Grasses and Intrepid Volunteers

 July is slipping away. Here we are in the middle of summer enjoying a breezy sunny day with more rain in the forecast. Rain has been our constant summer companion. More rain will certainly support the growth of weeds at the Prospect Gardens. The upside is that to the non-discerning eye, the weeds add a green lushness to portions of the Gardens. This is the first year in our eight year history that I feel somewhat overwhelmed with the challenge of keeping the weeds at bay. Intrepid volunteers help me reduce the sinking feeling while reducing the army of weeds.

A less challenging and more enjoyable task this month was planting grasses donated by Nate, a Regent neighbor. Nate's an avid prairie gardener and a teacher responsible for a school prairie. The grasses were surplus from this year's plantings.  Thanks Nate.

Junegrass is the type in the first picture. I like the shadow in the picture; almost provides a 3D look.  Junegrass is found on range-lands, plains and open forests throughout the continental United States. These plugs will grow from 6 inches to a foot and are the first grasses to green-up in spring.

Little Bluestem, in the next picture, grows from two to three feet.  The blue-, green- and purple-colored foliage is pleasant to the eye during spring and summer, and fall brings reds, coppers, and orange hues. It provides food and shelter to wildlife and attracts birds and pollinators.

Little Bluestem’s root system is deep and fibrous, growing at least 5 feet, with some roots developing horizontally.Quick growth on disturbed soils makes Little Bluestem perfect for banks and slopes. Almost the entire tray of the donated Little Bluestem was planted on the banks and slopes of the Gardens bordering the Regent side. Indeed, they are quick growing.

This picture was taken just over a week ago and these plants have grown several inches.  The bank is already more stable than before planting.  Bluestem will continue contributing to erosion prevention as it grows into maturity. 



          

Here's last Saturday's weeding detail, minus Ann, who took the picture.  Starting from the top left are Laura, me (Jake), Joyce, Bob and Hanns. Hanns joined us for the first time. We warmly welcomed this Regent neighbor. Thank you, Hanns for joining this intrepid group of volunteers. He like, Laura, Joyce, Bob, and Ann were fearless weeders and gardeners.    

Here's the fearless Laura cutting back the Daisies before facing off with the tenacious Bishop's Weed. I love Daisies and the blanket of white they provide during early spring. Yet, if they are  allowed full rein to spread, these beauties will take over. Some gardeners will avoid having these Daisies because of their aggressiveness. Last season, this area had no Daisies.

Bob cheerfully waves while offering me a bouquet of weeds. Blog readers will know that Bob loves mulching and has the title of "Mulch King." Unfortunately, this year we did not mulch and  we are noticing the  difference. The King will need to wait until next season to practice his specialty. 

Now here's a perfect poster picture of a dedicated volunteer, Joyce.  She was seeking out Creeping Bell Flowers. Bell Flowers are quite pretty when in bloom because of their delicate purple bell shaped flowers. However, they are very aggressive; speeding rapidly to the determinant of other plants. Their aggressiveness almost qualifies the Bell Flower as an invasive.   

Here's Hanns, also in search of Bell Flowers. They had spread throughout the Garden, lovely to look at and yet a nuisance. One of our morning goals was their removal before the flowers turned into seeds. We met our goal and as this picture shows, Hanns did his part. The occupant of the colorful house, the chatty Wren, didn't even object to Hanns' presence.

As usual, the intrepid crew enjoyed each others company and Ann's treats during break time. This time she made brownies, following her aunt's recipe.

August is just around the corner, with another anticipate work session.  Most likely, it will be August 26th(not the 15th), and this time from 1 to 4 p.m. Watch for further announcements. Come join us, if you are in the Madison area. You too can be part of this intrepid group. No gardening experience needed.