Garden of Chaos

In the spring of 2021, I delineated a corner of the yard where the grass had withered and let it grow wild over that summer. My ultimate objective was to establish a sort of wildlife refuge by adding native perennials and shelter to the area, over the course of multiple years. I managed to transplant a few freshly picked purple coneflowers and common yarrows, which I prized for their resilience and aesthetic appeal. As of now, they have grown strong and flowered more abundantly than expected.

Of course, I didn't stop there. Without much hope of seeing them thrive, I transplanted 5 of a neighbour's most neglected sunchokes. They initially struggled, but recovered beautifully this summer. One is about as tall as me!

Also, I sowed tons of white clover across the area (I know, not native), which proved very attractive to early pollinators alongside annual woodsorrels, vetches and alsike clover. By chance, I found some wild oregano, which I was sure wouldn't survive a canadian winter. Well It did, and bumblebees have fallen in love with its lush blooms (me with its heavenly scent).

This year, I attempted to eliminate invasive lambsquarters, nightshades and pigweeds from my "garden of chaos", with very satisfying results. None have grown to flower and seed thus far. On the other hand, I let horseweeds, wallflowers and prickly lettuces rise to unsightly heights. Why not, I guess.

Posted on 25 July, 2022 16:37 by frontyardscientist