SEED plot at TLR

(eft) The plot (right of way) in front of TLR in spring 2016 prior to SEED planting (right) Same plot at TLR summer 2018 at SEED

Site pre-SEED at The Living Room in Lincoln Central Neighborhood

The Living Room welcomes all!

The "right of way" outside of the TLR and companion spaces in the middle of the Lincoln Central neighborhood. Non-native boxwood shrubs used to create sad border were crudely pruned, poorly maintained and damaged.

Violets and dandelions are preferable to the non-native grass but here it was not anything intentional merely neglect. Lawns are costly, provide little to no habitat, create ecological damage to maintain and are merely a habitual practice.

The building itself is a modest commercial strip cobbled together. It offers no features or value for the community beyond being present. A significant portion of the building is goes unleased. Prior uses of the TLR included a carpet showroom and some sort of gym. The right of way is 7 1/2 feet by 155 feet. One of the challenges has been cars speeding down the street (Sycamore) which is indicative of general attitude disrespect for the area.

Site work begins March 2016

Removal of existing "lawn", replacing soil and tilling up new bed for planting began in spring on the first segment to be planted. The ground was pretty gritty and took some commitment. Joey Leo volunteering from TLR pictured.

(left) SEED volunteer and local coffee roaster Jeff Bradley offers sage advice (right) loading dirt from city recycling and really making a mess of my truck.

Plants mulched in ... note the Sunchoke on the right of Eric as it quickly grows into something a bit bigger. One of the issues beside being big is it can't hold itself up and staking it successfully was harder than it needed to be.

Loading mulch was also a task that took its toll on my truck.

Selecting plants at Bread and Roses Nursery, Bloomington, IN. Bread and Roses does an amazing permaculture approach to its nursery that should be a model for all. Bread and Roses is run by one full time persons and one part-time and so their ability to operate a commercial business at this scale is impressive.

It was a number of cold spring days traveling to source and collect plants for TLR. Spence and Woody Warehouse also do very good work and Indiana is fortunate to have a good set of native nurseries to source plants. However, most places that sell plants do not support local, native and ecological practices so please do your homework.

Ecologic was the fourth native, local nursery we sourced plants from for the SEED plot. Ecologic provides a great vision and opportunities for people learn more and experience key ecological practices. Founder, Spencer Goehl was a great host and assisted with future classroom activities.

Planting April 2016

This is a starting list for planting in spring of 2016. Various plants have been removed or added to this list over the years.; however, the bulk of them remain in place.

Spence Restoration Nursery

32 - Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)
32 - Aster laevis (Smooth Aster)
32 - Coreopsis lanceolta (Lance-leaf Coreopsis)
32 - Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
32 - Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue)
32 - Rudbeckia fulgida var speciosa (Showy Blackeyed Susan)
32 - Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort)
32 - Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed)
49 - Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem)

Woody Warehouse

1 - Persimmon
2- Spicebush
3- Paw Paw
4- Black Chokeberry

Bread and Roses Nursery

24 - Mint variety (including chocolate)
8 - ((Helianthus tuberosum) Jerusalem artichoke
12 - (Veronicastrum virginicum)  Culver's Root
Mushroom log (Shitake)
6 - (Rumex acetosa))  Lemon Sorrel
8 - (Monarda) Bee Balm
2 - (Grossulariaceae) Black currant
2 - (Amelanchier) Service Berry or Shadbush

Eco Logic Nursery

6 - (Physostegia virginiana) Obedient plant
10 - (Veronicastrum virginicum) Culver's Root
8 - (Baptisia australis) False Blue Indigo
8 - (Pycnanthemum) Mountain Mint
6 - (Solidago speciosa) Showy Goldenrod

Selecting plants at Ecologic in Bloomington, IN

Laying out the plants pre-workshop with Indiana University students in Design and Ecology Workshop.

SEED volunteer and community specialist, Tyler Reynolds with IU student on planting tips.

The plot appears shaded in many pictures by the building to the west. However, the amount of sunlight has been plenty for robust plant growth. There were a lot of questions to whether or not the plants would thrive here and the answer has been a resounding yes!

The Indiana University Design and Ecology Workshop gave a boost to the planting process

SEED core team Eric Riddle, Phillip Roggow

Indiana University students in "Design and Ecology" workshops participate in planting.

SEED volunteer Phillip Roggow celebrates a little.

May - September 2016

Installation completed.

Wait for it...

A rather appalling , shoddy new development went up next door as we planted. The contrast in approach to the neighborhood was stark from across the street.

Using spray chalk the TLR children join in labeling some of the natives in the SEED plot.

Volunteers Angie Bradley and Jon Meyers of Lincoln Central Neighborhood join in the spray chalk graphics.

TLR children participated in SEED.

It is too common for people to suffer under the assumption that a well mowed lawn is a good idea and that anything else is a weed. Most people and plant blind and do not understand the role of natives or what a native plant is for our area. The labels are a way to help people avoid a knee jerk reaction that what do not understand is a not a positive.

Lawns are simple... the goals is uniformity and control over nature where as native plots are a reconnection with nature and appreciation for what it offers. The SEED plot is different and interesting every day and through out the day.

The first summer was a success for everything planted thrived.

The Jerusalem Artichoke or Sunchoke going in seems pretty relaxed, but its just getting started.

We wanted edible plants but also ones with big impact. We over shot just a bit with the Sunchoke that grew super fast. The image on the right is from July and the left is from August but after numerous cut backs too.

The Paw Paw (Indiana Banana) trees started off quickly.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower). Chinacea purpurea is a North American species of flowering plant in the sunflower family. It is native to parts of eastern North America and present to some extent in the wild in much of the eastern, southeastern and midwestern United States as well as in the Canadian Province of Ontario

Spider wort. Tradescantia is a genus of 75 species of herbaceous perennial wildflowers in the family Commelinaceae, native to the New World from southern Canada to northern Argentina, including the West Indies.

(left) Butterfly Milkweed is an important native forb for pollinators (right) The Sunchoke grew out of control quickly and often.

The Rose bushes were a memorial tribute to Tyler Reynolds mother who was a community activist and caregiving. The first round of plants installed and signage up for SEED, Lincoln Central Family Center and United Way who were all supporters of the project. Special credit to Randy Allman, Diane Doup and Lisa Pein of LCFC.

The bee balm plant is a North American native, thriving in woodland areas. Also known by its botanical name of Monarda, bee balm is very attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

The mushroom log was my first thanks to Bread and Roses. I have since cultivated about 200 logs and continue to investigate on mushroom production at the Westbrook Artists' Site.