Earth Day Celebration: Making a Home for Wildlife and Native Flowers at Westside

By Yetta Jager, Green Sanctuary Committee

Below is a collage of pictures of some of the plants and wildlife that live on our land. A red-shouldered hawk hangs out around our property and is seen in multiple locations every day. I counted a total of 18 bird species (https://ebird.org/checklist/S225909264). We also provide habitat for a huge black snake. It had its hear in a hole and was preoccupied with finding (or eating) something, so it and didn’t notice me. Dogwoods and some other trees are in bloom and many of the saplings that we planted on Tree Day last year survived the winter. In some cases, a side effect of the cages was that native columbine grew up where they were not mowed! And the stream was full of water and life – I saw dragonflies, waterstriders, and minnows using the algal mats as cover.

We’ve made progress with planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers on our property. Jerry planted our winterberry hollies behind the entrance ramp before his knee surgery. Dave watered our perennials from Rev. Carol’s wedding over the summer and tended them through the winter. I planted them by the ramp and mulched them this weekend. Jerry donated four bare-rooted sweetshrub bushes from the Town of Farragut, two of which have been planted along the woodland edge and near the mailbox. We received these because at least one Westsider helped with the Tree Day event at McFee Park a few weeks ago.

Join us for a spring work day and Earth Day Celebration on Saturday April 26th from 1 pm to 4 pm, followed by pizza and beverages. One project will be to put up a bluebird house (I saw lots of bluebirds today). A second project is to remove landscape cloth and plant some native shrubs (e.g., hydrangeas, Virginia sweetspire) or perennials near the mailbox. A third project, to weed the beds near the sign and plant zinnia seeds. Finally, Rev. Carol would love it if someone could adopt one of the former herb boxes near the playground fence. It could even be a joint project if more than one person wants to design and plant it. And we may think of others before the event.

Enjoy the spring weather!