Over the fence from our little urban garden is a barren hillside belonging to the railyard. There isn't much over there except dead blackberry brambles and ratholes. They recently had some construction workers out there cutting down dead brambles and poisoning rats. I've been tempted to do some "guerrilla gardening" by just pitching a bunch of wildflower seeds over the fence, but I've been told the ground is probably drenched with weedkiller -- and building staff is afraid if anything *did* take, the railroad people would be upset at us. I am sure that there is some ground cover that would make that hillside safer for the railroad, as well as more pleasant for the rest of us and a lot healthier for my garden. If I came up with some good suggestions, they might not be accepted -- but it would be worth trying. I'm looking for plants 1) native to western Washington; 2) that will take no tending at all, 3) be very drought-resistant and disease-resistant, 4) anchor the hillside, 5) nurture wildlife like hummingbirds and butterflies (tho' it would be nice if it repels rats), 6) grow well and yet not spread to everywhere else in town (like blackberry vines or kudzu). Got ideas?
Well I'm afraid blackberries fit all your criteria except the last, lol! Don't know why blackberries are so scowled at around here, have you ever eaten the big berries? Not as good as the tiny ground-cover ones, but still mighty nice to graze on. I'm afraid the only thing that can compete with the vines is shade- i:e, trees. As for the rats, just keep complaining to the county. If the land they are supposed to be maintaining is creating a health hazard like a rat breeding ground, they are required to correct the problem. But it takes a squeaky wheel sometimes. Can you screen the area off with high chicken wire and train something over it to block the view? If you do toss wildflower seeds over there, please be sure the mix is all native to our area, there are watchdog groups who can really give you grief about this. (my prairie was beautiful 20 years ago, now the unmaintained parts are nothing but Scotch broom, originally brought in by the highway department!)
How about nasturtiums? There are at least a few blackberry vines still hanging around our parking lot fencing. I love to nibble on them. How about I let some nasturtium seed just accidentally leak over there? Eating nasturtiums has really caught on in the building, and now I wish I'd planted a lot more of them. I could suggest salal! But then I'd want to climb over the fence and pick all the berries.
naturalized nasturtiums are beautiful! The problem is, the blackberries will overpower everything within a single growing season. Pervasive rascals. Salal usually wants a bit of shade- can you believe I've been here all my life and still haven't made anything with salal berries? Grandma would be ashamed of me! She knew every edible plant and mushroom on the ol' family homestead. Is the railroad an inactive one? If so, the doug firs will start creeping in soon and will shade out the blackberries within a few years.
Some other possibles... No, it's a very active railyard. The hillside isn't active, but I can't imagine it growing trees. I do love salal berries, and they could dig in on even poor soil and sharp slope... but you're right, everywhere I've seen them they've had some shade. Two other possibilities I've come up with are kinikinnick and creeping Oregon grape. Do you think they could hold their own against blackberries?
Hi Anitra, I'm curious about the rats. Are these field rats of some type? What are they living off of over there?
Kinnikinick is very slow-growing but yes, loves full sun and being ignored. Oregon grape likes a bit of shade too. I have no clue what the experts say about this, my input is from the perspective of someone who has been wandering the fields and forests of Western Wa. for 40 years
