The oak tree bed

User: brumbydesign@aol.com

Vendor: Drive Green - Green Energy Consumers Alliance

Action: 2586 - Ecological Landscaping

I have been very inspired by Doug Tallamy's writings and talks, and I decided to augment my gardens, which already have many native plants, with a new bed surrounding a large oak tree. This new bed is filled with all native plants, and covers almost all the area under the oak's canopy, most of which was lawn. The idea is to provide a hospitable place for butterfly/moth larvae after they finish feeding in the oak and drop down to the ground to continue their life cycle.  These larvae are particularly important for breeding birds, which feed their young a diet of almost all caterpillars.  It has been exciting to watch this bed develop.  One of the plant species -- Heliopsis helianthoides, false sunflower-- was attacked this spring by thousands of red aphids. I squished them and dislodged them with sprays of water, but they kept coming. I waited hopefully for the calvary to arrive... and I was finally rewarded with the good bugs who ate all the aphids. It was hard being patient, but so satisfying to see nature solve the problem!