After we did all this work I was bragging to a friend that works for the Nature Conservancy telling her how hard we worked and offered a garden tour to show how well we did. Much to my embarrassment she sighted several more plants that are considered invasive.
We knew we had our work cut out for us. Luckily when we attended the first Knox County Native Plant Days we won a door prize that was 'a day of work of removing invasive plants'. It couldn't have been more timely. We called and set up a date for the work to be done.
Last evening we had a team of garden workers descend on our garden to once and for all remove the of the invasive shrubs from our garden. The group below tackled some winter creeper growing in a ring around my Knot Garden. This Euonymus wasn't supposed to spread. After some time it started reverting to it's original state which is invasive. This group made short work of the tangled mess.
As some were working there across the path another started cutting back this huge European Cranberry.
After it was cut back it took three men with two Pullerbears and a shovel to get the base out.
What is a Pullerbear? It is a gizmo that can grab a good sized trunk and it has a long handle to use as a fulcrum.
They got this brute pulled out.
There were two European Privets that had to go. The Pullerbear was again in use.
Another 4 Euonymus and a Bittersweet were pulled and all was crammed into the back of the truck to be taken away.
I can't thank this team of hard working men and women enough. They came here after their day jobs, on a hot humid evening, to work until all was removed.
Thank you again.
That must have been a great day, I can't imagine having all that hard work getting done at one time, it must have been exciting!
ReplyDeleteSo do you already have plans for the freshly dug spots? I bet you do! But hopefully you also get a nice soaking rain to bring on the fall planting ;)
It was great! I do have some plans for the spots. I haven't been able to source the plants I want there. It might take some time. Yes, we do need rain.
DeleteWow, that's a wonderful door prize! I have some Wintercreeper I need to pull. I've been slowly adding native plants and allowing aggressive natives to fill in the area and outcompete it. The idea of trying to pull it all is overwhelming. (It was here when we moved in 18 years ago.) Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI don't think anything deters wintercreeper except digging it out and/or poisoning it. It is awful!
DeleteI have to confess that just looking at the photos of the work made me feel the need for a nap. :)
ReplyDeleteI am sure they all slept well that night.
DeleteHow wonderful to win and get so much help to make your garden even more beautiful ~ enjoy ^_^
ReplyDelete(A ShutterBug Explores)
Oh, Lisa! How wonderful!!! Cant wait to see what you plant in those spots!!!
ReplyDeleteI will be posting Julie. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWhat a great prize! I love that they offered to help remove the invasive rather than just giving a native plant. How wonderful you were able to get all of that heavy work done and all of the yard waste carted away. Now you have a clear slate to work with!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic prize - I'd be buying lottery tickets if that was one of the prizes. Also, I want one of those Pullerbears!
ReplyDeleteJason, there were two sizes of the Pullerbears. The small one was good for the smaller shrubs and some vines. They make the pulling much easier.
DeleteWhat a great work, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteNow you have a lot of empty spots to plant new ones. Do you have a wish list?
Nadezda, I do have a wish list. It is mostly plants native to our area. They will be difficult to source so it might take some time to find them.
DeleteLisa girl you really lucked out on that draw !
ReplyDeleteI too am in the middle of kicking out some plants and having the garden look like a MESS while I try to figure out a new plan.
Come on up here and help me ? LOL
Keep up the photo journal so we can see what new plants you choose to fill those voids ! Good for you with the overhaul of your garden : )
Joy
Happy Weekend to you ~ have fun in your garden ~ ^_^
ReplyDelete(A ShutterBug Explores)
Thanks for stopping by and commenting ~ ^_^
Happy Week to you ~ thanks for commenting ~
ReplyDeleteA ShutterBug Explores aka (A Creative Harbor)
I've never heard of a Pullerbear, but there have been times I could have used one! I think we all have planted something not realizing it was actually invasive. I didn't plant our burning bushes, but I caution anyone thinking about planting some to think twice. What a great doorprize--I'm sure you were thrilled to have such great help!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of a Pullerbear either but it is a good tool to have. I have the option of borrowing one from this group. I doubt I would ever do that. I don't have much that I want to remove. Of course that is based on my remover (Gary) not wanting to use one. ;) It was a great door prize. I am sure it would have taked Gary and I a LONG time to get these things out.
DeleteVery exciting to both have this work done all at once and to have all that empty space to replant! Good for you!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a Happy Holiday weekend ~ ^_^
ReplyDeleteA ShutterBug Explores ~ aka (A Creative Harbor)
Wow, were you ever lucky to win that! Whew. What a lot of work. The whole native/invasive plant subject is huge. I know we've got some and I think I ever wrote about them on the blog once - tatarian honeysuckle. I tried cutting it down but that doesn't work. I can't afford to have someone come and dig it out. Such a problem.
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave woman Lisa, letting others garden for you.
ReplyDeleteInvasive plants are a huge problem everywhere. I have been very careful as to what I plant here.
I am now letting my garden be.....no more buying plants, apart from my annual purchase of new hellebores.
Yes I do really mean it. I have found gardening exhausting this year, and its taken its toll.
I shall just keep it neat and tidy and see how things develop.
I am now wondering if you will replant where your invasive species have been taken out.
I have no wonder as to why you are worn out with your garden this year. Do let it settle for awhile. When your life settles down your garden will be there for you.
DeleteThe people working in the garden were so careful I didn't have a worry. I watched the entire time unless I was taking debris to the truck.
Again, Lisa, as everyone has said above, what a great prize and what a great tool in that Pullerbear! As gardeners we never like to leave big roots in the ground if we can help it and it can be a struggle - haha, I've fallen in many a hole!
ReplyDeleteIt's great when official groups actively encourage (and in your case help) deal with invasive, non-native plants in our gardens. That looked a great day but I guess you were a tad nervous as they tread through your borders and beds. We are all getting more aware of the importance of protecting our native flora and perhaps blogging and blogs have played their part here too. Enjoy the next fun part in choosing and sourcing your new replacement plants :-))))