Galt program teaches about native plant species

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on May 23, 2023.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Phoebe Fox nears the end of the creation of her flower pot that included the mushrooms and flowers theme during the Plants, Seeds and Native Gardens event at the Galt Museum on Saturday.

Children and their caregivers had the opportunity to have a hands-on history discussion about Plants, Seeds and Native Gardens at the Galt Museum on Saturday.

Attendees learned the importance about those topics and as well painted a small pot to plant a native species plant seed in to take home.

“And today, we’re learning about our native prairie plant garden and as well as the importance of our grassland ecosystem,” said Kristin Krein, Galt Museum community program coordinator.

This area is situated in a Grassland Natural Region, which is historically dominated by native grasslands.

“Within Lethbridge, biodiversity is represented by a range of grassland, coulee, wetland and river valley ecosystems that each have their distinct species,” as read in Krein’s presentation.

“Within a short walk, citizens of Lethbridge can see everything from lush cottonwood forests up to dry, cacti-covered coulee slopes. The city is surrounded by grassland and cultivated farmland with the Rocky Mountains just off in the distance. Lethbridge is fortunate to be home to one of the largest urban park systems in North America.”

While Krein admits she is not an expert, she feels that she is infatuated with, and loves, the local landscape.

“Folks from Lethbridge often say to me, ‘You know what is there to do, what is there to see,?'” said Krein.

“And just the intricacies of our grass species alone, there’s so many different opportunities for coulee hikes and adventures and seeing what the rest of the world doesn’t really get to see. We have real unique space here and highlighting the native Prairie plants, who are just so resilient and so beautiful. (It is) is an opportunity to talk to kids, who at this age love nature, and I hope to still instill that really like gorgeous curiosity of plants from a bunch of different ways to learn about it – whether that’d be you know ethnobotany, whether that’d be beauty and art alone, whether that’d be also understanding the indigenous uses and knowledges. There’s so much.”

Krein said, “Having a lot of greens pace time in the pandemic really allowed me to saunter to look at root systems (and) to learn, to listen outside of being in a fast-paced university environment.”

There was a scavenger hunt to learn about the May Native plants including the Three-Flowered Aven, Prairie Smoke, Buffalo Bean, Silver Sage and Pasture Sage, Wild Strawberry, Prairie Crocus and Golden Currant.