Imagine the luck!

I've gone back and forth many times about how to get a hackberry tree in our back yard. For a long time, I planned to get a Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia), because I didn't believe there was enough space for a full-sized Common Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis).

After much grousing, David asked me if I could coppice a Hackberry. Coppicing is a term I'd learned from permaculture. You can cut down or coppice some trees and they'll quickly send up suckers to replace the original trunk. (In the past, coppicing was used to take advantage of a mature root structure and allow for a more sustainable source of wood. These days coppicing is used to increase biodiversity and conservation.) If I could coppice the tree, I could keep it small enough to fit in our yard.

Lo and behold, one of my permaculture books (Eastern Forest Gardens; Jacke) documents that hackberries can handle coppicing! I had my answer and I've planned for months now that I would plant a Common Hackberry tree in the Back Yard this fall then coppice it when it got too big.

Imagine my amazement earlier this week, when I looked up and noticed the berries of a Common Hackberry tree in my neighbor's yard! I couldn't believe it! I took pictures of the leaves, berries and bark of the tree then compared them to the USDA's description of the plant.

If you look closely, you may notice small green berries among the leaves.

Hackberry bark is distinctively patterned.

I confirmed the match! Right across the fence, not 20 feet away from where I'd planned to plant a Hackberry tree, a mature tree already stands!

I've wanted a Hackberry tree for a variety of reasons:

Hackberries and Walnut trees co-exist in the wild. Permaculturalists have noticed that there is a complementary relationship between these trees. Walnut trees secret a competition-suppressing substance called juglone. Surprisingly, hackberries also secrete a competition-suppressing substance, but the toxins from these trees seem to complement each other. Juglone suppresses the growth of many plants, but not grass. The toxin from hackberries, however, does suppress grass!

So, it's a bit of a challenge to find plants that do well under both of these trees, but Gaia's Garden (Hemenway) defines a guild (or group) of plants that work well together in this situation. Currants, in fact, are more likely to be found when both of these trees are in the same location than not. Elderberries are also a good candidate for this guild.

So, although I haven't made up my mind, I'm likely to plant a currant bush where I had planned on planting the hackberry tree. (I'd already planned to plant elderberries on either side of the tree.)

The other reason I wanted a hackberry tree is because hackberries are the host plant for a number of butterflies that call Ohio home: Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, Hackberry Emperor, Tawny Emperor, and Eastern (or American) Snout.

The Eastern Snout is my favorite because it has a very distinctive snout! If you'd like to see a picture of it, copy and paste this link into a new window or tab on your browser: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1663

I've planted flowers from three plant families that Snouts particularly to get nectar from: asters, goldenrods and sweet pepperbush. Someday, maybe someday, I'll see an Eastern Snout nectaring in our yard!

Back Yard Series - Top of the Hill

The Back Yard was designed to provide native host and nectar plants for butterflies, but as it develops it will provide food and shelter for many other insects, as well as, birds and small mammals. (Because the Back Yard is so large, I've broken it up into sections so each post will not be too long.)

Here we go!

As you come down the steps into the Back Yard, you are greeted by Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera).




As you turn to your right, you will see three Wild Gooseberry bushes (Ribes cynosbati). This is the host plant for the Gray Hairstreak.


Next, you will see Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) lining the inner path. Wild Strawberry is the host plant for the Gray Hairstreak and the Grizzled Skipper.




At the end of that path, you will see two trees.

First is the American Holly (Ilex opaca). It is a male holly tree. I planted it so we could get berries on the female holly, which is at the bottom of the hill. American Holly is a host plant for Henry's Elfin. An expert lepidopterist told me that butterflies will probably use a Redbud tree in this area instead of American Holly (which would be used on the East Coast), but I have a Redbud too, so we're covered!


The other tree is a Allegheny Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis). It is the host plant for the Striped Hairstreak.


Up against the fence behind the male holly is Wooly Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia tomentosa). It is the host plant for Pipevine Swallowtail.


Another ground cover up here is Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus). Round-leaf Ragwort (Senecio obovatus) is the host plant for the Northern Metalmark. I have a feeling that Golden Ragwort isn't going to be a good host plant, but I couldn't find a source for Round-leaf Ragwort. (Sorry for the fuzzy picture.)




In front of the Golden Ragwort is some White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), which is the host plant for Baltimore Checkerspot.


On the right side of the steps as you face the top of the hill, you will find more Creeping Phlox, Wild Strawberry and Golden Ragwort. You will also see two Hops (Humulus lupulus), which will be trained on a trellis behind the garage. It is the host plant for Eastern Comma and the Question Mark as well as a number of moths. This is the same hops that is used in the production of beer.


Not too far from the Hops is New Jersey Tea (Ceonothus americanus). This is a host plant for the Summer Azure.


Also in this area are three Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium). This is a host plant for the Spring Azure.


The other shrub in the upper area of the Back Yard is Sweet Pepperbush 'Ruby Spice' (Clethra alnifolia). It is not a host plant for butterflies, but is a host plant for a couple of moths. It is a nectar source for butterflies.


Behind the viburnum are some of the Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) plants. Wild Ginger is another host plant for Pipevine Swallowtails.


As the garden is newly planted, there is more unplanted than planted space. Hopefully by this time next year, it will be more filled in.

Plants in the South Strip

The plants in the South Strip have been selected primarily because they are native nectar sources for hummingbirds and butterflies. Because it is in a shady spot, I also chose plants that could survive part to full shade.

Last year, the South Strip was filled with weeds. (July 2007)

In the fall, I sheet composted the area. Overall the sheet composting went well, but if I had to do it again, I wouldn't use straw as one of the materials. It did not break down as well as everything else. I found myself taking it out as I was planting this spring. But, oh the earth worms are in abundance! They are loving it there.

The sheet composting was put down in October. I edged the strip with the bricks to help keep the pile from spilling over. By April, the height had decreased quite a bit and the bricks were no longer a real necessity. (April 2008)


This spring Barry added a nice stone walkway and a light to enhance this area between our houses. Who could ask for a better neighbor?

In the picture above, you can see the Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) that is starting to establish itself. I planted it in the East Bed last year, but moved it here this spring.

Here are the other flowers that I planted:

Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana)


Side note: I've learned very quickly what slugs can do. I just haven't had the courage to bring out the beer. I tried salting the slugs, but I probably damaged the plants more than any slug could.

Bellflower was used by Native Americans for treating coughs and tuberculosis.

Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

When the flowers are repositioned, they are "obedient" and retain the new positions.

Blue Wood Aster (Aster cordifolius)

Asters are great because they are host plants for Pearl Cresent and Silvery Checkerspot caterpillars and nectar sources for adult butterflies and beneficial insects!

Zig Zag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

Goldenrod are also loved by many beneficial insects.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)



The Wild Columbine looks very happy in its current location! It is a host plant for the Columbine Duskywing.

Short's Aster (Symphyotrichum shortii)

Another aster!

Green and Gold/ Goldenstar (Chrysogonum virginianum)

This plant acts as a nectary as well as a groundcover.

Other than the Columbine, these plants flower from mid to late summer and into the fall. I'll give you an update when we start to see some more color here.

I Spy!

Okay, how about a quick game of "I Spy" in the garden!

#1 I spy with my little eye... something with a little eye, looking right back at you!


Okay, that one was easy. It's the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis), otherwise known as the "Lazarus lizard." It was introduced to the Cincinnati area around 1950 by George Rau, a boy who was a member of the family that owned the Lazarus department store chain (now absorbed into Macy's). After he returned from a family vacation to Northern Italy, he released about 10 of the reptiles near his Cincinnati home.

Now the lizard has established itself so well in Southwest Ohio that it is now considered a native (although introduced) species by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and is protected under State law. Thanks to Barry, we have now have one of these lizards living in the East Bed!



#2 Okay, let's play again.... I spy with my little eye something that is green and has six legs.


Did you see it? It's an aphid on the Blue Wood Sedge (Carex flaccosperma). The bugguide.net folks haven't given me a specific ID regarding this aphid yet.


#3 Now I'll give you a tougher one.... I spy with my little eye, something with red eyes and striped wings!


Can you see it? If you look really close, in the center of the picture, you might be able to see a small fly. According to the bugguide.net experts and my Insect book by Marshall, this is a Pomace Fly (Chymomyza amoena). It's in the same family as fruit flies. Some of these flies like to eat decaying vegetation, such as fungi, rather than fruit. That must be what this one was after.

The Bottlebrush Buckeye Unfolds

A couple of readers have asked if I've planted all the plants that I'd picked up from Shooting Star. Yes, I have; but I'm still waiting for a couple of plants before I can complete the beds for this year. When I'm all done, I'll list everything and show pictures for each bed.

Back to the beauty and mystery of nature....

I first learned about Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) from "Butterflies of Ohio". It's listed as a nectar plant. At that time, I hadn't include it on my plant list; because I already had a lot of nectar sources (food for adult butterflies).

Then I visited a butterfly garden that's here in Cincinnati. The garden is called Liberty Green and is located on the right soon after you turn right onto East Liberty Street from Reading Road off of I71 South.

At Liberty Green, I noticed a large shrub with interesting leaves. I asked the gardener what it was. When she said Bottlebrush Buckeye, I recognized the name and knew I had to have one. (I actually have two in the Back Yard.)

This native shrub (more common in the South) attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and is listed on the LBJ Wildflower Center web site as a native alternative to butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), whose home is China.

Here's some pictures:

Can you see the spindly trunk and branches in the center of the bottom half of the picture? (Nov. 2007)


It's alive! (April 7, 2008)


This is the coolest opening of a leaf bud that I've ever seen! (April 7, 2008)


So, I'm not the only one in the garden with geometric tendencies.... (April 7, 2008)


Unfolding.... (April 11, 2008)


Ahhh.... (April 18, 2008)


Green. (May 5, 2008)


And a promise of more beauty. (May 5, 2008)


I'll post an update when the plume of flowers shows itself. It's flowering season is June-July.

Not Recommended

You may have noticed that I added some links to the blog over the past couple of days. One new category of links is "Recommended Plant Nurseries". These nurseries carry native or edible plants.

It's hard to describe what makes a good nursery, but over this past week it's become clear to me what isn't a good nursery!

I was quite upset on Thursday when I got a shipment of plants with only 2 of the 4 types of plants included. There was a note, "Sorry for the other plants not being ready. I can email when they come available. "

Usually I would be okay with that, but it came after another email notifying me that 4 of the other plants I'd ordered from them had been sold out and would not be available at all. Why couldn't they have told me then that 2 would be late in addition to the 4 that were unavailable?

Okay, so my panties are in a bunch.... But wait there's more from "unnamed nursery"! Check out the definition of "root bound"!

At least 3/4" of roots were sticking out below the bottom of the pots of Prairie Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)!


After I got the pot off, the rest of the roots were not any better!


Just suffice it to say, the place I got these plants from is not on the "Recommended Plant Nurseries" list.

Thank You!

A great big 'thank you' to Debbie, Michele and Penny!

These wonderful women helped me plant A LOT of plants today:
1 Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus)
1 New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
5 Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
5 Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
8 White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
16 Blue Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
27 Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
32 Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)

All together, that's 95 plants!

I got too tired to mark out all the sedges (no laughing Penny), so there's two kinds of sedges (Pennsylvania Sedge and Blue Wood Sedge), 2 Goatsbeard, 6 Toothwort, and 6 New York ferns to go to finish the Back Yard. When I get it all done, I'll show pictures!

Also, thank you David for watching Reid and Bing all day today and for getting the Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) from the Civic Garden Center sale. Now, I just need Flowering Tobacco (Niotiana alata) or Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana sylvestris) to finish the South Strip! I couldn't do it without you.

Can we all say perennial now? This is great fun, but I won't be doing it again next year.

New Plants in the North Bed

This morning my father-in-law and I went to Shooting Star Nursery (a native plant nursery) near Georgetown, Kentucky. We picked up 179 plants! This afternoon, I started planting them.

I planted 10 black huckleberries (Gaylussacia baccata),


9 wild petunias (Ruellia caroliniensis),


and 3 meadow beauty (Rhexia virginica).


I had planted 2 new blueberry bushes (Vaccinium corymbosum) yesterday,


so now the North Bed is done!


Note:
Black huckleberry's berries are enjoyed by humans and wildlife.

Wild petunia is a host plant for the Buckeye butterfly and well as a good nectar source for butterflies.

Meadow beauty's flowers attract bees and the leaves and roots are edible.

Blueberry is a host plant for the Striped Hairstreak, Henry's Elfin, and Spring Azure butterflies as well as many moths. The fruit is considered a 'superfood' by permaculturalists, moms and kids.