In the Beginning
Several years ago, Dollar General bought the empty lot next door to us. They put up a privacy fence, so we did not have to look at the parking lot or worry about cars using our driveway to get to them. I was grateful for the parking lot, but it was so drab. I asked permission to attach things and add vines and such to beautify it. With their permission I began.
I wanted to make this into a haven for birds, bees and butterflies, so we started out with two Trumpet vines and placed an old rusty wheelbarrow in between them. Hummingbirds are one of my favorites and Trumpet vines are a good way to attract them. They bloom in the summer and usually last until fall. I planted some lemon mint in the wheelbarrow and some Lilies to the side. Although I do not remember what type of Lilies they are, they are still blooming every year.
Next, we planted Lilac shrubs. They serve two purposes. First, they provide a good nesting area for several types of birds and the blooms in the spring attract bees and butterflies. The second, they remind me of the Lilac trees that me and my brother used to climb when we were kids. I loved the scent of the blooms back then and I still do.
Over the years both the vines and the shrubs have grown quite large. In the spring and summer when they are blooming, they hide most of the fence and the store behind. To my surprise, three years ago, two little volunteer Lilacs popped up to the right of this area. They looked like someone had cut a branch off one of the original shrubs and stuck it in the ground. At first, I was not even sure they were truly Lilacs. One of the volunteers was the same distance from the originals as I had planted them from the Trumpet vines, so I left it where it was. The other volunteer was too close if it were to someday get as big as the Lilacs I had Originally planted. So, I transplanted it equal distance on the opposite side.
Last year both shrubs had grown quite a bit and appeared to be thriving. The leaves looked enough like the originals that I was almost sure they were Lilacs, but there was still just a bit of nagging doubt in the back of my mind. This year the shrub I had transplanted had one tiny bloom at the bottom. It was kind of lopsided looking, but I did not care. I was so excited to have proof that I really had two more Lilac shrubs. I cannot wait until next year to see if I will get more blooms.
Persicaria virginiana (Virginia Knotweed) above left, is a new volunteer plant that most likely was donated to this haven by the birds that spend so much time there. It is used by some as garden a border or in shady areas where few plants grow. Others consider it invasive because it will take over other plants. Because the Lilac shrubs and the Trumpet vines have grown so thick this area is too shady for a lot of plants. I like it because of the deep shade of green and the contrast of the tiny white flowers. Also bees love it as well as birds love it, so it is perfect for the purpose of this area and it is edible so I know it won’t harm any of the cats that wonder through our yard on occasion.
I used an app called PlantNet to identify this plant and was surprised at how quickly I got an answer. I would recommend it if you are trying to identify something new in your area. Over the years we have had several new plants show up. unfortunately, they have been invasive weeds of little value and difficult to keep at bay. This has led me to try out this app and research anything new that pops up, so I can remove it quickly if it is undesirable. I generally use Google and read several articles to find out if it was something, I want to keep or something that needs to go.