Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association
Menu
  • WELCOME
  • Events
    • Seed Exchange
    • Indoor Plant Clinic
    • Gardening Symposium
      • Sponsors and Donors
    • GardenFest
    • Garden Tour
      • Featured Gardens
      • Garden Tour Sponsors
    • FallFest
    • 2021 Webinars
  • Programs
    • in Clarke County
    • in Frederick County
    • in Page County
    • in Shenandoah County
    • in Warren County
    • Seed Lending Library
    • Habitat Gardens
      • Habitat Gardens Checklist
      • Habitat Gardens Registered
      • Habitat Gardens Resources
      • Order Habitat Garden Sign
    • Scholarships
    • Youth
  • Speakers
  • Newsletter
  • Home Turf
  • 2021 Donors
  • Join
  • More
    • Contact
    • Master Gardener News
    • Gardening Info
      • Monthly Gardening Tips
      • Plant Descriptions
      • Spotted Lanternfly
    • Members
      • Bylaws/Guidelines
      • Continuing Education
      • In Memoriam
      • Emeritus and Honorary
      • MG Meeting Minutes
      • Board Minutes
      • Board Members
      • Budgets
      • MG College
Menu

January 2021

Elaine Specht’s Habitat Garden

Elaine Specht

While Elaine Specht may be known for her award-winning dahlias, they are just a part of who she is as a gardener. She would rather talk about the big picture: the wildlife habitat she calls home.

Inspired by a course in Ecological Landscape Design, offered by the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Elaine discovered a framework that would help her articulate and more clearly develop the vision she had been manifesting, intuitively, for years. “I love being an active part of everything that’s happening in the natural world,” she said. “Ecological design is about less grass, more native plants, and a diversity of habitat for animals,” Elaine said as she trudged through the snow. Even in winter, there are song birds foraging on berries and flower heads that have been left to seed. At a time when gardens are dormant, there’s clearly a lot happening here.

Registered by the NSVMGA as a “Habitat Garden,” the Specht’s Woodstock property is a landscape of intention, designed to provide year-round food, water, cover/shelter and nesting habitat to support and sustain native and migratory birds, bats, insects, butterflies (the property is also a certified Monarch Waystation), and other wildlife, including rabbits,  chipmunks, squirrels and, the often unwelcome, skunks and snakes. When Elaine moved to Shenandoah County with her husband Dan and their cocker spaniel Daisy Mae, “The property wasn’t even attractive to deer,” she said.  “Now, we’re a deer highway.” Deer and other animal tracks are plainly visible in the snow. “I guess we’ve been successful. Maybe too successful,” she added. Native Plants in Snow

“It’s hard to believe that 10 years ago there was nothing here but lawn,” said Elaine, pointing out a garden of conifers (a dozen different types), a grove of mature trees, and an archipelago of creatively designed “island” garden beds – all a labor of love, all for the greater ecological good. The septic field is now a meadow, and even the stumps of a plum and cherry tree enjoy a second life. More than artistry, they provide habitat for insects, and insects feed birds, especially woodpeckers, the Specht’s unofficial mascot. (Specht is German for woodpecker.)

A fenced area behind the house is one concession Elaine has made to her open concept. It’s for Daisy’s safety, but it also protects several raised beds for the edibles enjoyed by her humans. “We used to have a vegetable plot on Dan’s family’s farm, but got tired of driving 20 minutes to harvest,” Elaine said. “Aside from our potato crops, we moved everything here.” Everything includes the only blueberry bushes she keeps netted.  The others? “I’ve given up on them,” she said waving her hand. “Gone to the birds.”

To learn more about gardening to create wildlife habitat, check out this fact sheet from Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Bird house in snow

Editor’s Note: Elaine Specht is the NSVMGA president for 2020-21. Her gardens will be among those featured on the NSVMGA Garden Tour, June 26, 20

Back to Home Turf.

Webinars for Beginning Vegetable Growers

Visit our event web page to register.

Vegetables in a basket

Save the Date!

  • Beginning Vegetable Gardeners Webinar 3 – April 15, 7 p.m.
  • Beginning Vegetable Gardeners Webinar 4 – May 20, 7 p.m.
  • GardenFest – June 5
  • Beginning Vegetable Gardeners Webinar 5 – June 17, 7 p.m.
  • Gardening in the Valley Tour – June 26
  • Beginning Vegetable Gardeners Webinar 6 – July 15, 7 p.m.
  • FallFest – September 11, 2021

Subscribe to our Newsletter

On Facebook…

Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association is at Warren Heritage Society, Inc.

1 day ago

Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association
All gardens change over time, and those at the Warren Heritage Society in Front Royal are no exception. With boxwood taken out, several trees removed, and a new fence to be constructed, major modifications are planned. Stop by to see Extension Master Gardeners in the garden Thursday mornings to learn how we help transform the space, starting at 9, at 101 Chester St, Front Royal, VA 22630. Pictured are EMG Intern Lisa, EMGs Julia, Karen, Katherine, Claire, and Barbara. Photos by EMG Elaine.With boxwood blight a serious problem, some are rethinking their use in gardens. Learn more about this disease at ext.vt.edu/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/boxwood-blight.html. ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

BETTER IMPACT LOG-IN

Extension Master Gardeners: See Volunteer Opportunities and Record Hours

Site Hosting Donated by…

© 2021 Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme