As this native garden approaches 2 years since the first plantings, I feel it has been pretty successful. Most of the plants have done well, although a few plants have struggled.
In August, I added a few plantings to fill some of the gaps. Two additional Joe Pye Weed plants were added as well as 3 Butterfly Weed. While the Joe Pye Weed that were already in place have done well, the previous plantings of Butterfly Weed have struggled a bit. So why add three more? To see if additional soil amendments might help. Plus they are attractive plants that the butterflies like.
I did finish mulching this garden. I added approximately 6 cubic yards of mulch with a depth of 2 to 4 inches….more in spots where the previous mulch was thin.
As the summer progresses, different plants take their turn blooming and with that, there are always plants available to the pollinators. In August, the Mountain Mint has a sea of bees moving from flower to flower.
Another favorite of the bees is the Obedient plant. Here, a few Carpenter Bees are feeding..
The New England Asters are starting to bloom, as well as the Thin-leaved Sunflower.
In August, the PA State Commission removed their recommendation for the removal of bird feeders. So the bird feeder were cleaned and reinstalled.
Pennsylvania Native Garden Journey 