This may not look like much, but it’s important. The plants immediately bordering the pond (dogwoods, pussy willows, elm) remain unmowed for the winter. A strip that contained some wildflowers (milkweeds, asters, daisies, goldenrods, etc.) yet also some invasives (mainly field bindweed, or mile-a-minute) benefits from being mowed.
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.
Another gorgeous wildflower, pollinated by bumblebees, Gentiana andrewsii.
