The backyard forest I’ve been restoring is typical for the Puget Lowlands in that an area of turf lies between the house and the forest. Between the two zones, I’ve been establishing a strip of native plants – a “garden on the edge.”
Problems and Possibilities
Because forest edges usually receive a few hours of direct summer sunlight, they offer both problems and possibilities. The increased sunlight fuels the growth of weeds which spread into the adjacent forest if not controlled. This problem is minimized if only native plants are allowed to grow along the edge, and therein lies the opportunity to establish a garden on the edge.
Turn Weed Breaks Into Gardens on the Edge
Because the adjacent input-free turf consists almost entirely of non-native grasses and forbs, a well-maintained weed break is essential. Ideally, the initial weed break should be at least two feet wide but can be narrower or incomplete to avoid overclearing. Note that:
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- When digging out turf make sure all the roots are removed. Most of the native plants that will be installed later will do fine if mostly mineral soil remains after the sod is removed.
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- Summer is a good time to expand weed breaks. Keep them free of weeds all fall and winter, and they’ll be ready for a dense planting of native plants by spring.
It can take native plants several years to become fully established in the cleared ground, but after that the garden on the edge can be expanded with another ring of weed break. Unlike the Bradley Method, I have relied on planting rather than natural regeneration to fill both the weed breaks and remaining gaps in the groundcover of the adjacent forest.
Because native plants have filled this weed break, the garden can now be widened.
Sources of Plants
Rescue Plants
Rescue plants are an excellent source for transplants into weed breaks and gaps in the adjacent forest understory.
Fragrant Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora)
Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum)
Youth on Age (Tolmiea menzessii)
Be careful with Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus), as it can grow too rampantly in sunnier locations and overtop more desirable plants.
Purchases
I have been purchasing about a dozen plants each spring from a native plant retailer in order to increase diversity and establish more flowers.
Cooley’s Hedge-nettle (Stachys cooleyae)
Foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata)
Inside-out Flower (Vancouveria hexandra)
Multiplication by Division
Plants that spread by rhizomes, like Douglas Aster and Pacific Bleeding Heart, can be multiplied by division (starting root cuttings in pots in March and planting them after they take root and begin to leaf out).
A colony of Douglas Aster ((Symphyotrichum subspicatum) emerging in early spring.
Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)
Natural Regeneration with Selective Hand Weeding
Fragrant Fringecup, Western Spring Beauty, and others that spread by seed can be nurtured with selective hand weeding.
Fragrant Fringecup Seedlings in weed break.
Western Spring Beauty (Claytonia sibiricus)
Starting from Seed
I’ve had good luck starting a species of native grass from seed, especially by starting it in small “nursery” beds and then transplanting out seedlings. I’m going to try starting more native plants from seed this fall.
Roemer’s Fescue (Festuca roemeri) amidst Western Spring Beauty (Claytonia sibiricus)