"Why plant so much turf all over the Earth? Roots are shallow. Just bid it adieu! Native roots reach down into the ground, suck up stormwater all the day through."
The lake shoreline at our neighborhood park used to consist of turf grass right up to the water’s edge. The “golf course look.” And to some, that is beautiful. However, in reality it’s a dead zone. No bushes and aquatic plants to create shade for spawning fish and Michigan’s many frog species. Nowhere for dragonflies to reproduce—they eat mosquito larva which we should be super thankful for! Nothing for turtles, herons… no seeds for the songbirds. No habitat whatsoever. And on top of that, the fertilizers and herbicides from the park turf grass were running off into the lake creating massive blue green algae booms and tangles of flamentous algae on top of it.
Then, in 2017 we put in 4000 square feet of natural shoreline right up to the water’s edge. Native plugs and seedings looked sparse the first year and better the second, then by year three the shoreline exploded! Seed heads from all of the native flowers dropped to the earth and multiplied into swaths of color. Deep-rooted, native plants are now absorbing run-off, feeding birds and creating a habitat for all kinds of aquatic creatures.
Several lake neighbors have jumped on board by naturalizing their backyard shorelines as well. It takes a conscious effort to keep lake water clean in a high population density, urbanized environment.
RAIN GARDENS
Embrace the rain before it hits the drain! Rain gardens are another excellent way to improve the health of the watershed. We have four rain gardens at our house. Placed at the end of a downspout or sump pump outlet, rain gardens are sand filled basins planted with native plants to absorb and filter stormwater while attracting pollinators and beautifying your property. Read more about rain garden basics in my book, "Let's Build a Rain Garden!"
Monarch caterpillar on Swamp Milkweed at West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline rejuvenation project.
Cardinal Flower and Boneset growing at the West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline.
Swamp Milkweed at West Bloomfield Lake natural shoreline.
Blue Flag Iris in my home rain garden.
Great Blue Lobelia in my home rain garden.
This shoreline area at our neighborhood lake park was once turf grass right up to the water's edge. Then, our HOA voted to naturalize 4000 square feet of shoreline. Now, after year three of growth it is flourishing with native wildflowers, sedges and grasses. Neighbors around the lake are jumping on board and doing the same with their shorelines!
Ironweed at West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline.
Blue Vervain at West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline.
Butterfly Milkweed at West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline.
Ivy eating Wild Strawberries at West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline.
Wanda in the Buttonbush at our home shoreline. West Bloomfield Lake.
Purple Coneflower and Black Eyed Susan at the West Bloomfield Lake park natural shoreline.
When the flowers go to seed, like these from Purple Coneflower, I encourage neighbors to gather a pocketful to take home and plant. There are more than enough to go around.
MONARCH WAYSTATION
In summer 2022, I applied for our native shoreline to be a certified Monarch Waystation. We did it! We qualified and received this beautiful sign which was erected near the children's playground and right in front of a large patch of common milkweed. My hope is that it will serve as an environmental education site.
The Monarch Watch website has a wealth of information including guidelines to create monarch waystations, a site map and international registry, types of milkweeds, a printable waystation application and many other wonderful resources.
If you'd like to get started, keep in mind that "a truly effective Monarch Waystation will be at least 100 square feet" according to the site. Further to this, "to maximize the use of your habitat by monarchs, we recommend that you have at least 10 milkweed plants, made up of two or more species; however, a large number of plants (more than 10) of one species is sufficient. Milkweeds of different species mature and flower at different times during the season. By increasing the number of milkweed species in your habitat you will increase the likelihood that monarchs will utilize your property for a longer period during the breeding season."
コメント