there is a wealth of information but you’ll run into conflicting information and mistakes at times. Search thoroughly and carefully. Your best bet is always using reference books - head to the library!

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