New Plant Life on the Saint Stephen's Grounds!
The beautiful woods around St. Stephen’s are becoming a little more colorful, as invasive and opportunistic plants are replaced with indigenous plants chosen for both their beauty and value to birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. It will be years before the fruit of this work is in full display, but even the short-term changes have brought great joy, as plants set out in the spring of 2019 budded out this year in spite last summer’s drought. Their resurrection this spring was a reminder of the hope in a garden.
A few of the species planted thus far include red buckeye, and white buckeye, Itea, wax myrtle, witch hazel, native azaleas, oakleaf hydrangea, Alabama spirea, fringetree, and many colorful perennials. Adding to that beauty are the 1,000 daffodils our congregation planted on Consecration Sunday last fall. Sadly our church was closed during their peak bloom in March and April, but if the daffodils do what they normally do, they will be back next spring!
As part of the national Episcopal Church Creation Care initiative, we are in the second year of a 10-year plan to reclaim the woods and provide critical habitat for native butterflies, caterpillars, beetles, bees, birds, and other wildlife. Thankfully, the hillsides in our area nurture many oaks and black cherries, top sustainers of wildlife.
A Smithsonian study found that Chickadees need at least a 70% native plant cover to sustain enough caterpillars for feeding a brood of young in the spring. In another example, woodpeckers must have dead trees in which to nest and forage for grubs. We want to be judicious about leaving dead limbs and “snags” where they are not a hazard to provide habitat for the woodpeckers, especially now that the adjacent lot on Fairhaven Drive is completely cleared. St. Stephen’s is refuge not just for people, but all of God’s creatures.
Our “garden crew” usually gathers on Tuesday mornings and welcome anyone with a penchant for gardening or who wants to learn. Please check with Chris Boles, Lanier Gartland, or Lois Chaplin before coming. Work will take a summer pause when it gets too hot. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from last fall and this spring.
For anyone who wants to “try this at home” we recommend Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy and this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BETK1RCOj0Y
— Lois Chaplin
