Over on the other end of the pond, a bunch of existing dogwood shrubs needed dividing, so we transplanted them here, to back up the milkweeds. In front of the milkweeds are little bluestem, big bluestem, aster and fern divisions. A young Princeton elm anchors the far end of the “river.”
Seeds collected from Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) and Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) are almost as beautiful as the plant itself! These were immediately scattered all along the Milkweed River.
The west side of the back acre needed more wildlife-friendly planting. This long swath begins in the nearfield with evergreens to grow up and eventually block the view of the wood chip pile from the house. It then winds all the way across the field to the right.
On the left, variegated red-twig dogwood backed by white pine, in turn backed by quaking aspen. In center are yellow leaves of river birch. Moving right, a shrubby green magnolia contrasts with the brilliant red leaves of Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac). Above the sumac in the background, branches of a Princeton elm can be seen reaching toward the blue sky.
Multiflora rose and buckthorn are lurking in this jungle, bittersweet vines are choking out the aspens while knotweed is killing all other shrubs and young trees, October 9, 2009:
This photo was taken October 10, 2017:
Existing native aspen, juniper and pine trees have all grown. Willow, dogwood, magnolia and sumac shrubs are all thriving. Rudbeckia, bluestem, coreopsis, liatris and creepervine are holding their own, close to the ground. All 3 layers greatly minimize knotweed resprouts. Though we still occasionally encounter knotweed, it’s not the most troublesome weed anymore by a long shot.
Native milkweed, goldenrod and rudbeckia seeds were gathered and used to start the new “Milkweed River.”
A strict “tick protocol” is followed here. A tied hoody is tucked into belted pants. Long, thick white socks are pulled up over pant legs. Hat, boots and eye protection complete the outfit (and often knee pads, too). Clean, absorbent liner gloves are followed by more protective and/or waterproof gloves. Clothing is white, made of athletic wear fabric that ticks and bugs slide off of rather than get caught in. The fabric is also wicking and cooler when it’s hot out.
Afterward, boots are removed outside. Gloves are removed without touching their outsides. Everything gets brushed off, then we make a beeline for the washing machine, where layers are carefully peeled off in reverse order, just in case there might be a tick somewhere. Clothes go right into the sanitary cycle of the wash. Showering immediately follows, with a fine-toothed comb run through the hair. Sometimes, there is a “tick check” made afterward by an independent observer (a.k.a. spouse).
This is still in the “east” corridor, slightly west of the last photo, below. Some of the shrubs here include Cornus amomum (silky dogwood), Hammamelis virginiana (witch hazel), Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood) and Cephalanthus occidentalis (button bush). We also propagated some willows, dogwoods and alders that were already growing on the property. Just about everything is native, except for the purple smokebush.
It was just a large field before, full of invasives. We needed quick cover, so in 2012 we planted Salix babylonica (weeping willow). This area is very wet in the spring. Now, some of the shrubs have had a chance to grow up, including the native Salix nigra (black willow).
Next to the pond is an unmown “buffer” strip. This time of year it presents interesting colors of pollinator-friendly asters, native daisies, grasses, goldenrod, ferns, cattails, Virginia creeper vines that have turned partially red, and myriad others. Hopefully we’ve gotten out a majority of the errant and invasive docks, loosestrife and phragmites.
