Ryan Conner, Happy Tonics Volunteer in Hayward, WI has a native habitat in his front yard. A few years ago, he decided to stop mowing. Bravo!
This past winter Ryan sent me some seed that he gathered from his own property. I am implementing a Wild Butterfly Habitat, on Ashby West Road, Fitchburg, MA. It is on family land and private.
RYAN’S NATIVE SEED:
Asclepias syriaca common milkweed
Desmodium canadense Showy tick-trefoil
Echinacea pallida Pale purple coneflower
Ratibida pinnata Gray-headed coneflower
Rudbeckia laciniata Green-headed coneflower
Solidago speciosa Showy goldenrod
I also bought seed packages for the following plants that were also scattered.
PACKAGED SEED:
Nepeta cataria Catmint
Aguilegia canadensis Columbine
Artemisia caudatus Love lies bleeding
Artemisia tricolor Joseph’s coat
Monarca media Monarda
Ecinacea purpurea Purple conflower
Helanthus spp. Sunflower
I won’t look for instantaneous results. I have found that native seed sprouts when conditions are compatible to its growing needs. Sometimes seed can lay dormant for years before it emerges. We will see as time develops what takes.
In the meantime, I have put up a driftwood recycled birdhouse. This week another fanciful bird house for my sister’s grandchildren, a small shrine for for La Senora de Guadalupe and a wildflower wood-chime will be placed at the habitat.
My sister Ronnie already thoughtfully brought a chair up to the habitat for me. It is set in the cool of the pine grove. She also planted ground cover succulents in an old wooden log that had the center eaten out by some critter. Each touch we add will offer refuge to me. There is a reason for this. My life is centered on living a purpose driven life. It is busy with speaking tours, leading restoration gardens, implementing pollinator habitats, teaching environmental classes and writing my third book. I simply need a place of refuge where I can unwind and listen to the wind. Here I do ceremony for water and communicate with the Creator’s natural world, which renews me. I love it so.
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