Since 1972, it has been a work in progress. But in that time Ken and Judy Sikora, of Howard, Wisconsin, have transformed their yard once filled mainly with grass into a private nature preserve.
Ken said he and Judy grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where they were accustomed to seeing large patches of lupine, trilliums, mayflowers and other native plants. After moving to the Green Bay area in 1972 and buying the house they still live in, they started added native plants to their property. The couple will be married 50 years this August.
“The newspaper had announcements for Wild Ones meetings, including news about their plant rescues and yard tours,” Ken said. “That really got us going since we have ideal property settings for shade, wetland and upland garden plantings.”
Ken said they gradually started planting native species. “We started with trees and shrubs … and expanded from there. Every year we made an improvement.”
Their home is on a 2-acre parcel, but they also own a nearby 2.5-acre site. Those parcels butt up to a large marsh connected to the Bay of Green Bay. In addition, they are working on developing a 2-acre butterfly garden on their church property in Howard.
Ken and Judy said they have many favorite plants, but if they had to choose, they most like wetland plants such as turtlehead (Chelone glabra), bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) and Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense). For trees and shrubs, they are fondest of larches (Larix laricina), leatherwood (Dirca palustris) and river birches (Betulanigra).
“When I walk through our yard, I begin on a ‘shade garden’ trail that is filled with wild ginger, bloodroots, trout lilies, trilliums, leeks, yellow bellwort, maidenhair ferns and more,” Ken says. “I then work my way past my beehives behind a barn for a quick check of the bee activity and then proceed along the marsh and past some ponds. I have anchored a log in the middle of each pond for the turtles, middle of each pond for the turtles, waterfowl and large birds to sun themselves and rest on.”
“By then I’m at a creek on the far lot, which has wildflower plantings along its bank,” he says. “This 200-foot wide lot is lined with various trees we planted and filled in between with wildflowers for the full 400-feet length.”
His project this year is to redo some areas that have become overrun with “bossy plants” such as rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium) and cup plants (Silphium perfoliatum). “Of course, the finches don’t help by feeding on them and spreading the seeds,” he says. “All of a sudden it shows up in areas where they were not planted.”
Ken recommends using old carpeting laid upside down to kill plants and grass when readying areas for planting. Most mornings he strolls through his property with a cup of coffee in his hands. “If I see something that needs a little work, I’ll just remove this plant or that.”
they see a lot of deer and fox.
Most evenings, however, Ken finds a place to sit outside, usually with a beer, to watch nature. “I like to sit somewhere a little hidden and see what comes out,” he explains, adding that deer, muskrats and turtles are common sights. Occasionally, Judy joins him once the dishes are done. “Sometimes we have a bonfire, and just sit and watch,” Judy says. “You have to take time to appreciate what you have.”
“Some people like to golf or go to their cottage all weekend,” Ken adds. “This is our place, our talent; it’s what we’re good at. We feel very blessed with what God has given us to work with, and that we are able to make improvements to a small portion of our planet, which by the way, keeps us very healthy.”
Ken recommends people read “Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder,” by Richard Louv. “As a beekeeper for over 25 years, I’m worried that our necessary pollinators, birds and insects will not have enough to forage on if generations of young people are not interested enough in nature to plant a garden or any pollinator-friendly plants,” he says.
Both Ken and Judy have advice for those new to natural landscaping. “Make sure the site is well prepared,” Ken says. “You don’t want invasives to be an immediate problem.” Judy encourages people to do their research first. “Go and visit other peoples’ gardens and see what they have in the sunlight and what they have in the shade and decide what you like and don’t like,” she says. “Then look at native plant catalogs to be sure you plant what you really are going to enjoy.”
And it’s best to start small, they agreed. “Start planting in a little corner,” Ken said. “If every house on the block did that, think what an impact it could have.”