Pollinator gardens and wildlife habitat can certainly exist in the middle of the city! This Dogtown yard was half turf grass and half invasive plants in late 2016 (bush/Japanese honeysuckles, wintercreeper, and day lilies), but Isabel transformed it into a BCH Gold certified yard by Fall 2019. She is now working towards the Platinum certification.
Isabel first replaced all invasive species in the backyard with native bushes (ninebark, buttonbush, spicebush*, chokeberry, viburnum*, beautyberry), perennial flowers (asters, milkweeds*, turtleheads, native mints, irises, rose mallow), sedges, and groundcovers (roundleaf ragwort, pussytoes*). An old shed and turf areas were replaced with more plants in early 2019 including monardas, wild blue indigos*, shrubby St. John’s wort, rose verbena, blazing stars, alexanders*, wild strawberry, coreopsis. The native Dutchman’s pipevine*, passionvine*, and honeyvine* have successfully hosted swallowtail, fritillary and Monarch caterpillars.
The front yard turf is slowly (but surely) being replaced with purple poppy mallow, columbine, foxglove, celandine poppy, phloxes, wild hairy petunia, and many others. Come visit and see how even small spaces can support a variety of wildlife throughout the year!
Spare plants may be available for free. Simply bring your own pots or containers.
