The Ministry for Earth, Facilities Manager Victor Young, Building & Grounds Team, and Davey Tree Company collaborated recently to raise the canopy on the oak trees in the parking lot to 15 feet. There were many dead branches – some up to 5” in diameter – falling on the garden and pathways, creating a safety hazard. Also, the shade was widespread and dense.
By pruning these mighty trees, we allow sunlight in so that the brighter natives can grow more abundantly rather than being relegated to a thin strip along the southern side of the native pollinator garden (formerly known as the permaculture garden). For all you shade lovers, the benches are still likely to be shaded but the shade may be more dappled. In the shadiest areas, we hope to maintain a woodland look with shade-loving natives.
The primary challenge is keeping the garden watered, which is laborious and time-consuming. We lost some newly planted treasures over the summer with so many days of drought when no one could get there to spend 1 – 2 hours watering. As the garden gets more established, it should need less water, although the warming summer temperatures may balance that out.
For those who may not be aware, those big containers in the parking lot collect rainwater off the solar array. When it rains, the black cistern holds 1100 gallons of water and the other one holds 1650 gallons. They help to keep our local sewer system from getting overwhelmed and allowing additional toxins into the water. Over the summer, Lou Salza empties them into the pollinator garden, relying almost entirely on gravity and enabling us to do some of the maintenance of our native plant pollinator garden with free water, rain from the sky! Again, this is a laborious and time-consuming process as the water pressure depends on how full the cistern is.
One more thing: If you see Tom Gibson, Dan Homans, Sue Math, Jane Montgomery, Daniel O’Keefe, Steve Sanford, Mary Wallace, or Debbie Wright around, you might want to give them a big thanks for the hard, dirty, glorious work they did every week this spring and summer to enrich and nurture this little piece of ground. They are making this bit of earth healthier, more productive, and capable of sequestering more carbon. They are increasing the number of insects and critters that can survive through the winter and continue to support our food supply. They are creating a space that is peaceful and lovely, that inspires contemplation, where anyone can stop, breathe, and feel gratitude. Amen to that!
