u/Mfstaunc

It’s actually insane how much impact on wildlife, aesthetics, my cuisine, and happiness this little plot of land has done in 1.2 years.

I say 1.5 because the butterfly weeds, Virginia rose, chokeberry bush, and queen of the prairie are all first year (even though they are at least 2 years old). The swamp milkweed, blue vervain, and JPW are year 2. Once the coral honeysuckle climbs the trellis, it should be *chefs kiss*

This wild riverbank grape has completely engulfed a 30 ft tree and now has come for my fence and fresco lights. I have coral honeysuckle and virgins bower that will need the space but I don’t have the heart to cut it back.

I have a tiny yard. Probably 600 sq. ft. of plant space. I’ve gone heavy with flowering plants and need shrubs or small trees. I have 4 chokeberry bushes, NJ Tea, baptisia,northern high bush blueberry plants, and a sweet pepper bush. I have dwindled down my early non-natives to just this one. I need something tall, slender, and upright.

My question is have any of you lived happily with a non native from an earlier decision, or is it a forgone conclusion and it’s only a matter of time before I rip it up so better now than later?

Drinking mead on my stoop and wanted to share. Most is entering year 2.

Hell strip
NJ Tea as endcaps
Blazing stars throughout
Wild senna
Butterfly milkweed
Anise hyssop seedlings
Cut leaf and Canada anemone seedlings

Main yard
Strawberry cultivar in front (recently munched by deer)
Juliet cherry bush (not native) in middle
North American WF mix on sides. Mostly purple
coneflower, lance leaved coreopsis, and rudbeckia
false sunflower
Little bluestem
Indian grass
Moss phlox

Foundation
3 northern high bush blueberry cultivars
Blue vervain
Plans for Culver’s root
Plans for coral honeysuckle and virgins bower along stoop railing

Side strip
False blue indigo
Black chokeberry
Sweet pepper bush
Woodland phlox

Wild blue violets throughout everything