Progress with the Native Plant Garden (August 2011)

After a very late and wet Spring and Summer, we see our new additions to the garden responding with extraordinary growth. The contrast of August's dry weather saw Louis and his ingenious watering system keeping our plants from suffering unduly from the radical change.

Most months Louis has displayed an informative printout about a featured native plant on boards around the Village, similar to the panels to be found on the "trails network". Displays such as those, showing our native plants in colourful flower or spectacular fruit, are appreciated by passers by.

Since last Fall's and this Spring's eviction of huge brambles and other undesirables we have exposed areas where weeds revel in. ;A few constant volunteers (including two of my grandchildren) have joined me hoeing and pulling up buckets of weeds preferably with their roots and before flowering. If anyone would like to join me to pull or cut up prunings etc please phone Mary at 604-921-7842.

We are delighted to recognize how adequate swordferns are becoming as an attractive slope stabilizer, preventing the need and cost of bringing in rocks to do the job. The buckets we use for rubbish we realise could roll with glee down Lions Bay Avenue as soon as our backs are turned. Imagine rocks with the same intention - we don't choose to!

We recently improved visibility for all whilst driving up parallel to the garden. By pruning into much smaller and more shapely bushes the resident former tall Oregon Grapes. They are proving to be very attractive shrubs, lovely in early Spring with their yellow flowers, later with dusky blue fruit and as they mature another colourful phase due either to new growth or Autumn arriving.

When the first Autumn rainfalls make for an ideal planting time we will hope to be offered quite a few swordferns from any local resident who has an extra one or two they can spare. We find that we can split up the really large ones (with a narrow shovel or spade). Deer Ferns we would also welcome, Lady Ferns and Maidenhair Ferns too if you can spare them.

Another request ... if a native Red Cedar Tree is being felled in Lions Bay, we are seeking about eight rounds approximately one foot in diameter across the centre and two feet long. We can cut up the trunk or it could be cut into the desired two-foot lengths. These will furnish our circle in the upper centre of the site.

I'll include the promised possible list of desired native plant contributions. If you do have a surplus in your gardens please do offer them. We can come and help to dig them and pick them up.

This project is our own communities effort to draw attention to the universal need to protect our individual bio-diversity for the sake of all of us in the future - not just humans but all dependent life large and small. This is the natural balance that is being radically altered and eradicated in all urban areas and fast getting out of control. We can still help if each community becomes aware of this. Here in the Village we will attempt to set an example of how attractive our native plants can be in a garden setting. Each of you can assess whether you would choose to attempt on the edges of your gardens to blend into the forest by encouraging native plants and to keep your by-ways as natural as possible.

If you would like to help this project in any way please phone Mary Miles at 604-921-7842.

Again please phone Mary if you have any to spare.

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