{"id":1420,"date":"2015-07-19T21:45:06","date_gmt":"2015-07-19T21:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1420"},"modified":"2015-07-19T21:45:06","modified_gmt":"2015-07-19T21:45:06","slug":"edies-garden-a-place-to-discover-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1420","title":{"rendered":"Edie\u2019s Garden\u2014A Place to Discover Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>By Barb Elliot<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Wildlife is abundant in Edie\u2019s yard.\u00a0 She finds birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bugs,<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1423\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-monarch-watermarked.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1423\" class=\"wp-image-1423 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-monarch-watermarked-300x260.jpg\" alt=\"Monarch newly emerged and ready for release. Raised from eggs laid on Edie\u2019s Butterfly Milkweed.  \u00a9 Edie Parnum.  Click to enlarge.\" width=\"300\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-monarch-watermarked-300x260.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-monarch-watermarked-345x300.jpg 345w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-monarch-watermarked.jpg 939w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1423\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Monarch newly emerged and ready for release. Raised from eggs laid on Edie\u2019s Butterfly Milkweed. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>beetles, bees, wasps, flies, and more &#8211; creatures she loves \u2013 living among her native plants.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t always this way.\u00a0 I saw the yard when Edie moved to this \u00be-acre property in 2007. It was mostly turf grass. Except for a few native trees (Black Cherry, Red Maple, White Pine), no native plants grew here. Consequently, we observed few birds\u2014just an occasional robin or starling\u2014no other wildlife.\u00a0 She knew she could transform her lifeless property into a healthy habitat for wildlife by reducing the lawn and planting native plants. It could become a place where she could discover, learn, and enjoy nature.<\/p>\n<p>To create a healthy ecosystem on her property she wanted to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Plant a diversity and multitude of native plants<\/li>\n<li>Offer conditions for birds and other creatures to thrive and reproduce<\/li>\n<li>Provide year-round food sources, water, cover, and places to raise young for wildlife<\/li>\n<li>Welcome lots of birds\u2014certainly hummingbirds<\/li>\n<li>Create a place of beauty where she could be immersed in nature<\/li>\n<li>Learn the species of flora and fauna and how they interact and depend on each other<\/li>\n<li>Leave a legacy of nature for future generations with long-lived trees and shrubs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Gradually, year by year, she has succeeded in creating this haven for wildlife.\u00a0 Eight years later I see thousands of native plants.\u00a0 They include perennials, grasses, vines, ferns, and woody plants, i.e. shrubs and trees.\u00a0 She planted densely, letting the plants touch each other as they do in the wild.\u00a0 Her canopy trees are young, but the oaks and others will be massively productive for wildlife for decades.\u00a0 Eastern Redbud, Flowering Dogwood, and Shadbush are already filling the understory.\u00a0 The mature shrubs like Spicebush, Elderberry, and several viburnum species are now luxuriant.\u00a0 At the ground<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1424\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-red-milkweed-beetles-watermarked.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1424\" class=\"wp-image-1424 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-red-milkweed-beetles-watermarked-300x280.jpg\" alt=\"Red Milkweed Beetles eat plants in the milkweed family.  The beetles are protected by the milkweed's toxins and the black and red colors. \u00a9 Edie Parnum.  click to enlarge.\" width=\"300\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-red-milkweed-beetles-watermarked-300x280.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-red-milkweed-beetles-watermarked-320x300.jpg 320w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-red-milkweed-beetles-watermarked.jpg 399w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1424\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Red Milkweed Beetles eat plants in the milkweed family. The beetles are protected by the milkweed&#8217;s toxins and the black and red colors. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>level perennials, vines, ferns, sedges, and grasses, are profuse. This diversity of plants offer nuts, seeds, berries, nectar, and pollen.\u00a0 Even the foliage of the native plants is indirectly a source of food.\u00a0 Insects eat the leaves and become food for birds and other creatures.<\/p>\n<p>Birds now find what they need to live and thrive. They eat the fruits, nuts, seeds, and nectar produced by the yard\u2019s native plants.\u00a0 Resident and migrating birds eat the insects hosted by her native plants. For example, Carolina<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Chickadees can locate the 6, 000-plus caterpillars required to feed their young.\u00a0 Of course, no pesticides are ever used.<\/p>\n<p>Edie has added other features for birds.\u00a0 She installed nest boxes for cavity-nesting House Wrens and Tree Swallows.\u00a0 She allows fallen leaves to lie in many places. Eastern Towhees and Brown Thrashers rummage in this leaf litter to find insects. Carolina Wrens<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1426\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-trumpet-honeysuckle-watermarked.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1426\" class=\"wp-image-1426 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-trumpet-honeysuckle-watermarked-300x204.jpg\" alt=\" Trumpet Honeysuckle, a well-behaved vine with hummingbird-attracting red tubular flowers.  \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-trumpet-honeysuckle-watermarked-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-trumpet-honeysuckle-watermarked-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-trumpet-honeysuckle-watermarked-439x300.jpg 439w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-trumpet-honeysuckle-watermarked.jpg 1194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1426\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trumpet Honeysuckle, a well-behaved vine with hummingbird-attracting red tubular flowers. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>often locate their insect delicacies in the brush pile. On a snag (dead tree) woodpeckers, including a Pileated Woodpecker, forage for insects in the decaying wood. A Trumpet Vine grows on this snag and attracts hummingbirds seeking nectar from its flowers. A bird bath and small pond offer birds water. The bird feeders supply a small proportion of food needed by some of the birds. Many, many birds (106 species) love this yard.<\/p>\n<p>Her meadow, in my opinion, is the crown jewel of her property.\u00a0 It is chock full of colorful perennials and grasses.\u00a0 Birds forage for seeds in late summer, fall, and winter. Numerous butterflies (30 species so far), bees, beetles, and other pollinators are active on flowers<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1422\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-meadow-watermarked.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1422\" class=\"wp-image-1422 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-meadow-watermarked-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Edie\u2019s Meadow in late summer.  Flowers attract butterflies, moths, and other insect pollinators.  \u00a9 Edie Parnum.  Click to enlarge. \" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-meadow-watermarked-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-meadow-watermarked-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-meadow-watermarked-399x300.jpg 399w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-meadow-watermarked.jpg 1145w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1422\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Edie\u2019s Meadow in late summer. Flowers attract butterflies, moths, and other insect pollinators. \u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>blooming from April through October.\u00a0 Even at night the meadow is alive with moths, beetles, and other insects and spiders.\u00a0 Aiming a flashlight into the dense meadow plants, she can see the tiny, shining eyes of moths and other insects.\u00a0 Bumble bees, too, sleep on the flower heads, resting for the next day\u2019s work.<\/p>\n<p>Edie has created a paradise for herself as well as the creatures that call her yard home. With binoculars and camera, she frequently takes nature walks around the yard.\u00a0 The birds, whether eating, preening, feeding young, are always interesting.\u00a0 Mating foxes are less expected.\u00a0 Mating Garter Snakes, too. Even<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1425\" style=\"width: 271px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-spicebush-caterpillar-watermarked.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1425\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1425\" src=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-spicebush-caterpillar-watermarked-261x300.jpg\" alt=\"Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar on Sassafras, one of its host plants.\u00a9 Edie Parnum.  Click to enlarge.\" width=\"261\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-spicebush-caterpillar-watermarked-261x300.jpg 261w, https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Edies-spicebush-caterpillar-watermarked.jpg 710w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1425\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar on Sassafras, one of its host plants.\u00a9 Edie Parnum. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>better, she loves to discover a caterpillar eating leaves. When she locates other tiny creatures\u2014bees, beetles, wasps, and others\u2014she takes their photos.\u00a0 At night she uses lights to attract moths.\u00a0 She photographs these creatures, too.<\/p>\n<p>Using the photos of insects, she can usually make identifications and then figure out their role in this ecosystem. What plants do they depend on?\u00a0 What plants depend on them? What do they eat?\u00a0 Who eats them?\u00a0 Are they parasites?\u00a0 Predators?<\/p>\n<p>The possibilities for discovery are endless.\u00a0 Mostly, she revels in success of the healthy ecosystem she has created.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/p>\n<p><strong>Nature Discovery Day,\u00a0August 29, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Edie enjoys showing her garden with its native plants, birds, butterflies, moths and other creatures to nature-loving friends. On\u00a0August 29th\u00a0she will host Nature Discovery Day.\u00a0 Throughout the day you can explore her yard, discover nature in action, and learn about habitat gardening. Guided walks for children and adults will be offered, too.\u00a0 In the evening it\u2019ll be Moth Night.<\/p>\n<p>This event will be for a limited audience by invitation only. She\u2019s inviting\u00a0<em>Backyards for Nature<\/em>\u00a0blog readers and their interested family and friends.\u00a0\u00a0Save the date\u00a0and watch for an invitation coming to you in late July or early August.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Barb Elliot Wildlife is abundant in Edie\u2019s yard.\u00a0 She finds birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bugs, beetles, bees, wasps, flies, and more &#8211; creatures she loves \u2013 living among her native plants. It wasn\u2019t always this way.\u00a0 I saw the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=1420\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[100,1,112],"tags":[25,27,8,48,15,95,122,60,24,18,121,46,123,9],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1420"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1420"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1420\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1432,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1420\/revisions\/1432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}