October — Urban Greenspace Maintenance
“As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colors enough to paint the beautiful things I see.” — Vincent van Gogh
Nothing illustrates this thought more than a stroll on the Virginia Capital Trail through the Low Line Gardens. Though we are well into fall, the garden continues to provide visual treats. The butter yellow of the Solidago blooms plays beautifully against the lavender of the asters. The wine colored berries of the Beauty Bush (Callicarpa americana) shine bright against the green foliage. The catmint (Nepeta) and yarrow (Achillea millifolium) push out a final flush of flowers to the delight of the bees.
October was a busy month in the gardens. We welcomed not only our regular groups of individual volunteers but three private groups in addition to a community workday.
Part of the work entailed replanting in the rain garden located in the Low Line Green. This is a garden installed in 2020 at the entrance to the Capital Trail in Shockoe Bottom.
We lost a large number of previously planted plants in this part of the garden due to the build up of salt in the soil. This area receives runoff from the 195 and the 95 overpasses, which includes salt any time the highways are salted in advance of winter weather. To compound the issue, the overpasses prevent much rainfall from reaching the gardens, so the salt isn’t diluted over time.
For the new plantings, we opted for species that tolerate increased soil salinity. Time will tell if we have the right recipe for success. We also plan to do some supplemental watering during the winter months to help flush out any salt that makes its way into the gardens from overhead.
The Hotchkiss Green was the site where the community workday was held as part of the Mayor’s Days of Service Initiative. We also hosted private work groups in this space. Volunteers worked tirelessly removing wiregrass from the mulch rings around the trees and in the perennial gardens.
We are also excited to share pictures of the little plants that could! The pollinator berm was planted in September with over 1300 plugs.
Even at this size the plants are producing blooms. Left to right: plugs in the pollinator berm at the Hotchkiss Green, Goldenrod (Solidago), Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)
We are pleased to announce that a regular maintenance opportunity is now available at Hotchkiss Green to continue these ongoing efforts and ensure the new greenspace gets properly established and cared for. The current opportunity is every other Tuesday from 4 p.m. until 6:30 or dark. We have a small but mighty group on board already and look forward to watching this community grow. No experience is required. We will have an expert onsite to offer direction and guidance.
Fall Planting and Maintenance Tips from Our Gardens to Yours
Fall is a great time to plant spring blooming bulbs. Early blooming daffodils and crocus provide a much needed pop of color after the gray days of winter.
Clear out any build up of leaves against the trunks of trees and shrubs. While great for the soil biome, if left against the trunks of trees and shrubs, the leaves can hold excess moisture causing the trunks to rot and invite unwanted pests.
Shallow rooted perennials can benefit from a layer of mulch for the winter. The mulch helps regulate the soil temperature thereby reducing stress to the plant.
Free Mulch: Best kept secret in Richmond for free arborist chip mulch is a website called Chip Drop, click on the link for more information. We discussed the benefits of arborist mulch in a previous blog.
Watering: The plants are thirsty. While we have had a bit of rain, it is not really enough to satisfy the needs of newly planted trees and shrubs. While plants and trees don’t need quite as much water now that the temperatures have cooled, they do need some rainfall or supplemental watering. We recommend checking the soil around the rootball to a depth of 6-8” prior to watering.
Not sure where to start when it comes to taking care of your own plants, trees, and shrubs? Our volunteering opportunities are a great way to learn how to care for landscaping. You’ll take home new knowledge that you can put to use in your yard.
October — Featured Trees Seasonal Update
Black gum tree at the Low Line Green showing early fall color.
Throughout 2025, we’ll be documenting the black gum tree, Nyssa sylvatica, which is planted at many of our urban greenspaces. This native tree is one of our favorites, hence its wide use. It offers interest every season of the year — shiny green leaves in the summer, brilliant reds, yellows, oranges and purples in the fall, and architectural structure in the winter.
Important for our purposes, black gum trees thrive in a variety of growing conditions making it suitable for planting in urban soils. They are tolerant of drought, heat, and both dry and wet soils. Typically, in cultivated conditions, the tree matures at 20-30 feet in height with a 1-2 inch diameter trunk. Because it’s native, it supports a variety of wildlife including mammals, birds, and insects.
You can learn more about black gum trees here.
October — “Spotted At”
We spotted this work of art in the gardens recently! Usually at least the size of a football, these nests belong to bald faced hornets and are made from wood that the hornets mix with their saliva to create a pulp (think: hornet paper mache.) Hornets get a bad reputation, but as long as you leave their nest alone, peaceful coexistence is absolutely possible. This variety of hornet is known for eating pests and even controlling yellow jacket populations. They also pollinate as they collect nectar.
