Date

5/17-20/2007

Time

Various times

Total Hours:

10

Cumulative Hours:

35

Partners

Sometimes alone and some time with Laura

Activities

Research – False Solomon’s Seal

Plant walk and site comparison (Forest between St. Martin’s and The Dept. of Ecology).

Photograph plants of interest:  salmonberry, thimbleberry, oxalis, bleeding heart, waterleaf, fringecup, avens, solomon’s seal, sword fern, and others.

5/19/07 Class time in the Garden: pulled more Nootka rose, weeded, mulched, planted bunchberry and fringecup in the same area (it’s so cute), pruned dead branches and those that were sticking out into the path.  I avoided pruning parts that were blooming or had berries forming. 

Observations

Normally by this time of year in many forests there are lots of fungus growing - I haven't seen much this year.  I wonder if anyone else (Lorne) has noticed this as well or if I am not paying close enough attention? 

Something or someone is picking at the fringecup and solomon’s seal (there’s hardly any plant left) and left only the stem of the trilliums that Laura had planted a few weeks ago.

On Saturday, I noticed that the big leaf maple had some of the bark stripped off and was spray painted red with a small aluminum tag nailed into the trunk – not sure what that is about?  Also, Anastarr and Jamie’s site had been trampled by people and dogs at some point – this was distressing.

Learning Gained

I’ve spent a great deal of time in the forest near St. Martin’s and DOE in various seasons and each year it is a delight to see the plants that return.  This site has many of the same plants (or desired plants for our site) as those in mixed forest C:  false solomon’s seal, bleeding heart, Oregon grape, salmonberry, thimbleberry, trillium, waterleaf, and sword ferns.  There are also many large maples. We (my husband and I) ate some minors lettuce and salmonberry shoots – yum.

The photographs taken of the plants in our site will be nice to use in our presentation – this also helps me to identify plants better by having a solid picture of what plants look like at various life stages.

Tools

Tools from home used in the garden. 

Future Garden Ideas/Tasks

Continue weeding avens patch, mulching, cleaning up center of site near cedar tree.
Continue to weed out excess horsetail.
Encourage wild trailing blackberry that goes down the slope near the big leaf maple.
Find material for the pondering pedestal that will be located near the maple.
Plant more inside-out flower near light pole (Laura already planted some).
Pull one more fern for Brandi's site.

Date

5/10-16/2007

Time

Various times

Total Hours:

10

Cumulative Hours:

25

Partners

Sometimes alone and some time with Laura

Activities

Plant research (signage information) for the following:
Fringecup, waterleaf, Avens

Longhouse Garden Work
Being with the garden
Planting fringecup (provided by Marja)
Site map work

Observations

The LH Garden is looking very alive. Although, I have noticed that the cedar in our site has a bit of browning on its branches. There is still some dead debris that needs to be removed (i.e., branches and other woody plant material that did not return this year).

Learning Gained

SAXIFRAGACEAE - Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora)

The Skagit called this plant t’axobdaloxid and the whole plant was pounded, boiled, and drank as tea for any sickness. It also said to restore the appetite (1:31,37).

Fringecup was said to be eaten by woodland elves to improve night vision (2:167).

Avens (Geum macrophyllum) – This plant likes moist woods and is sensitive to pollution (4:298) (possibly a good indicator for environmental conditions in our site). It seems to really like it at the Longhouse Garden and is present in several sites. The whole herb can be dried as needed (4:298).

Used as an astringent, treatment for boils, and cuts. The leaves were also steeped to avoid conception. This plant was said to be found at the birth of seal pups (1:37).

HYDROPHYLLACEAE - Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum capitatum) – This is one of the first flowering plants of spring and was an early food for American Indians. The leaves are bitter and not very tasty – better when cooked. It prefers moist forest habitat (sun or shade).

The whole plant, leaves, stems, and roots can be used. Used as a poultice, it is good for minor wounds, insect bites, and other skin irritations and has a slight astringent quality. It was named for the way it holds water drops on leaves not for the water content of the plant. (3:154-55).

The root is broken up and eaten (1:45).

Tools

Tools from home used in the garden.
Books listed below.

Future Garden Ideas/Tasks

Cut back old woody debris in trees and shrubs and continue to care for the new plants.
Create signage for the redwood sorrel (oxalis).
Create more space for the avens patch by removing more Nootka rose and cutting back other branches to allow light to filter through.

References

1. Erna Gunther. Ethnobotany of Western Washington.
2. Pojar, McKinnon. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
3. Tilford. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West.
4. Moore. Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West.

Date

May 6, 2007

Time

9:00-1:00

Total Hours:

4

Cumulative Hours:

15

Partners

Laura

Activities

Quiet time in the garden – drawing salmonberry.

Weeding more in the avens patch.

Pulling Nootka rose to make room for other plants.

Mulching paths in areas that needed it.

Trimming ferns.

Discussion with Laura about what to work on next.

Observations

After removing some of the Nootka rose the site looks a little torn up. The weather was overcast with occasional rain.

There are other plants such as pacific waterleaf hiding under some of the Nootka rose.

Learning Gained

After drawing the salmonberry I noticed some very fine characteristics of the plant that can help with identification when there are no flowers present. I have found over the last few quarters that it is difficult to id plants when they are not flowering. Without the flower some plants are difficult to identify. This very simple fact has given me a new respect for making sure you know what a plant is before using it.

I believe there is some fireweed growing in the avens patch. Also, removing the Nootka rose without disturbing the plants hiding beneath is difficult.

Tools

Garden tools from home.

Future Garden Ideas/Tasks

We need help with the Nootka rose and are willing to share with whomever might need some for their site.

Continue to weed and create room for the avens patch. It would be nice to find more of this plant for our site.

Plant more fringecup in our patch at the east end of the site.

Share the false-lily of the valley with mixed forest A.

Procure false solomons seal.

References

None

Date

April 29, 2007

Time

10-1:00

Total Hours:

3

Cumulative Hours:

11

Partners

10-1 Laura

Activities
Fringecup patch 4-29-07

Plant procurement at Steve Bilhimer’s private property located between Libby and Zangle in Olympia, Washington. We collected false-lily-of-the-valley and some small fringecup plants.

Transplanted procured plants in mixed forest c: riparian forest.

Collected thimbleberry leaf for drawing and pressing.

Observations

A few thimbleberry were hiding under a large fern in our site. There are a couple of maple trees (small) growing under the nootka rose.

The weather was warm and sunny. It was a great day to be outside.

Learning Gained

Pay closer attention to what might be growing under or near other plants. Woops – I requested thimbleberry for our site and when I looked today we had plenty – I must have missed them in their smaller state. I will be sure to send a message to Allison and Derek.

Tools

N/A

Future Garden Ideas/Tasks

Clean up the area near the western red cedar. There is some dead debris that can be cleared to make room for other plants.

Continue weeding.

We have an abundance of salmonberry and of course the Nootka rose. These can be shared with other sites or if ok with Marja maybe students could take some home?

Adjust my request for the following desired plants:

Evergreen violet (3)

False-solomon’s seal (3)

Red huckleberry (1) This may be the wrong time of year but it would be nice to see at least one more of these in the future.

Trillium (any)

Laura P. mentioned that she may have access to trillium through her boyfriend who works at a camp on the key peninsula. She said there was an abundance of them and the camp is thinking of thinning them anyway – she is going to request them for our site.

References

None

Date

April 24, 2007

Time

8:30-10:30

Total Hours:

2

Cumulative Hours:

8

Partners

None

Activities

Plant research – Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Plant procurement – posted request on website with Alison/Derek.

Observations

Salmonberry is already present in our site. I have also seen this plant many time during walks in parks that are similar to our site such as Burfoot and Priest Point.

Learning Gained

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) – This plant likes moist to wet areas and is abundant along stream edges.

Food: Fresh sprouts and berries are eaten by all Northwest Coast peoples. Young stems are gathered in early spring and early summer as a green vegetable. It is peeled and eaten raw or steamed. The berries have been eaten with dried salmon.

Medicine: Astringent – leaves chewed and spit on burns, bark is pounded and used on an aching tooth or a wound to kill the pain, to lessen labor pains the Quinault boil the bark in seawater to drink, also used to clean infected wounds (1:35).

Quileute Entries – 1:51
Salmonberry shoots – tc’a?álwa; yatctc’il?at
Salmonberry leaves – tc’á?alwa tl’o?ó●tc’yl

Tools

N/A

Future Garden Ideas/Tasks

Meg really wanted to maintain the salmonberries that are currently in our site and pay closer attention to them. We have a small patch that has signage.

Requested the following desired plants for our site:

Evergreen violet (3)
False-solomon’s seal (3)
Red huckleberry (1)
Thimbleberry (3)
Trillium (any)

References

1. Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The knowledge and use of indigenous plants by Native Americans. 1945. p 35, 51

2. Pojar & Mackinnon. Revised Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. 1994. p 76.

Date

April 14, 2007

Time

9:30-12
1:30-3:30
4:30-6:30

Total Hours:

6

Cumulative Hours:

6

Partners

9:30-12 – Meg V. and Laura P.

Activities

Longhouse Garden – cleared leaves, created and mulched new path near the big leaf maple, pulled “weeds”, trimmed ferns, trimmed nootka rose, cared for oxalis patch by clearing leaves and other debris that was covering it up.

Plant walk at Priest Point Park – compared the plants and habitat in this forest to mixed forest C in the longhouse garden.

Research – looked up plants that are desired for mixed forest C.

Observations

Mixed forest C looks like it has received attention from its caregivers. The paths are clear, the plants are looking lively, and we have discovered room for a few more plants to be added. There are a few false-solomon’s-seal growing at the East corner of the site – we would like to encourage more of this plant to grow in a patch.

The weather was clear and sunny in the morning at the longhouse garden. It rained during my walk in the afternoon – but it was still warm.

Learning Gained

Redwood Sorrel (oxalis oregana) – this plant likes moist, forested sites and grows well in mixed forest c. Redwood sorrel leaves have been used by the Cowlitz, Quileute, and the Quinault to treat scurvy, scrofula, fevers, skin diseases, and as a poultice for tumors and boils. The plant leaves are usually used fresh and have a sour, acidic taste. They can be chewed for mouth sores, nausea, and sore throats. This plant contains oxalic acid and can be harmful in large doses. According to Sacred Plant Medicine the “proper dose is 2-4 cups of the leaf tea per day”. The tea is prepared from fresh leaves.

False-solomon’s-seal (smilacina racemosa) – this plant grows in a wide range including moist forests, stream banks, meadows, and clearings. It prefers growing in clumps. This plant is appropriate for our site.

Tools

I brought tools from home: rake, bucket, hand shovel, clippers.We also utilized the tools located behind the longhouse.

The longhouse garden could use a set of tools for use by the students. If we had a list of tools needed maybe people could donate.

Future Garden Ideas/Tasks

Desired plants: false-solomon’s-seal, evergreen violet, strawberry.

Create signage for the redwood sorrel (oxalis oregana).

Transplant Nootka rose somewhere else in the longhouse garden – need volunteers for this job.

Partners and I will be scheduling a field trip of our own to Burfoot park to compare plants and habitat.

References

Pojar & Mackinnon. Revised Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. 1994. p 315, 100.
Buhner, Stephen. Sacred Plant Medicine. 1996. p. 155.