Formerly, this area had been taken over by knotweed, bittersweet, multiflora rose, and then ground level invasives. Though we have to remain vigilant about resprouts, which do still emerge from time to time, it’s finally starting to look like an actual garden.
One pathway still exists, to reach the bench overlooking the pond. River birches and willows have grown to the point where it is difficult to walk through them. That’s exactly what we wanted: multiple trunks, thick foliage, more protection.
Asclepias purpurascens is listed as endangered in Massachusetts. I found this one in a different area than our other common milkweed – it seemed perfectly at home down next to the pond.
The Hakuro-Nishiki Willow put on a growth spurt this year.
As an aside – I’ve learned that when you see a ripe blueberry, eat it right then and there! Otherwise they disappear. We’ve caught chipmunks eating them. So far, the grapes, still green, have survived; it’ll be interesting to see how long they last.
I think it’s White Sweetclover (Melilotus albus). It’s a nitrogen fixer. Its roots are pretty deep the second year. I decide that if I find any in its first year again, I’ll just till it into the soil (before it flowers!)
