Wildflower Week | July 2022 by Willistown Conservation Trust

Wildflower Week SPONSORED BY

WILDFLOWER WEEK | JULY 2022 1

Asclepias syriaca (Common milkweed). Kristen Henwood.

WELCOME TO WILDFLOWER WEEK! Traditionally each July, Willistown Conservation Trust hosted a Wildflower Walk to celebrate the bounty of native wildflowers that bloom on our conserved lands. We have since expanded this walk to a week-long, self-guided tour, and we hope you will take the opportunity to explore these magical meadows, fields and gardens on your own, and learn how to incorporate some of these ideas in your own backyard. Wildflowers enhance our landscape with their beauty, but their importance goes well beyond what the eye can see. They provide critical food and habitat to native wildlife, help conserve water, reduce erosion and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Throughout this tour you will learn more about the benefits of planting native wildflowers and plants, and how you can turn part of your own yard, field, or patio into an oasis of beneficial habitat. As you stand in the Hartman Meadow, or observe the rain garden and wildflowers at Rushton, we invite you to pause and notice the life teeming around you — bees, butterflies, beetles, and birds abound. Here, among these flowers, you’ll see nature at its finest. We hope this experience inspires you and brings you peace and joy this summer season.

3 2 WILDFLOWER WEEK SELF-GUIDED TOUR MAP & LOCATIONS

Hartman Meadow Willistown Conservation Trust Office 925 Providence Road, Newtown Square

Rain Garden & Foundation Garden Rushton Conservation Center 915 Delchester Road, Newtown Square

Pick up your free wildflower seed packet here!

Native Shade Garden Entrance to Rushton Farm Area 911 Delchester Road, Newtown Square

Rushton Farm Wildflower Meadow Rushton Farm, crop fields near hedgerow 911 Delchester Road, Newtown Square

OUR PRESERVES Ashbridge Preserve 1691 E. Strasburg Road, West Chester Over 125 native trees and shrubs were planted as part of a streamside buffer restoration project along the west bank of Ridley Creek. Kirkwood Preserve 855 Grubbs Mill Road, Newtown Square Over 600 native trees and shrubs have been planted along Crum Creek and Massey Run within Kirkwood Preserve. To view this area, see the map in the kiosk. Rushton Woods Preserve & Farm 911 Delchester Road, Newtown Square The lush woodlands of Rushton Woods Preserve are an excellent space to gather ideas to create your own shade garden. In the spring, native ferns, including Northern maidenhair ferns can be seen along the trails throughout the woodland. Additionally, a woodland restoration project completed in 2017 features a variety of understory trees and shrubs including, eastern redbud, silky dogwood, and winterberry holly.

GREENWEAVER LANDSCAPES

LAND STEWARDSHIP

FOR PEOPLE

•Ecological Landscape Design •Expert Horticultural Services & Garden Maintenance •Professional Project Management •Skilled Craftsmanship •Environmental Stormwater Management5

AND THE PLANET 610.358.8900 green-weaver.com info@green-weaver.com

HARTMAN MEADOW It has been well documented that mowed lawn areas are typically a monoculture of non-native grasses, which require a great deal of time, water, and chemicals to maintain while providing little benefit to wildlife. In 2008, the Trust decided to create a one-acre demonstration wildflower meadow to highlight a simple, attractive, and sustainable planted alternative to a manicured lawn. With over 48 million acres of lawn in the U.S., in addition to studies indicating worrying declines in bird and insect species due to habitat loss, it is time to begin viewing our lawns as places where conservation can occur. Native plant species provide cover and seeds for birds, act as nectar and food sources for butterflies, bees, and other insects, and offer aesthetic diversity through their varied colors and textures. Over time, native grass and wildflower species in a meadow generally out-compete the weeds, making the wildflower meadow far less maintenance-intensive than a pure lawn. The roots of established native plants reach deep into the earth, sometimes even mining groundwater, making a native meadow much more drought tolerant than a lawn. The establishment of these deep root systems can take 2-3 years, but the rewards are worth the wait. To ensure the successful establishment of our meadow, we purchased about 800-1,200 landscape “plugs” (young plants) each year beginning in 2008, and planted them in manageable 20’ x 30’ plots, adding one new plot each year through 2017. In late April and early May, plugs were planted directly into the existing turfgrass by hand at a ratio of one per square foot; the turfgrass acts as a cover crop to discourage other weeds. Native grasses were incorporated as plugs or seeds into the plots along with the wildflowers. The plots are mowed only once annually, typically in late March/early April to provide food and cover for over-wintering bird species and other wildlife.

HARTMAN MEADOW

-Common milkweed -Tall coreopsis

-Virginia mountain mint -Butterfly weed -Joe Pye weed -Leaved goldenrod -Short-toothed mountain mint

-Black-eyed susan -Gayfeather -Sunflower -Purple coneflower

-Culver’s root -Poke weed -Cup plant PR OV I

ER OA D

-Bergamot

HARTMAN MEADOW | was named in February 2020 in honor of the previous Director of Stewardship, Bill Hartman for over thirteen years of service and dedication to Willistown Conservation Trust.

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Tall coreopsis (Coreopsis tripterus)

Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)

False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)

Grass-leaved goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia)

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

Photos: Blake Goll/Staff, Kristen Henwood, Stephanie Kuniholm, Monica McQuail, Lady Bird Johnson, High Country Gardens, Missouri Botanical Garden, Budburst, Gardenia.net, U.S. Forest Service, American Meadows, Cochato Nursery, Centerton Nursery, Gerris, and Wikipedia.

PERENNIALS

RUSHTON CONSERVATION CENTER RAIN GARDEN The Rushton Conservation Center (RCC) driveway wraps around the Rushton Rain Garden, planted in 2018. Designed by Johnathan Alderson Landscape Architects, this garden features a variety of perennials, grasses, and woody plants carefully selected for their ability to withstand wet soils to help mitigate the stormwater runoff created by the paved driveway. Roadways, driveways, and sidewalks carry water to storm drains, which feed directly into our local waterways. This water can carry pollutants and debris like road salts, heavy metals from cars, and sediment that impacts the water quality. Increased development of impervious surfaces, or surfaces that water cannot seep through, can also lead to increased flooding because more water is carried to our streams through the storm drains. Rain gardens are designed to intercept water and help return it slowly back into the ground while filtering out contaminants. They can have deep basins, like ours at the RCC, or the depression can be subtle. Our basin has a drain in the center for excess water during heavy downpours carrying the water downhill to a meadow where it will also slowly filter back into the ground. The plants used in rain gardens, or other soggy areas in a garden, like to “have their feet wet.” Their deep root systems can withstand heavy rainfall over a short amount of time and through periods of drought. These plants can also be the perfect addition near downspouts and along driveways.

Monica McQuail/Staff

The Rushton Conservation Center Rain Garden was made possible by the generosity of Lida A. Wright.

Eastern beebalm (Monarda bradburiana)

Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Aromatic aster (Aster oblongifolius)

Daisy fleabane (Erigeron strigosus)

Golden groundsel (Packera aureus)

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Goldenrod (Solidago)

TREE Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Carolina lupine (Thermopsis caroliniana)

Photos: Blake Goll/Staff, Kristen Henwood, Stephanie Kuniholm, Lady Bird Johnson, High Country Gardens, Missouri Botanical Garden, Budburst, Gardenia.net, U.S. Forest Service, American Meadows, Cochato Nursery, Centerton Nursery, Gerris, and Wikipedia.

PERENNIALS

RUSHTON CONSERVATION CENTER FOUNDATION GARDEN The gardens surrounding the Rushton Conservation Center (RCC) and along the entrance drive were designed by Johnathan Alderson Landscape Architects and planted upon completion of the RCC in 2018. All of the gardens at the Trust’s office and preserves have been loosely planned, but the gardens surrounding the RCC exhibit the use of native plants in a more manicured way, maintaining a variety of textures and colors while attracting insects and birds. These gardens also have our largest variety of trees, shrubs, and grasses with perennials scattered throughout. While the flowering plants offer a delightful palette of color throughout the year, several varieties of grasses provide complementary textures and colors ranging from silvery blues like the Bunny Blue sedge to bright greens like Blonde Ambition Grama grass.

Monica McQuail/Staff

While celebrating Wildflower Week, we thought you would also appreciate a look at these other options of native plants for your property.

Blazing star (Liatris spicata)

Cranesbill (Geranium maculatum)

TREES & SHRUBS

Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata)

Yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava)

River birch (Betula nigra)

Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)

Coast Azalea (Rhododenron atlanticum)

Blue Grama Grass “Blond Ambition” (Bouteloua gracilis)

Little bluestem “standing ovation” (Schizachyrium scoparium)

GRASSES

PERENNIALS

NATIVE SHADE GARDEN

This enchanting little garden changes throughout the seasons. The life cycle of a shade garden has several important stages including flowering, developing seeds for birds or insects, and decomposing. Some of the plants rise from the soil and tilt their faces to the sun, but the majority of the plants in this garden are for shade or part shade. Shade gardens can help fill gaps under trees and shrubs and add color to wooded areas while creating visual texture throughout all four seasons. All of the plants bring their specialty to this habitat, providing seed or shelter for the birds, adding color in their flowers for us to admire, or offering a tasty morsel from their foliage to a chipmunk. The few plants that prefer a bit of sun are the Stoke’s Aster, Tickseed, and Northern Sea Oats, as you can see by their location being closer to the front edge of Delchester Road.

LandArt Events artist, Denise Vitollo painting in the Rushton Farm Shade Garden.

Leading Lady Charlize (Coreopsis auriculata)

Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis)

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Thread-leaf coryopsis (Coreopsis verticilata)

Beebalm ‘Jacob Kline’ (Monarda didyma)

Stoke’s Aster (Stokesia)

Wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

FERNS

PERENNIALS

RUSHTON FARM WILDFLOWER MEADOW In the old days, farming was automatically performed in concert with nature. Hedgerows and wild “weedy” meadows next to farm fields were common, as the farm acted as part of the surrounding ecosystem. Now commercial agriculture is much more intensive and often involves clearing all surrounding habitat to make way for expansive farm fields; erosion, soil degradation, and chemical inputs ensue. Rushton Farm is an example of regenerative farming that aims to increase biodiversity, ensure the long-term health of the land, and enhance natural ecosystem services like pollination. The wild meadows you see next to the working farm fields at Rushton provide habitat for a myriad of insects, including species that are predators to farm pests, as well as other species that promote pollination of the crops. Research shows that the wild pollination services of native bees and butterflies are twice as efficient as the supplemental services of managed honeybees. In other words, managed honeybees cannot replace wild insects in most cases. Therefore, farmers benefit immensely by adopting wildlife-friendly practices such as restoring patches of the natural landscape in their fields. Our natural wildflower strips have been in place since the birth of Rushton Farm over 10 years ago. Although some perennial plugs were planted early on, it has largely been “let-go” and only mowed once a year in spring to prevent woody growth. Naturally occurring goldenrod and milkweed abound. This thick habitat not only supports beneficial insects, but also many bird species including migratory warblers and sparrows in search of cover and food when passing through in the fall.

Wildflower meadow in September. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

New England aster (Aster novae-angliae)

Field thistle (Cirsium discolor)

Daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Short-toothed mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)

SHRUB Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)

Pennsylvania blackberry (Rubus pensilvanicus)

PERENNIALS

NATIVE ALTERNATIVES TO INVASIVE SPECIES By Andrew Kirkpatrick, Director of Stewardship Every time I walk into a nursery or big box store I feel a great temptation to purchase the prettiest plants. However, sometimes the prettiest plants and the ones that stand up to deer are not the best selections available for local pollinators and wildlife. Native plants support local species better than exotic ones because they have evolved in the ecosystems where we live. And while you will see bees and butterflies at non-native plants, these do not offer the same amount of nutritional content as their native alternatives. A blueberry is far more nutritious for a bird than a barberry. Birds have to eat more of the invasive species to get the same amount of benefits which in turn increases the spread of the invasive seeds in their poop. With a little research and careful selection we can easily move away from invasive garden species to more beneficial native ones. Here’s a list to get started derived from the excellent book from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Native Alternatives to Invasive Species.

INVASIVE SHRUB: Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) Escapes into the wild and invades forests where it pushes out native shrub species plus it is a vector for ticks. NATIVE ALTERNATIVES: Witch Alder (Fothergilla gardenii) -Small shrub with rounded to mounding form. -3-5 ft tall and wide. -Fuzzy white terminal flower clusters in early spring. -Oval scalloped foliage. -Orange to burgundy fall color.

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) -Mounding to spreading form. -1-3 ft tall and 2-4 ft wide. -Terminal white flower clusters in late spring and summer. -Deep green foliage. -Yellow autumn color.

Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) -See it at the Rushton Conservation Center (RCC) by the front door! -Small shrub with arching vase-like form. -2-4 ft tall and 3-5 ft wide. -Yellow flowers all summer. -Yellow to burgundy autumn color.

INVASIVE SHRUB: Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii) Despite the name, butterfly bush only supports adult butterflies with its abundant nectar but fails to provide for all of the other stages of life. NATIVE ALTERNATIVES: Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) -Rounded, irregular form. -6-10 ft tall and wide. -Attractive winter silhouette. -Fuzzy white summertime flowers. -Deep glossy green foliage. -Yellow autumn color..

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) -Upright to irregular form. -4-8 ft tall and wide. -Tawny to chestnut-colored bark. -Deep green quilted foliage. -Spikes of sweet-scented white flowers in summer. -Yellow autumn foliage color. 16

INVASIVE GROUNDCOVER: Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) Aggressive spreader, easily escapes into adjacent natural areas. NATIVE ALTERNATIVES: Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) -Dense, slow-spreading groundcover. -Paddle-shaped evergreen leaves. -Fuzzy spring flowers. -Rich winter foliage. -Not deer resistant!

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) -Climbing vine with holdfasts. -Palmate leaves with five leaflets. -Smoky-blue berries on red stalks. -Flaming autumn color.

Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) -Deer resistant. -Delicate blue star shaped spring flowers. -Grass like foliage. -Grows in dense, tufted clumps.

INVASIVE VINE: Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Aggressive vine that will smother trees and shrubs. NATIVE ALTERNATIVE: Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) -Well-behaved deciduous vine. -Scarlet flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. -Small red berries. -Gray-green leaves. -Exfoliating winter bark. INVASIVE GRASS: Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis Anderss.) Very aggressive and deep rooted ornamental grass that is sold as sterile but tends to reproduce anyway. A serious threat to meadows and natural grassy areas. NATIVE ALTERNATIVE: Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) -Clumping grass with ascending, tufted foliage. -Silky golden plumes. -Red to russet autumn color. INVASIVE GRASS: Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) Escapes into natural areas forming dense stands, prolific seeder spreads by wind. NATIVE ALTERNATIVE: Pink hair grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) -Clumping grass with a rounded crown. -Low tufts of arching blades. -Airy red plumes. -Russet to tawny autumn color. Photos: Lady Bird Johnson, Gardenia.net, and WHYY.

NATIVE ALTERNATIVES TO INVASIVE SPECIES (Continued) BAMBOO (Bambusa, Phyllostachys and Pseudosasa species) Description: A popular plant for privacy screens due to its fast and dense growth habit, these species will quickly spread through underground rhizomes and can become out of control. Alternatives: big bluestem (Andropogon geradii), indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), for privacy screens: red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata ‘Green Giant’) EXOTIC BUSH HONEYSUCKLES (Lonicera species) Description: These species were introduced as ornamental specimens but have escaped into the wild and disrupted woodland habitats and hedgerows. The fruit is carbohydrate rich, which does not provide enough fats for migrating birds. Alternatives: arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum), northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), red or black chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia or melanocarpa) MULTIFLORA ROSE (Rosa multiflora) Description: Introduced as an ornamental species in 1866, multiflora rose was later promoted for erosion control, as a living livestock fence, and wildlife cover by the government. It was eventually determined to be highly invasive, quickly outcompeting native shrubs in forests and other habitats. Alternatives: common blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis), swamp rose (Rosa palustris), pasture rose (Rosa carolina) PRIVET (Ligustrum species) Description: Widely used for hedges and privacy screens, privet has invaded forests, floodplains, wetlands and fields throughout the Northeast. It forms dense thickets that outcompete native vegetation. Alternatives: inkberry holly (Ilex glabra), spicebush (LIndera benzoin), blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium), red or black chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia or melanocarpa) NORWAY MAPLE (Acer platanoides) Description: Introduced as an ornamental species, Norway maple is highly aggressive and invades forests, fields, and many other habitats where it displaces native trees and shrubs. Alternatives: American beech (Fagus grandifolia), red maple (Acer rubrum), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), willow oak (Quercus phellos), black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) ENGLISH IVY (Hedera helix) Description: Commonly used as an ornamental groundcover, English ivy will escape into the wild and form dense impenetrable mats on the forest floor, woodland edges, fields, hedgerows, coastal areas and wetlands. This vine will smother and kill trees and harbors bacterial leaf scorch, a harmful pathogen that kills oaks, maples, and elms. Alternatives: Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) (caution should be used where planting as it can be quite aggressive), crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), wild ginger (Asarum Canadensis), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum), (foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia), hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa) Photos: Lady Bird Johnson, Gardenia.net, Eric Boyda

WILDFLOWERS AT OUR NATURE PRESERVES By Mike Cranney, Preserve Manager

Across all of our preserves and properties, Willistown Conservation Trust boasts unique habitat supporting a wide variety of native wildflowers. Each place has distinct characteristics, creating different experiences and diverse species everywhere you go. You can find wildflowers in bloom at our preserves throughout the seasons, peaking in mid-summer during Wildflower Week. Spend time at each one to appreciate the full palette of our native wildflowers! Rushton Woods Preserve is a great place to see a wide variety of wildflower species. The formal plantings and rain garden around the Rushton Conservation Center (RCC) are perfect inspiration for your own yard. Look especially during Wildflower Week for the purple coneflower, false sunflower, cutleaf coneflower, purple blazing star, and butterfly weed. Meadow strips also surround Rushton Farm, providing food and habitat for helpful insects, birds, and pollinators. These come to life in the summer and remain lush and colorful through the fall. Down the road at Kirkwood Preserve, over 80 acres of grasses and wildflowers provide key habitat for picky bird species that will only nest in these large, open areas. Vast drifts of milkweed and dogbane give way to goldenrod and ironweed as summer moves into autumn, but don’t overlook the native grasses, such as big bluestem and Indian grass, which provide beautiful color and texture. Climbing the trail to the top of the hill will give you an awesome vantage point to look out over all of the colors below. At Ashbridge Preserve, a gas line right-of-way ensures that a large strip of land remains unforested. This right-of way actually provides great meadow habitat, with beautiful views across Ridley Creek. Most of the preserve is part of the floodplain wetland, so you will find wildflowers that grow in moist soil, such as soft rush and swamp hibiscus. If you follow the trail past the first creek crossing and through the woods, you will be rewarded when you re-emerge into the meadow and see mixes of goldenrod, joe pye weed, milkweed, and ironweed. If you need a break from the sun, follow our trails into the woods at the preserves; you can find shade-loving wildflower varieties too! The forest floor looks brilliant in the spring, when ephemerals such as toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, mayapple, trout lily, and trillium emerge. It explodes with color again in the fall, when masses of snakeroot, white wood aster, big leaf aster, and jumpseed bloom. You can find some of these species in the garden at the Trust office, a great place to look for inspiration for a native shade garden of your own. While you’re there, be sure to walk through Hartman Meadow to see the gorgeous mixes of milkweed, joe pye, coneflowers, mountain mint, spiderwort, bergamot, and more.

Hartman Meadow at Willistown Conservation Trust Office.

There is interest and inspiration to be had all around WCT’s preserves, farm, and gardens any time of year. Our native wildflowers not only look beautiful, but also provide the habitat and food necessary to ensure a healthy ecosystem. Stop by all of our preserves during Wildflower Week and beyond — I hope to see you there! 19

September – January: Pick a location for your meadow that is generally sunny and well-drained. Existing lawn areas or fields are ideal. The size of the meadow should be determined by how much space you are willing to dedicate to the project and your budget. As a guide, a one-quarter acre meadow would require approximately 2,700 wildflower plugs planted 2 feet on center. February – Late March: Work with a landscape professional or reputable nursery that specializes in native plants to place an order for wildflowers that can be scheduled to arrive for installation in mid-April – early May. Late March – Early April: Begin preparing the meadow area by mowing it to a height of 2-3 inches. Continue to mow the project area until you are ready to install the wildflower plugs.

SHADE GARDEN

TREES & SHRUBS, PERENNIALS, AND GRASSES & FERNS

PREPARE: Choose a location for your garden that receives full or partial shade from either nearby canopy trees or existing structures. Once you choose a suitable location, determine the size of the garden based on how much space you are willing to dedicate to the project and your budget. Once you determine the size of the area you are planting, work with a landscape professional/designer or native plant nursery that specializes in native plants to receive an estimate on how many plants should be ordered for your space. If there are existing plants in the space you identified, take an inventory, and decide what to retain and what to remove and replace. Pay particular attention to the guidelines for the plants’ recommended height and spacing. Gain inspiration from local woodlands by noting the various vertical layers of plant life and aim to echo these layers in your design by including a mix of native plants in the upper canopy, understory, and ground layers.

PREPARE:

TREES & SHRUBS

RIPARIAN BUFFER

PLANNING & MAINTENANCE GUIDE

MEADOW

WILDFLOWERS & GRASSES

PREPARE:

Choose a location along your stream where the riparian buffer area is degraded or non-existent. Measure the square footage of the area you intend to plant. If your project involves planting where no buffer exists, measure outward from where the bank drops off to the stream; and while there is no specific ideal buffer width, the wider the buffer area, the greater the environmental benefits. We suggest a minimum of a 25’ buffer width. Once you know the size of the area you will be planting, you can work with a landscape professional or reputable nursery that specializes in native plants to estimate how many trees and shrubs should be ordered. Typically, plants are spaced 12-15 feet apart. Prior to planting, you may want to prepare the project area by mowing it to facilitate digging the holes.

PLANT:

PRESERVE:

Mid-April – Early May: Once your wildflower plugs arrive, it may be tempting to lay out plants in neatly arranged rows, but clustering plants together while still paying attention to plant spacing will echo the organic patterns found in nature. In addition, wildflowers planted in clusters with several plants of the same species within a few feet of each other will also help to attract more pollinators. Use a handheld auger (2” +/- in diameter) or shovel to open holes for your wildflower plugs. Then you can easily insert each plug in the hole and tamp the soil around it.

Early May – Early October: Once your wildflowers are planted, regularly inspect your meadow to ensure that invasive weeds are not colonizing the space. Hand pulling or cutting weeds below the height of native species should help to manage any invasives that may creep into your meadow. Year Two and Beyond: Mow the entire meadow once a year in late March to early April to a height of about 6 inches -- before the young wildflowers start pushing through the grass. Although some landscape professionals recommend mowing meadows in the fall as well, leaving plants unmowed over the winter provides important food and shelter for wildlife during the harsh winter months. Should you decide to mow a second time in the fall, wait until the year following installation to give the young wildflowers a chance to establish. Wildflower plugs generally take three years to fully mature, so patience is required, but the result is well worth the wait!

PLANT:

PRESERVE:

Prior to digging holes and removing the plants from their containers, place them in the garden according to your intended design; this will allow you to visualize the layout and adjust plant spacing and location as desired.

Once you have planted your shade garden, it is important to mulch it annually and weed it regularly to give the native plants the best chance to establish successfully. Including a mix of diverse herbaceous plants that will spread and expand will also help to suppress weeds. Following the first 3 +/- years after installation, the garden should require less maintenance. While native plants are best suited to their region and generally require less care and maintenance than many non-native ornamental plants, it will likely be necessary to water plants for the first couple of years, especially during periods of drought or high heat during the height of summer.

We recommend planting the trees and shrubs first. To start, dig holes at least as deep as the container and twice as wide. Remove the plant from the container and loosen the roots, especially if they are tightly bound. Adjust your plant in the hole, adding or removing soil as needed so the root flare/crown (where the roots start to spread from the trunk or stems) is just above ground level. Tamp the soil around the roots as you fill the hole to ensure that the plant is firmly planted. Once the trees and shrubs are planted, add the herbaceous plants as appropriate. Planting guidelines are similar to trees and shrubs, with a focus on proper hole depth and width, loosened roots, and tamped soil around the plant to provide the support it needs to grow. A good dose of water after all plants are in the ground--and regularly thereafter--will help ensure their successful adaptation to their new home.

PLANT:

PRESERVE:

Follow guidelines for spacing your trees and shrubs the appropriate distance from each other, but note that your plants do not need to be installed in perfect rows. Creating more naturalistic groupings of plants can echo the organic patterns found in nature.

Once your trees and shrubs are planted, it is important to protect them from deer damage! Placing tree guards or constructing your own fencing around individual trees or shrubs is the best way to protect them from deer until they become large enough to survive without protection (typically 8-10 years). Once installed, periodically check the plants and manually remove any aggressive vines climbing on the tree guards or fencing. Avoid the use of chemicals to fight the vines; they can harm the plants, insects, and the water system.

Many of your trees and shrubs will likely arrive in pots. Dig the hole at least as deep as the pot and twice as wide. Remove the plant from the pot and loosen the roots, especially if they are tightly bound. Adjust your plant in the hole, adding or removing soil as needed so the root flare (where the roots start to spread from the trunk) is just above ground level. Take care not to bury the plant too deep or cover the trunk with soil, while making sure your plant isn’t sitting too high, with its top roots exposed. Tamp the soil around the root ball as you fill the hole to ensure that the plant is firmly planted.

Written by Bill Hartman & Kristen Henwood

UPCOMING PROJECTS AT OUR PRESERVES By Andrew Kirkpatrick, Director of Stewardship

UPCOMING PROJECTS AT RUSHTON WOODS PRESERVE EQUESTRIAN/PEDESTRIAN TRAIL IMPROVEMENT | August 2022 With a generous grant from Chester County, we will be working with Green Roots Landscaping to make surface and drainage improvements along the main trail corridor through Rushton Woods Preserve. UNIVERSAL ACCESS PATH FROM RCC TO RUSHTON FARM | Fall 2022 With a generous grant from Chester County and PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, we will be constructing a hard surface universal access path connecting the RCC to the Farm between the hedgerow along Delchester Road and the farm field. This path will facilitate users of all abilities to enjoy the scenic vistas of the farm and preserve with seating. Restoration of the hedgerow with native plants will also be included in this project. HEDGEROW RESTORATION PROJECT | September 2022 With a generous grant from PSO Bioblitz we will initiate the first step in restoring the interior hedgerows in the preserve between the farm and the pollinator meadow. This will include removing invasive plant species, replacing them with native trees and shrubs, and protecting the plantings from deer.

UPCOMING PROJECT AT KIRKWOOD PRESERVE STONE STEP CROSSING OVER CRUM CREEK | August 2022 With funding from Willistown Township, we are working with Land Concepts to design and install a new stone step crossing over Crum Creek at our Kirkwood Preserve. The stone step crossing will be similar to the ones at Ashbridge Preserve. The new crossing will connect to the far side of the preserve, which was recently expanded by 12 acres with funding from Willistown Township, Chester County, and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

A SUBURBAN NATURE LOVER SEEKS LEGACY EASEMENT TO PROTECT HER NATIVE PLANT OASIS By Blake Goll, Education Programs Manager and Erik Hetzel, Director of Land Protection Meandering along the cool wood chip paths beneath the varied canopy of beech, oak, and cherry trees, your eyes dance with the dappled light around the myriad understory shrubs — first settling on this glossy leaved plant, then darting upwards to those feathered shadows that flit and call among the boughs above — and you almost forget that this dynamic natural escape is someone’s backyard.

easement model to conserve lands that might not be effectively protected by other means, such as through deed restrictions or covenants between neighboring property owners. This unique program opens the door for landowners with smaller properties to become conservationists in a new way, one that is more accessible. And Marianne’s easement will ensure the lasting stewardship of the habitat that she has nurtured over the last 50 years.

here are an estimated 40 to 50 million acres of manicured lawns in the United States today, including residential properties, roadsides, and golf courses; this represents a significant loss in plant and habitat diversity needed to support wildlife in these spaces. Unsustainable human population growth coupled with harrowing reports of a 30% loss of all birds since 1970 are a call to action. Fortunately, as Marianne Price’s property in Broomall, PA proves, with the right planning, the average American yard can easily and significantly contribute to insect and bird populations.

Like legacy easements, part of the reason why Marianne’s little sanctuary is so inspiring is that emulating it is doable. She is a plant enthusiast and has fun experimenting with different species and cultivars that are not all native. Experts say that even if you strive for 70% native plant biomass and allow the other 30% to be other (noninvasive) plants of interest, you can still contribute to the growth of suburban bird populations like chickadees. It does not have to be an all or nothing effort. The average American lawn can easily attract at least 50 kinds of beautiful and interesting birds with the right planning!

“My husband Karl and I bought this place in 1972 after the previous owner passed away,” Marianne explains. “He wanted the buyer to be someone who would take care of the property for the wild birds he loved so much. He’s the one who began stewarding this yard with native trees. I kept nurturing the trees and planting more, because I wanted to keep my word, and I’ve done just that. Here I am almost at the 50 year anniversary!” she gleams. Marianne has continued to care for this one-acre ecosystem, singlehandedly taking on the responsibilities after Karl passed in 2007.

With a keen eye for sustainable practices, Marianne even strives to make her watering practices environmentally friendly. Although her diverse landscape of hardy perennials, shrubs, and deeprooted trees requires less water that a typical Kentucky bluegrass lawn, she still needs to water during dry spells. She cleverly collects the used “gray water” from her air conditioning unit, dehumidifier, and even her laundry washing machine! She pumps this reusable water into covered storage barrels tucked around her property for watering.

Marianne’s devotion to stewarding the property now extends well into the future, thanks to her commitment to conserving the land with Willistown Conservation Trust. Using a Legacy Easement, which is specifically designed for smaller properties like hers, Marianne approached the Trust’s Land Protection Program earlier this year. Director of Land Protection Erik Hetzel recalls, “I visited her property on a sunny October morning and was greeted by an oasis of nature in a suburban neighborhood. The place was buzzing with pollinators and birds.”

When you consider that each hour of lawn mowing generates as much pollution as driving a car nearly 100 miles, it also becomes apparent how a property like Marianne’s demonstrates a more carbon neutral solution to an all-lawn landscape. From saving water and reducing carbon emissions to contributing to biodiversity and permanently protecting her land, Marianne is truly an inspiration to us all — proving that an average-sized suburban landscape can be transformed from a uniform green patch to an alluring conserved oasis.

The terms of Marianne’s easements are relatively simple, focusing on the preservation of native tree species, including vital species like the native oak that supports a myriad of caterpillar and bird species. The Trust’s Legacy Easement program uses a simplified

Article from 2021 Fall Sycamore Newsletter

Marianne Price. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.

Erik Hetzel and Sue Costello taking baseline easement photos. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.

25Marianne has close to 80 trees planted on her property. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.

STAFF BIOS

MIKE CRANNEY, PRESERVE MANAGER | Mike is responsible for the management of the Trust’s 400 acres of nature preserves—Ashbridge, Garrett Mill, Kirkwood, and Rushton Woods. He also manages and works with volunteers and assists with monitoring the Trust’s private conservation easement properties. Mike interned and worked at Morris Arboretum as a gardener. Mike earned his MS in Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. FRED DE LONG, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY FARM PROGRAM | Fred manages Rushton Farm which is located within the 86-acre Rushton Woods Preserve. The farm grows food for 120 CSA member families and over 30,000 pounds for local food cupboards. Fred has been developing and managing farms for over 20 years with a focus on promoting local food production while fostering an understanding of the interrelationship between agriculture and the surrounding ecosystem. His work has helped to educate and underscore the importance of the mutually beneficial relationship between healthy local food and nature. Fred has written and been an invited speaker on numerous topics including organic agriculture, farmland conservation, and agroecology. He regularly presents to gatherings of the conservation and farming communities and lectures at local universities including the University of Pennsylvania, Villanova, Temple and Rutgers. Fred is a graduate of Ithaca College. BLAKE GOLL, EDUCATION PROGRAMS MANAGER | Blake oversees the Trust’s nature education initiatives. As the creator of the Rushton Nature Keepers program, she provides youth with opportunities to develop relationships with nature through multi-disciplinary year-round programming. She also assists with daily operations of the songbird banding and owl banding stations seasonally and provides outreach to help educate the community about conservation. Prior to the Trust, she was an environmental educator at Penn State’s Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, following which she completed a MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) internship, banding songbirds in Washington State for the Institute for Bird Populations. Blake is a North American Banding Council (NABC) certified bird bander. She is a frequent contributor to the Trust’s digital content channels, local magazines, and speaker at like-minded organizations. Blake holds a BA in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Pennsylvania State University. NOAH GRESS, RUSHTON FARM FIELD MANAGER | Noah has twenty years of experience in organic sustainable agriculture and has been a strong voice in the southeastern Pennsylvania farming community for the last ten years. He got his start at the revered Solviva Farm in West Tisbury, Massachusetts before moving to Pete’s Produce Farm in Westtown where he independently ran organic production at the farm. He owns and operates Raindance Apiaries, a beekeeping business focused on honey production and pollination. The happy bees at Rushton Farm are part of his “herd.” SARAH HUTCHIN, GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE COORDINATOR | Sarah Hutchin manages the maintenance of the gardens at Rushton Farm and tends the RCC gardens, rain garden, and meadow. An avid gardener and horticulturist, Sarah has been a docent for many years at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware. She also grows natives throughout her property on a ridge in Downingtown, PA. ANDREW KIRKPATRICK, DIRECTOR OF STEWARDSHIP | Andrew is responsible for all environmental stewardship initiatives as well as the oversight of more than 80 conservation easements held by the Trust. Andrew has a broad background in environmental planning, restoration and management. Prior to joining the Trust, he was the Manager of Land Stewardship at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education where he managed a 340-acre preserve, led trail projects, coordinated volunteer activities, and managed a retail native plant nursery. He has also worked at the Morris Arboretum, The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Ambler Arboretum at Temple University. Andrew holds an MS in Landscape Architecture from Temple University. 26

INTERESTING READS

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS & ARTICLES “Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies” The Xerces Society, published by Storey Publishing As mentioned earlier, the Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. The recent decline of pollinators such as the honey bee and monarch butterfly poses a serious ecological challenge since pollinators are essential to the reproduction of most flowering plants and serve as a key food source for birds, fish, and other animals. This 380 page book, loaded with color photographs and illustrations, reflects the latest understanding about creating and managing pollinator habitat. Support the Xerces Society by purchasing this book directly from its website (www.xerces.org).

“Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard” Doug Tallamy, published by Timber Press “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard” Lecture and Book Signing with Author Doug Tallamy Thursday, September 22 | 6 -7 pm Rushton Conservation Center For more information and tickets visit wctrust.org/calendar.

“The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden” Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy, published by Timber Press The Living Landscape shows you how to balance both ethical and functional design in your own home garden by creating spaces that support wildlife without sacrificing aesthetics and providing spaces for play, entertaining, and privacy. The authors examine the layers found in healthy ecosystems such as canopy trees, understory trees, shrubs and the ground layer and provide examples of how these layers can be applied in your home garden. The book features outstanding photography as well as an extensive list of Mid-Atlantic plants which includes information on their landscape value and ecological function.

“Urban and Suburban Meadows: Bringing Meadowscaping to Big and Small Spaces” Catherine Zimmerman, published by Matrix Media Press Author and photographer Catherine Zimmerman combines her expertise in photography, storytelling, environmental issues, horticulture and organic practices to offer meadowscaping as an alternative to reduce monoculture lawns. Zimmerman crafts a guide that provides step-by-step instructions on organically creating and maintaining beautiful meadow gardens. Four experts in meadow establishment lend their knowledge for site preparation, design, native plants, planting and maintenance. The book provides plant lists and resource sections for nine regions across the United States along with local sources to assist the meadow creator in bringing diversity back to urban and suburban landscapes. Meadows can be big or small, short or tall. However large, the benefits are great. Meadows sequester carbon, retain water, filter pollutants, eliminate the need for fertilizers or pesticides, and provide habitat for wildlife. Reduce your carbon footprint. Improve your neighborhood. 27

Credit and Descriptions: The Xerces Society, Timber Press, Matrix Media Press, and Amazon.com

Douglas W. Tallamy’s first book, Bringing Nature Home, awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more natives. In this new book, Tallamy takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation. Nature’s Best Hope shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats. Because this approach relies on the initiatives of private individuals, it is immune from the whims of government policy. Even more important, it’s practical, effective, and easy—you will walk away with specific suggestions you can incorporate into your own yard.

WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST | 925 PROVIDENCE ROAD 28NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA 19073 | 610.353.2562 | WCTRUST.ORG