As mentioned in the previous post, we received a Watershed District Grant in 2009 and this year in 2010. For our restoration this year we connected the southwest slope of prairie species to our back yard which is a dry shaded woodland.
This before photo shows how the site looked in 2004.
We again based our native plant selection on existing species in our yard as well as taking cues from our local parks.
For the prairie species, we studied a short grass prairie remnant at Purgatory Park about a mile west of us. Predominant species on this remnant are Little Bluestem, Whorled Milkweed, Stiff Goldenrod, Prairie Cinquefoil, Black-eyed Susans and Hoary Vervain.
This after photo is the same perspective as the above before photo with the prairie species just planted.
For the woodland area, we chose shrub and tree species all of which were existing in our yard - Chokecherry, Nannyberry Viburnum, Downy Arrowood Viburnum, Hackberry, Basswood and Paper Birch. The woodland herbaceous species were also existing - Yellow Violets, Penn Sedge, Early Meadow Rue, Virginia Waterleaf, Wild Geranium, False Solomon's Seal and Solomon's Seal.
We used composted leaves as a mulch between plants to help hold in moisture and add more organic matter until the new plants fill in.
