Gold Meadow

Gold Meadow. Gold Meadow is located on part of the land purchased in 1974, which also includes the Crim Fields.

It was the first project completed by the Girl Scouts. Jesse Bloch and Nanette Pai researched a small library of books on plants, birds, and butterflies to determine the best location and a plant list to achieve the goal. This was to attract a wide variety of songbirds, butterflies, and humming birds. The research was aided by the Somerset County Environmental Education Center and the Township Engineering Department. Once the research was complete the girls enlisted the help of a variety of volunteers for the planting phase. The sanitary sewer maintenance crew cleared the site and the fence was installed by Atlantic Fence Inc. at a cost of $3,744. Although eparation of the specifications for the deer fence. The 1,945 plants cost a total of $1,849.79, which averages $0.95 per plant. To control costs quotes were obtained from three nurseries specializing in native plants. The order was divided among them based on the unit price of each species. We were able to obtain nearly all of the plants on the original list with a few acceptable substitutions. The only plant that was not available was the Coral Bell Honeysuckle, which will be added later. The planting, path, and trellis construction was achieved with the help of parents, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and friends. The Martinsville Fire Company then lightly watered the meadow.

This project was originally conceived as a loosely planted area spread along a sanitary sewer easement or a field. However as we got into the research it evolved into a fairly compact 120 by 40 foot area protected by a deer fence. However, it is hoped that seeds from this area will be carried by birds and the wind to include a much larger area. The only the ruby throated hummingbirds are found in this area. They are attracted to the nectar in flowers with deep centers, particularly those red in color. Other birds are attracted by: fruit or seeds, nesting materials, shelter, and insects that may be attracted to the plants. Butterflies are attracted to nectar plants and to host plants that provide their caterpillars with food. A mix of plants blooming from April to October is best and flowers in bloom at each end of this range are particularly valuable. Large butterflies, such as Monarchs and Swallowtails, are the most likely to be attracted first.

  
Orange Sulfur                                   Tiger Swallowtail

Of Mice and Voles. During the planting of the meadow several voles were found. This lead to new volunteers being greeted with the phrase “you missed the vole thing.” Voles and mice are very similar and differ by the shape of the head and length of the tail, which for the vole is a large head and stubby tail. Both are a prime source of food for hawks and owls. This site is near the hawk watch at Chimney Rock and the large bird box near Mike’s Bridge is designed for a barn owl. Voles can have up to thirteen litters of four to eight young per year, so they can efficiently convert a lot of vegetable matter to owl food.

VINES
Virginia Creeper     Trumpet Creeper    Coral Bell Honeysuckle

SHRUBS
Inkberry Holly    Sweet pepperbush    Red Chokeberry     Swamp Rose
Northern Bayberry    Highbush Blueberry    Serviceberry     Arrowwood

WILDFLOWERS
Purple Coneflower    Cardinal Flower    Common Milkweed    Goldenrod sp.
Wild Columbine    Joe Pye Weed    New England Aster     Butterfly Weed

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PLANT LIST

Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) A medium to tall shrub that has attractive white flowers from May to June, nice foliage, and blue berries

• Berries provide food during the winter for several species of birds
• Grows 3 to 10 feet tall
• 8 were planted

Aster Mix (Aster spp.) A mix of New England aster (A. novae-anglae, look for hairy stems), and the New York aster (A. novi-belgii, look for smooth stems) was used. They have variety of color, are one of the most abundant wildflowers, and bloom late in to October.

• Attracts seed eating birds such as cardinals, goldfinches, sparrows, and indigo buntings
• Also attracts butterflies (Monarchs & Skippers)
• 200 of each type were planted

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) Their familiar flowers have yellow petals with brown centers.

• Attractive to Monarch, Cresent, & Hairstreak butterflies
• 2 flats totaling about 175 were planted

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) They have a bright red fall color and are one of first species to turn in the fall.

• Attractive to butterflies

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Also called “orange milkweed”; this 18-inch tall plant has orange flowers from June through September.

• One of the best butterfly (Sallowtails, Monarchs, & Skippers) attractions
• 2 flats totaling about 150 were planted

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) A perennial wildflower, they grow to be 2-3 feet tall and have tubular flowers between July and October.

• Pollinated by hummingbirds, which are attracted to the supply of nectar
• 250 were planted

Dogwoods - Gray Dogwood (Cormus racemose) and Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida) These are two of seventeen species of dogwoods in North America, which range from shrubs to trees.

• Provide nesting sites for smaller birds
• Berries eaten by 98 species of birds

Goldenrod Mix (Solidago graminifolia, and Solidago sempervirens) A mix, of Lanceleaf goldenrod (S.graminifolia, 3 feet tall with clusters of yellow flowers blooming from July to Ocober) and Seaside goldenrod (S. sempervirens, 4 feet tall with plumes of yellow flowers blooming from August to October), was used. There are 125 species of goldenrod in the United States.

• Yellow flowers attractive to butterflies
• 1 flat of each totaling about 150 were planted
  

Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) This 2-foot tall plant has purplish tubular flowers with a white lip blooming from May through July.

• 178 were planted
• The section where they were planted was overrun with thistle which may have choked them out.
  

High Bush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) A multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that grows from about 5-15 feet tall; there are 25-30 North American species.

• Over 90 species of birds eat fruits of blueberry plants- including eastern bluebirds, black-capped chickadees, robins, orioles, tufted titmice, and flickers
• Groups of plants provide cover and nesting sites for chipping and song sparrows
• 50 were planted

Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) This holly is one of two shrub holly species native to North America.   

• Dense, prickly foliage provides shelter and nesting sites for many birds    
• Grows 1 to 4 foot tall.   
• Fruit ripens in November and remain into the Winter   
• Fruits eaten by 49 species, including common flicker, mockingbird, gray catbird, bluebirds, and robin

Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum) This 4 foot tall plant has whorled leaves and flat-topped clusters of pink flowers in 5-inch clusters blooming from July through September.   

• Attractive to butterflies (Skippers)   
• 125 were planted

Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) This round, bushy shrub, has fruits borne in thick clusters around branches in summer, which remain throughout winter.    

• Waxy fruits attractive to migrating birds   
• Fruits eaten by 86 species

Purple Coneflower (Coreopsis lamceolata) This is one of about 25 species of coneflowers native to North America.   

• Seeds enjoyed by finches, chickadees, cardinals, and sparrows & many butterflies    
• 100 were planted

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) This shrub has densely hairy lower leaf surfaces, and pinkish tinged white flowers on hairy stalks develop into red fruit.    

• Fruit among favorites of birds

Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) This plant can grow to nearly 30 feet high. It has showy white flowers bloom in early spring and small edible fruits, which ripen between late July and early August.   

• Fruits eaten by at least 42 species of native birds, including the red-headed woodpecker, robin, northern oriole, gray catbird, towhees, blue jay, mourning dove, and house finch   
• 15 were planted
• Sumac (Rhus aromatica) Colorful plants especially in the fall, one of sixteen species native to North America, and one of the four species that are trees.   
• Provides valuable winter food for a wide variety of birds   
• Over 98 species are known to eat the fruits   
• Also provides shelter for ground nesting birds

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) This 3.5 foot tall milkweed has 3 inch clusters deep pink flowers blooming from June through August, milky white sap, and opposite branching.   

• Flowers are attractive to butterflies (Monarchs, Skippers, & Hairstreaks)    
• 150 were planted

Swamp Rose (Rosa palostris) An aggressively spreading, thorny shrub; it has pinkish flowers from June through august, which mature into bright red rose hips. There are also swamp rose growing naturally outside the fence.  

• Provides nesting sites for birds   
• Rose hips eaten by at least 20 species; are the preferred food of mockingbirds    
• 32 were planted, including 2 transplanted from outside the fence

Swamp White Oak (Quercus bibolor) A large, deciduous tree that grows to about 100 feet tall; fifty species that are trees are native to North America.    

• Provide food (mainly acorns), shelter, and nesting sites   
• Chickadees, titmice, cardinals, flickers, blue jays, meadowlarks, morning doves, eat acorns and insects attracted to the tree

Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) A 6 foot tall shrub with 8 inch long spikes of strongly scented white flowers blooming from late July to September.

Sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis) A large, deciduous tree with maple-like leaves with hanging fruits; one of three species native to North America, they grow in low-lying areas along streams and abandoned meadows throughout the eastern U.S.    

• Fruits are packed with seeds consumed by orioles, cedar waxwings, chickadees, goldfinches, pine siskins, house finches, and purple finches   
• Fluffy flower down used by hummingbirds for nest construction   
• Flickers, chickadees, titmice, bluebirds, tree swallows, and screech owls are among some birds that live in old woodpecker holes in sycamore

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) Also called Trumpet vine, they bear trumpet flowers between July and September.  

• Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds   
• 12 were planted

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Also called Woodbine, it can reach 50 feet in length. The foliage turns crimson in the fall.  

• Provides shelter for smaller birds like house finches and bushtits   
• Fruits eaten by 39 species of birds, including red-headed woodpeckers, robins, and mockingbirds 
• 12 were planted]

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
This plant grows from 1-3 feet tall, with 1-2 inch long scarlet flowers with yellow centers blooming between April and July.  

• Nectar-rich flowers attractive to hummingbirds   
• 72 were planted