Change was sown, the blooms spoke, & Dirty Blooms was born
"What is planted in each person's soul will sprout." -Rumi
CHANGE COMES FROM ACTION & OBSERVATION
Starting in 2012 under the watchful eyes of my neighbors, I silently strolled through my yard, camera in hand, and set about my work. I logged species types, sexes, numbers, nest locations, weather information, and the plants being visited. The Collected data was then turned over to one of the several citizen scientist programs in which I participate.
REWILDING WITH MORE NATIVE PLANTS- GETS NOTICED
It took nearly 5 years for my neighborhood to notice the fruits of my labor. Strangers began lingering out front, excited to the see the bustling ecosystem in action and were full of questions, like -- "What is THAT?" after seeing a Golden-Backed Snipe Fly.
Their fascination of an unfamiliar, native, all black bee with gold legs called Two-Spotted Longhorn Bee, had people asking to not only know about the bee, but also see the other bee species that I have been documenting for the last several years.
Their eyes delighted by new insects and bees, noses pleased with the scented flowers of yesteryear -- their brains now intrigued, provided the opportunity for me to share my rewilding passion and explain the plights and perils of our pollinators.
2017 one of my neightbors of ten years, asked me to create for him a tiny heirloom and native plant area of his own "to help the critters in the environment" and---"to give me some nature to look while sitting on my swing."
I joyfully designed transplanted my native plants to his yard; creating his first tiny pollinator garden and the second of my neighborhood.
It's now 2024 and he's killed off more lawn over the years, and other neighbors have done the same.
I hope you'll join me- THE BLOOMINATI and promote our cause of rewilding urban spaces with native plants across the globe. We need millions of small space gardens and people who a passionate about getting their hands dirty.
Part of my front yard native landscape that inspired the neighbors.
The neighbors first native plant garden 2017
THE FRONT YARD EXTENSION & THE NEW BACKYARD BONANZA OF 2022
I designed new native plant beds. He finally wanted a bigger bed in the front so we exentened it. He also wanted a bed with the addition and fruit trees and shrubs in the small back yard in 2022.
Added to this small city lot in the backyard alone:
3 trees: 1 species serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) , 1 heirloom pear tree (Seckel Pear), 1 Stella cherry fruit tree
11 bushes:
2 honeyberries
8 blueberries
1 Raspberry
2 Vines: Native Crossvines
FRONT YARD EXTENSION 2022
THE NEW BACKYARD REWILDING CORNER
**this was packed with annuals to give the natives time to pop up in 2023.**
