Lyell
Forum Replies Created
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@MarianWhit Thank you @MarianWhit, I do have some Joe Pie weed. I do have to make sure I edit the goldenrod around them so they don't get overwhelmed by it. The small patch is doing well this year. I like the idea of a backdrop. I have one blueberry in the back (out of the picture) that is doing well. Also a Beach Plumb (Prunus maritima) on the right in the photo. I have recently learned that Canada Goldenrod can be particularly vigorous and that thinning that species may help other plants thrive. I will put all of your suggestions on a list to add!
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@Sue @Sue Purple Aster with the goldenrod would be beautiful. I had some Aster laevis (a beautiful purple color) in the meadow but it seemed very tasty to rabbits (I believe) and they are all gone now.
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@Stacey @Stacey apologies for the late reply. I do occasionally see birds eating the goldenrod seed, but I would say the most activity I see on a plant in our habitat is goldfinches eating Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose). This plant is a volunteer to the garden. It is tall (around 4 feet), and often there will be 2-3 birds per stalk. I was happy that the goldenrod was volunteering because they are supposed to be great hosts for many caterpillar species which are important food for baby birds. However I don't often see caterpillars on the goldenrod. Maybe the birds are getting them before I see them!
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I wasn't sure how to include text about an image. The image above is the goldenrod meadow I referred to in my earlier post. The goldenrod is exuberant and seems to dominate other plants. I am interested in adding a little more diversity to this area with plants that can hopefully coexist with the goldenrod.
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We are located west of Boston, Massachusetts. Over the years, I have added more and more native plants. In the back yard, we removed an in-ground pool. Despite ideas to plan a garden, nature took its course, and the area is now mostly filled with 5 species of volunteer goldenrod plants and a few asters. I have added a few shrubs along the way. Grape and Blackberry bushes have also volunteered. This area is filled with many species of dragonflies, wasps and other insects in the summer and fall. I have also gotten rid of most of the grass in the front yard after observing that I was sadly killing moths and caterpillars as I mowed. One thing I am interested in exploring is adding some more diversity to the goldenrod area. The goldenrod seems to be very robust and will take over everywhere if I do not edit them a bit around other plants like Monarda and Joe Pye Weed.
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I am in the process of replacing our front yard grass. I have replaced at least 80 percent of the front yard so far. To keep the soil life and structure intact, I used a technique called sheet mulching. In the fall I laid down cardboard (from large boxes) on the grass and spread about 4-5 inches of much on top of it. It has worked very well. An occasional blade of grass will pop up through a crack but is easy to remove. I am still trying to formulate a plan for planting, but the native plants I already had in several islands are helping out by advancing into the mulched area: Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge), Whorled Loosestrife (NOT the invasive plant), Anemone canadensis and blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia)
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Depending on where you are, I can recommend Lobelia cardinals (Cardinal Flower) for hummingbirds. I live in Massachusetts, and these flowers have attracted hummingbirds every year. They like a moist sunny spot and in a good year can have foot long flower spikes filled with tube like red flowers for humming birds.
