Remove Invasives
I removed a Bradford pear, 3 burning bushes, orange daylilies, lily of the valley, english ivy, canary reed grass — and a buckthorn that had grown to 8 feet tall hiding inside a mock orange.
Then, Do Some Good
Plant Natives
I am increasing the diversity in my yard by swapping out turf or useless plants with something beneficial.
I don’t know what percentage of my yard is fully native. I planted many cultivars before I understood what that meant. I still have many non native plants that are either
- Pretty and not hurting anything so I think of them as garden decorations
- Something I already had that is easy to divide that I use as filler, living mulch, or a placeholder for future plants (Salvia, Catmint, Feverfew, Stonecrop) to save money
- Native somewhere not too far from here
The bees and birds and critters seem to like where I am headed. So I will keep moving forward!
