Throughout the winter, Land Steward and horticulturalist Nate McCullin has been planning a new garden at Westport Woods. Trees and shrubs have been in place since late April and the new beds have been marked out and mulched.
The Learning Center is starting to buzz, creating the perfect opportunity for an educational garden. Nate had 3 priorities when designing the garden:
- creating habitat for insects, birds, reptiles and small mammals
- designing for visual interest for visitors and staff
- creating a teaching garden for passive and guided educational opportunities
Unlike other plantings at WLCT’s headquarters property, these gardens are designed to be more traditionally residential–close to the house and arranged in beds. The look is more elevated esthetically, and will hopefully give gardeners ideas for their homes. In addition, the gardens are designed to draw visitors through to the Learning Center from the parking lot. Additional picnic tables along the all-person path boost accessibility and provide the perfect spot for watching pollinators at work.
The beds were prepped and trees and shrubs planted with the assistance of the Tuesday Trail Team. Perennial flowers, grasses and sedges will be planted in mid-May. Plant tags will be in place soon, allowing visitors to learn more about the native plants and nativars that are helping Westport Woods be more hospitable.