Journey: Bed 7
Vision: Continue the vibe of Bed 5: Rehabilitate this bed so that it becomes a haven for birds, and expand the diversity of plants so that it supports pollinator life cycles year-round. A pollinator-friendly tree here could provide early season color. Drifts of herbaceous perennials make a patchwork of color in mid-summer through fall and don't grow tall enough to obstruct winter sun for lower level windows. Foundation plantings are not a priority, but a few shrubs and grasses provide structural anchors.
Plant Wish List:
- Small tree options: Shadblow, Dwarf chestnut oak, Sassafrass
- Shrub options: New York Ironweed, Potentilla; Alternate: Ninebark
- Herbaceous perennials: Mountain mint, Goldenrod, New England aster, Joe Pye weed, milkweed
About Bed 7This bed is not visible from the road. However, it can be seen from all sides: visitors and staff see the front and sides as they walk into the building or eat lunch in the gazebo; staff in lower level offices have a ground level view; and, visitors in the upper parking lot can look down and across the bed. It is protected from the north by the building and is somewhat sheltered by the evergreen tree break to the west. Still, in the summer, it is exposed to baking sun, and the building traps and reflects heat..
We would like to plant 1-2 small trees on the site, and this bed is a good location because of the potential for shading the building (and reducing cooling costs) and because the flat area is accessible by power equipment for digging a hole. It will take several years for a tree to mature, so shrubs for this area must be drought tolerant, support wildlife and pollinators, and not block the view from lower-level office windows.
Left: Bed 2 in October 2024
Activity Log: Bed 7
Planned:
- Site Preparation: Remove 8 plants, Remove landscape fabric and topsoil
- Planting: Plant one tree (dogwood); Plant 1-3 shrubs, 3-5 grasses, 1-3 low-growing perennial varieties
Actual:
- Site Preparation (March 2025): Removed 4 Japanese barberries, 4 winter creeper, 2 pampas grass; ~400 sq ft of landscape fabric.
Bed 7, May 29, 2025. Post-demolition. The rhododendron is blooming in spite of all of the disturbance. The yucca needs some attention.
About Bed 7
Dimensions: 30’L x 16’W
Sq ft: 480
Exposure: South
Light: Full Sun
Soil pH: TBD
Soil Texture: TBD
Access: level walk-in; parking lot
Other: water spigot access
Baseline Plant Survey: Bed 7
Keep
Azalea: 1
Rhododendron: 1
Yucca: 1
Remove
Japanese barberry: 4
Pampas grass: 2
Winter creeper: 4