Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
   
 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Ridgefield Nature Park Restoration Project

The project consisted of planting approximately 4.5 acres of warm season grasses and wildflowers in the meadow and around the retention pond.  In addition, over 300 trees and shrubs were planted.

2006 - YEAR ONE
04/2006: Turf grass area before RoundUp herbicide application.
05/2006: Turf grass area one month after RoundUp application.
05/28/2006: Planting of prairie.
06/18/2006: Wildflower emergence three weeks after planting.
7/23/2006: Eight weeks after planting.  (1) Wildflowers continue to grow-see the size compared to the same quarter in the 6/18/06 photo. (2) Annual Cosmos begin to bloom and cool season grasses have become an issue and must be sprayed.

  

8/9/2006: (1) Cosmos are in full bloom. (2) Little Bluestem warm season grass continues to emerge. (3 & 4) Partridge Peas are in bloom. (5) Area continues to grow. 
 

 

8/11/2006: (1) One of the many butterflies (Black Swallowtail) that visit the area.  (2) Some of the Black-Eyed Susan have started to bloom.  (3) Sideoats Gramma grass has started to bloom/seed.
9/16/2006: The prairie at the end of the first summer.

9/30/06: (1) Little Bluestem in seed.  (2 & 3) Prairie in the final weeks of full bloom. (4 & 5) Many butterflies continue to visit the area. (6 & 7) A few of the flowers in the prairie.
10/19/06: Several hard freezes have brought an end to the Cosmos.  The bloom of the rest of the flowers are winding down. 

 

2007 - YEAR TWO

05/07/2007: (1) Some of the more than 300 trees and shrubs planted around the nature park. (2) & (3) Several of the wildflowers have emerged and are growing.  (4) Overall area has greened up.
05/24/2007: Lance-Leaf Coreopsis has started to bloom and the Little Bluestem grass is growing.  Geese are no longer an issue around the pond.
06/16/2007: A month drought has impacted the prairie.  However, Rudbeckia Hirta continues to bloom in large numbers.
 

06/30/2007: The prairie has benefited from some rain.  15 of the 18 wildflowers planted in the area were documented (Rudbeckia Hirta remains the dominant flower).

7/15/2007: (1) & (2) The Little Bluestem has started to send up seedheads. (3) The Arrowwood Viburnum has set fruit.
8/12/2007: The drought and record heat have significantly shortened the bloom time of the wildflowers.  However, 16 of the 18 planted wildflowers were documented in bloom. (1) Illinois Bundle Flower and (2) Grey-Headed Coneflower.

 

9/29/2007: The late blooming wildflowers are in bloom (New England Aster, Goldenrod)

 

2008 - YEAR THREE

05/31/2008: The area has greened up.  Coreopsis is beginning to bloom around the pond.  The Arrowwood Viburnum are also in bloom.

07/05/2008: The banks around the retention pond are in full bloom with purple coneflower and black-eyed susan (top).  An abundance of wildflowers are in bloom throughout the rest of the nature park (bottom).
07/23/2008: The flowers continue to bloom in great numbers.  The bergamot is finishing, but the gray headed coneflower is coming on strong.
10/27/2008: (1) The frosts have brought the flower blooms to an end.  The little bluestem grass is turning its winter orange color. (2) The winterberry shrubs are loaded with berries.

 

2009 YEAR FOUR

06/28/2009: The prairie is in full bloom including bergamot, black-eyed susan, purple coneflower, butterfly milkweed, purple prairie clover, and hoary vervain.

© Photos by Dan McCord