When you’re passionate about something, it’s not work. Just ask Gail and Dick Olson, of Bristol, Virginia.
This is an excerpt from the Wild Ones Journal
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The couple purchased nearly 19 acres in southwestern Virginia in 2007 in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and has spent their time since turning pastures and hayfields to meadows, removing invasive species and planting native flowers, shrubs and trees. All with a goal to provide wildlife habitats.
The two always had an interest in nature, with Dick retiring as an environmental scientist. But it was after the couple married and moved to Wisconsin in 2003 that their interest in native plants grew as they learned about Wild Ones and native landscaping.
Dick said the reason they moved to Wisconsin was to help his father, who had used his forestry background to transform a 280-acre neglected dairy farm to a diverse, productive natural area. “I went from sitting down in front of a computer to managing lands and doing land improvement with my brothers,” he said.
After Olson’s father died in 2004, Portage County purchased the farm in 2015 to become the Steinhaugen Recreation Area, complete with wetlands, upland hardwood forest, pine plantations, prairie and open fields. The two moved to Virginia next, where it took them more than six months to find the right property.
“We wanted property with some mature trees, and not all lawn,” Dick explained. Eventually they settled on land that had 10-acres of woodlands along with hayfields and pastures, plus a restored log cabin from the 1880s. “It had great potential,” Dick said.
Dick said they worked with a forester who came up with a plan for their wooded area. Since he was familiar with the Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, Dick looked for state and federal funding to help make their dream a reality.
“We took advantage of their expertise, including suggestions of what species to plant and processes to use,” he said.
They conducted forest stand improvements and used some of the harvested wood for remodeling their cabin. Their woods even includes American chestnut hybrid trees, as Dick has been a volunteer with the American Chestnut Foundation.
Their first project was converting a 2-acre pasture/hayfield to warm season grasses.
Gail said they were lucky that the wildlife biologist didn’t come in and just tell them what to do. “He came in and asked what are you looking for?” she said. “He sent us lists and told us to do our homework on what to plant. He wanted us to take responsibility for the planting.”
That 2-acre upper meadow still looks good, but the two acknowledged they’ve struggled with controlling invasive plants.
“We burned it a few times and tried some sprays,” Dick said. Now they mow it each spring, and Gail is committed to cutting and treating individual stems of woody invasives.
“You can tell a difference,” Gail said, “but it is a slow-going process.”
Gail said their property has become their “learning lab” as they try new things. For example, to get rid of fescue in their hayfield, she tried smothering the turf with plastic, newsprint and cardboard, then covered with mulch starting in mid-summer. She sows seed in the winter after removing plastic or any cardboard that didn’t decompose. She still isn’t sure which is best.
Dick has also learned from doing. For instance, they tried to put in a meadow in an opening in the woods, but it didn’t get enough sun.
“It has become a good wildlife area, filled with ferns and jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), and that’s where we see fawns hiding,” Gail said. “We dug out a small pond in a low-lying area to gather runoff for wildlife.”
Their next project is continuing to expand their front meadow. “It’s now about 10,000 square feet, but the majority is still a hayfield,” Gail said. “That area will keep me going for several years, adding more plants, fighting invasive species, and just improving it.”
Gail said her favorite plants are the grasses since they add movement in the wind and give the gardens structure. They also help to set off the other forbes that come up between them.
“But I also love cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) and the finches that come to it when the flowers go to seed,” she said. “It seems like hundreds of birds are there at once.”
Dick, too, said his favorites are the grasses, particularly in the upper meadow. “The way the grass sways in the wind in the fall, backlit by the setting sun, is impressive.”
They also enjoy plantings around the house and in the woods, including mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) with its pink and white flowers.
The Olsons said they love sharing their property with others, including their grandchildren.
”We take them out to the meadow to show them pollinators such as solitary bees on mountain mint. They have also tracked animals and listened to screech owls,” Gail said. Mostly, they take them out to give them experiences of interacting with nature or picking fresh vegetables from Dick’s garden or fruit from his orchard.
The Olsons also share their knowledge of native plants with others. For instance, they have taught a class on habitat gardening for wildlife to Master Gardeners. Gail, along with Master Gardeners, is helping design the native landscaping for the Damascus Trail Center, set to open this year in Damascus, Virginia, also known as “Trail Town, USA.” They have also hosted tours of their gardens for Master Gardeners and others.
For those new to native gardening and not living in an urban setting, Dick recommends people take advantage of state and federal programs that offer help in planning and cost sharing. For homeowners who have a small yard, proper site preparation is one of the most important things you can do, he said.
“Put in the time and effort to get rid of the turf and grass, and deal with invasive species,” he said. “Also look online for groups that provide specialized resources such as how to deal with particular invasive species.”
Gail recommends you buy a few plants that you want, and then learn to propagate that plant either by gathering seed or cuttings. “That really helps to keep the cost down if you expand your native planting,” she said. “Also, take advantage of seed swaps.”
Secondly, she tells those new to native plants not to worry if they don’t know everything when they start. “I’m learning as I go,” she said. “For instance, I grow seed of new species in our greenhouse that I have planted so I will know what they look like as a seedling when I see it in our meadow.”
Gail also encourages people to read books, talk to owners when shopping at native plant nurseries and go to Wild Ones meetings and conferences. “Not only do they have great speakers, but if you talk to the person sitting next to you, they have knowledge and information that you will find helpful,” she said.
They first joined Wild Ones in 2014. The closest chapter was Smoky Mountains near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, but the 2-hour drive made it a challenge to participate regularly.
So much of a challenge that Gail and others decided it was time to create a local Wild Ones chapter. The Appalachian Highlands seedling was formed in late 2021 and initially had 14 members, despite not being able to hold its first meeting yet as of press deadline due to COVID-19. Gail is co-president of the seedling chapter that serves southwest Virginia and the northeastern Tennessee area.
Written by Barbara A. Schmitz