Category: sustanability

From Eyesore to Educational Masterpiece

On By durhammastergardenersIn art in the landscape, garden design, gardening education, sustainable garden art, sustainable garden design, sustainable watering, sustanability

By Lisa Nadler, Mary Hanlon, and Martha Keehner Engelke, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

The Durham County Extension Demonstration Garden (DG) is a unique, widely-recognized city garden that welcomes and inspires visitors. It is a place of education and entertainment even during the winter months because of the plant tags used throughout the garden that are linked to the NC State Extension Toolbox. The art installations in the garden make the garden a haven for native plants and pollinators and the garden has received Bird Friendly Habitat Certification from New Hope Bird Alliance.

Recently the DG has undergone a few changes. A chronic eyesore has been converted to a work of educational art and a beloved member of the garden died and had to be removed.

Changing an eyesore to a work of art that is beautiful and educational.

The demonstration garden is located at the Durham County Extension Office (721 Foster St Durham, NC 27701). The majority of the garden is in the front of the building and consists of a variety of plants that are grouped according to their sun requirements. Water to nourish the garden comes from two large cisterns located on the side of the building. The cisterns reduce the need for hand watering which saves time and provides more consistent watering but they were ugly.

The large cisterns were valuable but not very attractive. How could they become a work of art and serve the educational purpose of the Durham Master Gardener Demonstration Garden? (Image credit: Allie Mullin, Lisa Nadler)

The goal was to make the cisterns more visually appealing to people visiting the Extension Office and create an opportunity to educate the public about native wetland and garden plants. Master Gardener Lisa Nadler, in conjunction with local muralist and Master Gardener Dave Milkereit, led a team1 in transforming the cisterns into a welcoming and  educational experience for visitors to the Extension Office.

The first step was to remove the peeling paint manually and through the use of electric sanders. Next the cisterns were covered with several coats of primer and a background color. The idea was to use a fairly neutral dark color of paint so that the images of the plants and pollinators would “pop”.

Preparation for painting included sanding and application of several coats of primer (Image credit: Lisa Nadler and Allie Mullin)

Dave Milkereit painted the plants and pollinators to be featured on the cisterns on canvas and then rolled the canvas to see how it would look on the cisterns. The design included plants, insects and birds from swamp and wetland areas as well as garden and prairie environments.

Dave divided his painting into grids to allow him to transfer his work onto the cistern scaling up the size appropriately. From there, he used chalk to draw the outlines of the plants and pollinators from his drawing. Dave then painted over the chalk outlines with black paint. (Image credit: Dave Milkereit)

After Lisa and Dave mixed paints to match the colors of the plants and pollinators, they taped on numbers corresponding to the colors to be painted, and set the rest of the Master Gardeners to work filling in the image using a “paint by number” system. Several of the paints were translucent and required a white background before the color painting.

The color palette on the left is then being applied by Ashley Troth, Durham Extension Agent and Joan Barber, chair of the demonstration garden committee. (Image credit: Lisa Nadler)

The final step will be to add a UV protection and a graffiti protection system. Lisa Nadler comments on the lessons learned through this project:

“In all, about 400 hours of volunteer time went into this project. We have gotten lots of positive feedback about the results as well.  It would never have been possible without Dave’s creativity and his willingness to let amateur painters work on his creation. In addition, his support and skill were what allowed this project to go smoothly.”

On the left the Extension Master Gardeners are recognized for their efforts. Lisa Nadler and Dave Milkereit were instrumental in providing leadership and creativity (Image credit: Lisa Nadler, Dave Milkereit)

Now that the project is completed visitors are encouraged to visit the Extension Office to admire and learn. As you face the cisterns you’ll see the left cistern features native plants for gardens, while the cistern on the right highlights native plants found in wetlands. The images of plants include both the common and scientific name and when the cistern website is completed they will be linked to the NC Extension Toolbox through a QR code which will be posted on each cistern.

The illustrations on the cisterns include both the common name as well as the scientific name of the plants and pollinators on the cisterns making them both beautiful and educational (Image credit: Lisa Nadler)

The Disappearing Electric Boxes

There was one more painting project that the Durham EMGs decided to tackle. The front façade of the extension building has long been dominated by a large, grey, electrical box. For years, members of the demonstration garden team had discussed adding a design to make it more appealing. Mary Hanlon had an idea to hide the box in plain sight by painting it to match the bricks of the building.

The first step was to find the right colors. Lisa Nadler found a brick that appeared to match the building perfectly.  Mary purchased a paint sample that was color-matched to the brick, experimented by painting a poster board with this color, and confirmed that it blended well with the building.  It was more challenging to color-match the multiple types of grout that had been used on the building.  The starting point was a custom color mixed by Dave Milkereit, but it took several trips to paint stores to collect similar color chips and paint samples, and multiple experiments on the poster board to find a color that blended well with the building grout.

The box was cleaned with a dry cloth followed by a damp cloth, being careful to avoid getting water in the box. The team painted the electrical box with exterior primer and paint that matched the building. The next step was to add the grout lines. Jeff Kanters and Mary Hanlon drew horizontal level chalk lines on the box, and taped mock bricks (cardboard cut to the size of a brick) on the lines, to form the desired pattern. They then outlined the “bricks” with chalk to indicate where the grout lines would be before painting  the lines.   The next step was shading the bricks and grout to give them a little dimension. Again, they practiced on poster boards before moving on to the electrical box.

Before and after pictures of the electric box at the front of the building. Jeff Kanters and Mary Hanlon did the majority of the painting and Mary coordinated the project. (Image credit: Left: Lisa Nadler others by Mary Hanlon)

A tree dies and is removed: What now?

A large crabapple tree (Malus coronaria) died and had to be removed. This tree was a beloved feature of the Shady Bed and a staple of the Demo Garden, so its removal marks a bittersweet moment.

Before its removal the crabapple tree (Malus coronaria) was the anchor of the shady bed which isn’t so shady anymore and the bed is now awaiting new plants and a native tree. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

According to Extension Agent Ashley Troth, ” We will be adding another tree, this time a native, and adding lots of native shrubs and perennials. It will be a sunnier set of plants than were there previously, with an emphasis on drought tolerance, as that bed can get quite dry under the willow oak.“

In the coming year the Demo Garden team will explore innovative ideas and exciting plans for this area. We’re looking forward to creating something special to honor this space!

1. Thanks to all of the EMGs that worked on these projects: Ashley Troth (the Boss); Alice Hall; Allie Mullin; Anna Glasgow; Carol Tierney; Cathy Lambe; Darline Burgess; Dave Milkereit (the artist); Diane Catotti; Jeff Kanters; Joan Barber; Mary Hanlon (artist in charge of the electric boxes); Marya McNeish (website creator and organizer); Lisa Nadler (leader and herder of cats)

Additional Resources

To learn more about art in the garden, take a look at a previous post by Durham Master Gardener Wendy Diaz. https://durhammastergardeners.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=15791&action=edit

A website that includes more details on the cistern project as well as other resources is in development. Once completed, stickers with the QR code linking to the website will be placed on each cistern. Stay tuned!

Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5uY

From Beloved to Invasive: How does it happen?

On By durhammastergardenersIn benign non-native plant, bird friendly habitat, bugleweed, conservation, crape myrtle, Durham NC, ecological sustanability, ecology, gardening, Gardening information, gardening NC, heavenly bamboo, hellebore, how plants become invasive, Invasive Atlas of the United States, invasive plants, Japanese stiltgrass, lenten rose, lesser threat invasive plant list, liriope, monkey grass, nandina, native ecology, native ecologynative plant ecology, native plants, Natives, NC biodiversity, NC conservation, NC Native Plants, New Hope Bird Alliance, non-native plants, ox-eye daisy, perennials, polyculture, privet, protecting native plants, Rose of Sharon, Russian olive shrub, sustainable garden design, sustainable gardening, sustanability, Uncategorized, urban garden, urban gardening, watch list for invasive plants

By Jeannie Arnts , North Carolina Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

I have volunteered as a recorder for the New Hope Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon) Bird Friendly Habitat (BFH) team since 2018. The BFH team, consisting of a plant expert and a recorder, visits homeowners’ yards to identify native and invasive plants and make recommendations for improvements to achieve an ecologically beneficial habitat for birds, insects, and other wildlife. Since I have joined the group, plants previously recognized as non-native, non-invasive plants have been moved onto the “Watch List” or “Lesser Threat Invasive” list. Other plants previously considered lower threat have been moved to a higher threat category. The question arises, “What is it that changes a benign non-native into an invasive?

When is a Plant Determined to be Invasive?

Plants are categorized as invasive once they disrupt the ecology of intact, functioning eco-systems, leading to loss of biodiversity and habitat degradation. This results in huge economic damage valued in the billions of dollars to agriculture, forestry, and personal property. Invasive plants compete with our natives for critical and often limited resources like sunlight, water, nutrients, soil, and space. Anyone who has ridden the train at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham and seen the Russian olive shrubs (Elaeagnus sp) overtaking the landscape along the tracks or been on a hiking trail in many Triangle forests and seen the stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) engulfing the entire ground cover of the forest floor can easily see the impact of invasive species.

Russian olive shrubs (left) out-compete native plants and dominate riparian areas primarily in central and western USA. Japanese stiltgrass (right) was accidentally introduced into Tennessee around 1919 as a result of being used as packing material for porcelain from China.  it has invaded many woodlands in North Carolina. (Image credit: NC State Cooperative Extension)

What Factors Influence a Plant to Become Invasive?

Biologists have been “vexed for decades” by the question of what causes some plants, once thought to be benign, non-invasive exotics, to become a risk to our eco-systems due to their invasive characteristics. The ecologist, Charles Elton, wrote the book, The Ecology of Invasions by Plants and Animals, in 1958 and, more than 100 years earlier, Charles Darwin pondered this question during his voyage on the Beagle (1831-1836). Johnny Randall, former Director of Conservation Programs at the NC Botanical Garden, noted that one reason plants become invasive is that in their new environment, they no longer have natural controls, such as pests, pathogens, and herbivores. This gives them an advantage over native plants that have been part of a region’s ecology for millennia; consequently, the invasives often out compete the natives.1

In addition, a plant’s propensity to become invasive is a function of the plant’s own biology, including a relatively short generational period, large seed production, its ability to reproduce asexually (without the need for fertilization), and having large fleshy fruits, such as those produced by Autumn or Russian olive trees (Elaeagnus sp), privet (Ligustrum sp.) and heavenly bamboo (Nandina sp.) With this latter trait, birds will eat the berries and deposit the seeds far from the original location of the plant.

A non-native, is especially prone to invasion when it sets its roots in a “matched habitat” similar from which it came, i.e., their native ranges tend to have similar temperature extremes, precipitation levels, and seasonal cycles. Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is an example of a plant that meets most of the criteria for becoming invasive. It is an annual that produces up to 1000 seeds per year, has no natural controls, reproduces asexually, and its seeds are distributed by the wind. In addition, the seed bank may take up to five years to germinate. Many gardeners who think they have eliminated stiltgrass on their property one year are befuddled to find a number of plants from the seed bank sprouting the next summer. The good news is that if you continue to manage the stiltgrass, you will have fewer plants each year.

Beloved Plants that Become Invasive

I think we can all agree that we want stiltgrass eliminated from our property, but there are non-native plants that have been beloved by gardeners for generations that are being added to the invasive lists, much to the consternation of gardeners. One example is the lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis).

Some hellebores  have started to escape into woodland areas and are able to stifle our favorite native understory flowers. They prevent seedlings of other plants from getting established as dense mats of their offspring grow. (Image credit: NC Extension Toolbox, Bob Gutowski CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0; Jim Robbins CC-BY-NC-4.0).

There are many good reasons that hellebores are such a beloved plant: they bloom over the winter months when very few other plants are blooming; they require little care; they are deer and rabbit resistant; they tolerate a wide range of light conditions; including light shade; and they survive even deep frosts. Unfortunately, they meet many of the conditions that place them at risk to become invasive in our region: they have no natural pests or pathogens; they can successfully fertilize themselves (although bees will seek nectar and pollen from the plants); and they produce a multitude of fertile seeds. While there is not a perfect native substitute for hellebores, the gardener may consider planting a matrix of sedges (Carex species), coral bells (Heuchera americana), and ferns, many of which are host plants, to provide winter interest .

While not yet on the invasive lists in N.C, another beloved plant that is of concern is the crape myrtle (Lagerstroemai indica). Its spread is being tracked in Southern states by the Invasive Atlas of the United States and the plant’s spread is being watched with caution by conservationists in N.C. Each flower of the crape myrtle produces a prodigious number of seeds that are carried or blown far from the mother plant. I have had a crape myrtle in my yard for probably the past 40 years and it has only been recently that I have seen it sprouting up elsewhere in my yard and ¼ acre woods.


Crape myrtles are seen along roadways and in gardens in North Carolina but conservationists have raised concerns because it outcompetes many native plants (Image credit: NC Plant Toolbox, skdavidson)

Liriope (Liriope muscari and L. spicata), bugleweed (Ajuga reptens), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), and ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) are all common ornamental plants that have been added to the NC Invasive Plant list as “Low Threat” species. While they have the potential to harm our local ecology, they are not yet doing so.

Liriope (Liriope muscari), bugleweed (Ajuga reptens), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), and ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) are plants that many of us have in our garden. They are considered to be “Low Threat” to native plants of North Carolina. (Image credit: North Carolina Toobox, Manuel-CC-BY-2.0; Jim Robbins-CC-BY-NC-ND; Frank Mayfield, CC-BY-SA-2.0)

As gardeners, we can control the spread of potentially invasive plants in our own yards or we can choose to remove them and plant a native that supports our native ecology. A follow-up blog will suggest options to consider for replacing invasive plants with natives that power our ecosystems.

Notes

  1. Personal communications Peter Schubert, NC Invasive Plant Council, October, 2024 and Johnny Randall, former Director of Conservation Programs, NC Botanical Garden, October 2024.

Resources and Additional Information

NC Invasive Plants List adopted by NC-IPC, November 16, 2023NC Invasive Plant Council
https://nc-ipc.weebly.com/uploads/6/8/4/6/6846349/invasive_plant_list_-_ranked_-_2023-11-16.pdf

Grzędzicka, E., Assessment of Habitat Selection by Invasive Plants and Conditions with the Best Performance of Invasiveness Traits, February, 2023. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/333

Invasive plant Atlas of the United States University of Georgia-Center for Invasive Species and Ecological Health, October 2018 https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/index.cfm

Jones, M., Gaster, R. Invasive Species, NC Cooperative Extension, Lee County, July 30, 2019 https://lee.ces.ncsu.edu/2019/07/invasive-species/

Moony, H.A., Cleland, E.E., The Evolutionary Impact of Invasive Species, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. May 2001, 98(10) 5446-5451 https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.091093398

Moorman, C, Megalos, M, Douglas, K. Invasive Plants and Your Forests, NCSU Extension Publication. Revised September 11, 2024. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/invasive-plants-and-your-forests

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