Most leaves are down, and we are busy raking and getting ready to mulch. We remove all the leaves from the paths but leave the plant beds covered to provide insulation for the woodland plants and to offer cover to the salamanders, lightning bugs, and other critters that need shelter.
Then I looked up and saw that the autumnal witch hazel was blooming.
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You have wild salamanders? Cool!
In the area around the pond. We also have loads of frogs that cats love to hunt – but it’s strictly catch and release.
What kind of salamanders? All that we have in Colorado is the Western Tiger Salamander but he’s wonderful.
I think there are about ten speies here in Massachusetts, but I’ve seen the spotted and redbacked near our pond. Over the years I’ve rescued some from the road and given them refuge in the woodland garden which abuts a Audbon sanctuary.
this year we had toads and multitudes of two speices of frogs as well. It’s fun to walk on the path and watch them leap into the water as you pass like a synchronized swimming team.
The woodland garden is really tiny, but backing up to the audobon maakes it the verge of a larger area.
That tree is quite the weed in our part of the world but it was pure bliss to see about 50 parrots, including an endangered species, feasting on it one day.
It never gets too large around here. Histoorically it was, and still is used to make a medicinal witch hazelsolution that is mildly astringant and antimicrobial. In my area the young straight branches were peeled ddown to make brooms and brushes.
where you are is it a non-native invasive?
Invasive potential so it is not planted.