This hill was originally a barn, built in the 1860’s. As so often happens in today’s world, the farmland was sold to make way for homes and condos. With development, the barn had to go. Thankfully the Amish took the main structure, but the stone walls, large rocks, and other debris, were left behind. The developer decided to bury everything that remained, and make a berm. Because of the debris it became a difficult spot for the new homeowners. Lawn was impracticable because of the tree trunks, boulders and a kitchen sink protruding (literally, a sink was buried). The homeowner called Nature’s Way for consultation, and we decided on a pollinator garden. The first picture at right shows the condition of the hill before clearing. Once we cleared the area, we began adding plugs. This project took longer then some because of a severe weed problem. It had been neglected for many years, allowing the weeds to grow out of control. Canada Thistle, Garlic Mustard, Dames Rocket, Burdock, were just some of the weeds that filled the “garden”. Eventually we were able to conquer the weeds, and the plants began to grow and spread. This is an area where a mix of native and non-native were used. Notably, the red Bee Balm is not native. While it isn’t native, it still has many benefits, particularly for hummingbirds. They are really attracted to this plant. The native lavender Bee Balm is mixed with the non-native red. The result is a beautiful pollinator garden.