Journey: Bed 4
Vision: Continue to make Bed 4 accessible while integrating it with the rest of the landscape design, including a segue from the wildflower meadow to meadow plants in a more curated setting. Include pollinator-show-stopping plants throughout the season to engage staff and visitors on their way into the building. Round out existing plantings with vibrant pops of color that stand out against the beige building. Include mid- and late-season color, smell, movement, red, orange, blue, white, and colorful foliage.
Plant Wish List: Black chokeberry (aronia melanocarpa); Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Liatris, Prairie Drop Seed grass. Alternate: Viburnum
About Bed 4Staff and visitors see Bed 4 as they drive into the Southeastern parking lot and walk towards the front door of Southeastern. People leaving Lowes see Bed 4. This bed is visible for 10 seconds to 3 minutes as people navigate past it; it is one of the last things seen before going in the building. And, this bed is accessible from the sidewalk. It is possible to detour into this bed. And, you can look down on this bed from a height of 6'.
Mountain mint is planted close to the entrance, and staff will stop to watch the pollinators at work. This is the first bed that Southeastern started rehabilitating. Even before the grant from Partners from Climate Action, Southeastern had removed 7 barberries from this site and installed switchgrass, mountain mint, lamb's ear, and oregano.
Left: Bed 4 in October 2024
Activity Log: Bed 4
Planned:
- Site Preparation: Remove 8 plants; finish removal of landscape fabric, topsoil
- Planting: Plant 5-7 shrubs, 11-15 grasses; 3 varieties of perennials
Bed 4, March 14, 2025. Demolition in progress: Junipers, Japanese privet, and the lone barberry go away, plus more landscape fabric.
Bed 4, March 29, 2025. These azaleas also had a hard prune after they bloomed. It's easier to see where the space that the Japanese privet occupied. Maybe some black chokeberry could fill that gap now!
About Bed 4
Dimensions: 30' L x 20' W
Sq ft: 600
Exposure: East, South
Light: Full Sun
Soil pH: TBD
Soil Texture: TBD
Access: walk-up; drive-in (parking lot)
Other: within reach of water hose
Baseline Plant Survey: Bed 4
Keep
Azalea: 4
Curly chives: 1' x 1'
Inkberry: 1
Lamb's Ear: 4' x 2'
Mountain Mint*: 3' x 3'
Oregano!: 2' x 2'
Rhododendron: 1
Shasta daisy 3' x 2'
Switch grass*: 5' x 2'
Yucca: 10
Remove
Barberry: 1
Juniper: 5
Privet: 3
* = native plant
! = pollinator-friendly plant