Saturday was beautiful. Sunny skies and a warm southern breeze were an idyllic backdrop for the New SHIRE Institute's Indigenous Landscaping workshop at the Hundred Acre Wood. Bert Milling and Will Bryant of A to Zen Landscaping kicked off the spring Sustainability Workshop Series with a productive day of transplanting yaupon hollies and teaching how we can imitate natural landscapes to make our lawns and backyards not only beautiful but ecologically beneficial.
The afternoon began with chat and chai in the community area as guests arrived and tools were readied. Friend of the Hundred Acre Wood Ehren Siegenthaler brewed native teas as he discussed the preparations for a stimulating roasted yaupon brew--slightly bitter and great with a few chili piquins--and a medicinal blend of horsemint, yaro, and other native grasses. The yaro, horsemint blend was light and pleasantly citric. A homemade iced lemon pound cake topped tea time, and then we all walked to the back.
Nick Moser directed the crowd to notice the climax ecosystems, the areas where the grasslands met the prarie and both met the oak forest in a balanced harmony of species and habitats. Ehren identified Spanish Broom weed growing everywhere. As we crested the pastures and descended into the forest, Bert and Will took the reins, pointing our group to the transplant candidates chosen the week before.
Parsing young yaupon from persimmon--a difficult task with only similar bare stems protruding from the soil--we picked up forks and picks and got to work.
Under Bert's guidance, we began digging delicately, starting as far away from the tap root as the plant is wide. A pitchfork works great for breaking up soil with as little disruption as possible. Once you get a sense for the root ball, it's important to get your hands in there and feel the tap root's definition.
With as much of the central root as possible, we carefully snipped the plants free.
The larger transplants are healthy enough to go right back into the ground with a mixture of the soil from its original location and compost. The smaller ones, Bert said, should be put into an appropriately sized pot with the soil/compost mix, watered every other day for the first two weeks until the plant takes root, then planted in its new location four weeks after its uprooting.
Will recommended a willow bark rooting hormone to minimize the shock the plants experience.
We continued along the trails until we came upon a cluster of young black walnut trees growing beside a huge fallen oak. A tall order for transplants, considering they're about five feet high. Everyone lent a hand, trading forks and picks. The exertion quieted the crowd until a pot-bellied pig waddled out of the brush. Pineapple! The Hundred Acre Wood's newest resident. She's cute and smart, always looking for affection and some nice mud.
After half an hour of digging, we successfully collected four walnuts and an incredible ash juniper sapling.
The group continued along the trail spotting and collecting yaupon transplants, remembering to gather soil and fill in the holes. The sun swept through the sky, and we headed up to the house, supplies in hand, ready to give these holly trees a new home.
Putting the yaupon back in the soil, it's critical to cover them to the same height on the stem as they were before.
Yaupon absorb many of their nutrients from the top soil, and burying them too deep can kill the plants. As we took turns digging, Bert and Will brought the workshop full circle by recontextualizing all of this rural experience in urban landscaping.Landscaping is not about imposing exotic plants and design on nature to produce areas appealing to the eyes. Landscaping is about guiding the growth of nature to restore ecosystems.
Landscaping is not just about trees and flowers and lawns; it is also about underbrush and habitats that attract songbirds and beneficial insects back to areas dominated by chemicals and people. Native landscaping allows us to take pride in the beauty of our spaces while reducing water consumption and returning fertility to soil and vitality to urban species.
Observing nature, in all its landscapes and ecosystems, reminds us how things want to grow, what animals and plants need to grow, and how we all can be stewards of the beauty of life.
Thank you to everyone who attended and enjoyed a beautiful day of learning, work, and fun. Special thanks to Ehren and Bert and Will of A to Zen Landscaping. Meet the folks of the SHIRE and A to Zen at the HOPE Farmer's Market every Sunday from 11 to 3 at East 5th and Waller in Austin.
Stay posted for the next opportunity in our spring Sustainability Workshop Series.
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