Native Plant Plantings
2020
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Bluebells along Rush River Trail
Chase Your Blues Away at the Park Ruth Welch, Rappahannock County Recreational Facilities Authority (RCRFA) On Saturday, March 7, eleven Master Naturalists, RCRFA members, Master Gardeners, Scouts and other volunteers braved the blustery morning with near freezing temperatures and got their hands in the dirt planting dozens of bluebells along the Rush River Trails at the Rappahannock County Park. These plants were propagated at Janet Scott Davis ‘s Hill House Native Nursery in Castleton. They were funded in part by a grant from the PATH Foundation’s Let’s Volunteer Day. Virginia bluebells spill across the Virginia landscape blooming for only two to three weeks in April. Like other spring ephemerals, they bloom as the days get longer and the sun warms the forest, and by early summer as the tree canopy closes, they have completely disappeared. Stream banks, low moist woods, and flood plains are Virginia bluebell’s native habitat. They like moist, medium to rich, redeposited sediment soils that are neutral to slightly acid. They grow both singly in multi-stemmed clumps and in large colonies; a single plant may brighten a stream bank, or a carpet of blue may roll across a river bottom. |
Bluebells and more in bloom in the Park in April
The Park volunteers will be checking the newly planted bluebells throughout the spring to see which plantings spread and thrive in their environment, with an eye to possibly planting more next season. The next time you visit the Rappahannock County Park, check out the spring blooming plants, the bluebells, and other spring ephemerals such as toothwort, bloodroot, Dutchmen’s breeches, Jack-in-the-pulpit along the Rush River Trails that have emerged since volunteers removed many of the invasive plants in 2019. Also, walk the new bluebird trail around the perimeter of the “urban forest” where bluebirds mays find their homes and start to nest in late March. Be sure to visit the Park before the end of April so you don’t miss the native wildflower show! Source: The Virginia Native Plant Society; https://vnps.org/wildflowers-of-the-year/1989-virginia-bluebells/ |
2019
Pollinator Garden along Perimeter
Fall: 2019. During the past year, the RCRFA has made an extensive effort to remove invasive plant growth and free up space for natives. In addition, an 18’ x 40’ plot along the cleared upper perimeter, has been de-rooted and tilled to create a plot for a native pollinator garden. We hope that the native pollinator garden, in combination with other planned improvements to natural areas, will become a place that will draw a wider range of visitors to the Park by:
- Providing a model of ‘native AND beautiful’ which can be used to illustrate the beauty of native plants as well as their importance to the survival of native insects, butterflies, bats, birds and other wildlife species.
- Attracting schools and community groups to use the Park as an educational resource that may expand the use of native (and beautiful) plants to other private and public lands in Rappahannock County. The local schools are already engaged with the Park in invasive/native species initiatives.
- Expanding the use of the Park for citizen science activities, such as the North American Butterfly Association Count, which currently uses the Park pavilion as a meeting place to launch the event but does not yet use the Park as a site for observing butterflies.
- Functioning as a first stop on a planned, handicapped-accessible pedestrian pathway that will circle the edge of the upper cleared area. The garden is situated to be visible from the pavilion, parking lot, and playground area and will hopefully lure people using those areas to explore the natural areas of the Park.
October 2019:
Native Plants Set in, Ready for Spring Blooms!
On August 24, volunteers planted New Jersey Tea, Virginia Rose, and St John's Wort in the new pollinator garden site, purchased with 30 in 30 Green Grant from Keep Virginia Beautiful.
Eleven volunteers rallied on October 5, including members of Old Rag Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, RCRFA, and the community, to plant, water, and mulch over 75 new plants in our pollinator garden, which one volunteer dubbed The Potluck Pollinator Plot! Now, we wait....
(Click here to see map of plants in garden)
Native Plants Set in, Ready for Spring Blooms!
On August 24, volunteers planted New Jersey Tea, Virginia Rose, and St John's Wort in the new pollinator garden site, purchased with 30 in 30 Green Grant from Keep Virginia Beautiful.
Eleven volunteers rallied on October 5, including members of Old Rag Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, RCRFA, and the community, to plant, water, and mulch over 75 new plants in our pollinator garden, which one volunteer dubbed The Potluck Pollinator Plot! Now, we wait....
(Click here to see map of plants in garden)
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Perimeter Pollinator Garden site 'at rest' under a cover of annual rye, awaiting fall plantings. June 2019
Topsoil spread on plot in preparation for planting in late August and September. July 2019:
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November 2018:
Donna Marquisee of RappFLOW and Celia Vuocolo and Margeret Murray of PEC give a tour of plantings in native plant garden. |
Fall-->Spring!
Click here for annotated garden map.
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