As I patiently await the arrival the of rain we’ve been promised, I have time to take a few park pictures and update you on recent activities.
Bill and I waded the stream today from Baughman’s Lane to halfway between the two downstream (older) bridges. We got 5 buckets of trash and pulled or clipped some invasives (hops, porcelainberry, bittersweet, multiflora rose). I can report that we have pretty well controlled the invasives along the stream for this year, but they will be back. Frederick Noxious Weed Control no longer has the time to spend in the park, so all we do is cut back things like porcelainberry so the plants do not get in the trees and bear fruit.
We are not cutting the meadow now, as we have the past two early falls. Instead, six of us spent about 12 man hours clipping or pulling the ragweed. We hauled away 4 full trailer loads. It was very gratifying to see literally dozens of birds feasting o the seeds that now will be available to them through winter, if they don’t eat them all sooner. We found lots of wildflowers in the meadow as well as three native grasses that have survived our quirky weather of the past few years.
Scouts from Troop 799 Brookhill United Methodist have been doing community service hours. They have removed invasives and mulched many trees.
We are working to improve three small areas in the parks: along the path at the west end of Waterford we have planted several moisture-loving plants (hibiscus, bonset, Joe-pye, swamp sunflower, marsh fern), around the new granite bench on the Waterford side (many dry shade plants) and on the hill on the north side of the buffer (plants will be purchased – ninebark, rose, short sumac).
The City has delivered more mulch. After the frost when the pokeberry, jewelweed and iron weed are gone we will clear around our plantings and paper and mulch. Our efforts of last winter made a huge difference this year. Thanks to all you worker bees!
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Scouts lending a hand |
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Scouts lending a hand |
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Misty morning |
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Yellow wing-stemmed ironweed |
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Jewelweed |
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Aster |
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Cranberry viburnum |