Border Garden
A border garden was added in 2009 off of the Pitts Street entrance. The next step is to label the plants.
Butterfly bush offers a rich source of nectar to migrating monarchs and hummingbirds as fall approaches. Their tubular flowers are well designed for the long tongues of these animals. Butterfly bush is an invasive plant in the northwest, as it offers adult butterflies nourishment it crowds out the plants essential for their caterpillars. Luckily, it's seeds do not sprout as easily in Massachusetts and it is not invasive here.
Blooming in the Fall
Helianthus is the genus of native American Sunflowers. These plants tend to be perrenial and grow tall and beautiful in the sun. They feed and shelter birds throughout the summer and into the winter. The flowers produce many small seeds that are nourishing to the birds.
Winterberry
The Border Garden contains native Winterberry and Beautyberry shrubs. The Winterberry shrubs have bright red berries that last well into the winter. It can be seen growing wild along route 27 in the wetland areas near Sherborn. Birds do not love Winterberries, but these berries are essential. Their bright red color is like a beacon to birds in the depth of winter. A flock of bluebirds or cedar waxwings will land on the shrubs around February and eat all the berries at once. They may not be that tasty, but they are lifesaving when the weather is bitter and there is little other food for the songbirds that rely on berries.
Beautyberry
American Beautyberry is also called French Mulberry but it is all American. It is attractive to birds and butterflies. Its roots, leaves and bark were used by Native Americans to help with fevers, stomachache and colic.
