by Amy Martin, Greenbelt & Gardens Coordinator

The little pollinator garden on the sloped entry to the Woods Trail at The Knoll did well in our wet spring until the 100s arrived and rains departed. Then it really took a beating from the sunlight and heat. Francis to the rescue with a little help from me

A big problem was that water sheeted off the steep slope and didn’t absorb. Using some large privet trunks cut a while back and stashed in the woods, we laid them across the garden to create terraces. Francis staked them in place.

To ensure the terrace timbers stayed in place once downpours do return, Francis wired them to the stakes.

He spread sawdust from his woodworking shop to mulch the plants and fill some of the timber gaps.

Amy spread a mulched soil mix to inject some microbial activity.

The whole shebang was coated with cypress mulch.

So were nearby catalpas, plus a box elder and bald cypress.

Now they’ll all retain water that the Greenbeck Guild team applies twice a week.