See the bench? It's so covered up with invasive Japanese Knotweed, it's hard to see. The photo was taken in 2015 before we began efforts to eradicate a vast area of knotweed at the beginning of the trail. The "after" photo is just below it.
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| June 2015 "BEFORE" - all Japanese Knotweed |
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| July 2016 - same spot "AFTER" |
This spot has good sun, well-drained but moist soil with a neutral pH, so after the knotweed was mostly gone, some flowers were planted.
Bee balm has been a big hit, attracting lots of hummingbirds and butterflies. The "After" photo doesn't do it justice since it wasn't in full bloom yet. The video is better.
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| The deer like this one too much - Woodland Sunflower |
Woodland Sunflower is a native that is found growing along roadsides, but the deer have just demolished it. This plant is often four or five feet tall. A few packets of free wildflower seeds were also planted, and some of those are coming up and blooming. Not bad!
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This was a big trailhead upgrade. Pick up trash and wipe out a lot of invasive plants that were taking over, plant a bunch of wildflowers that helps wildlife, and create an attractive neighborhood gateway for residents on their way home. This should be duplicated in other spots around Shelton.
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