Week 5

On Monday I worked with Scott. We began the day by pulling weeds in the daylily bed by the frog pond in order to prepare the area for mulching. Then we started putting down wood chip mulch in the daylily bed which will help prevent future weeds from growing. I went down to gates ajar on my own in the morning to water and later in the afternoon Scott went down with me and we planted some Alternanthera that was found in a plug tray in the greenhouse and Scott trimmed the junipers that are down by gates ajar.
 
Tuesday I worked with Kerrick. We started off the day by putting down manure mulch in the bird yard. Last week we were told to only put manure mulch around the annuals but we were told wrong and were actually supposed to put it around all of the flowers. After that we put wood chip mulch around the rest of daylily bed, along stairs by excedra, and half moons on the edge of the intern bed so that people can get out of there cars without having to walk on the plants. We ended the day by putting on hip waders, getting in the frog pond, and pulling weeds in rocks.

Wednesday as usual means mowing day. I mowed on zoo grounds while Kerrick and one of the indoor interns Joe mowed Como Town and the wolf lot. I then went up front and helped blow off the path before the facility opened. After that the boulevards and smaller areas in front of the conservatory that could not be done using the riding mower. We then did the lily pond. All of these areas were finished by lunch. After lunch we washed off the mowers. To finish off the day I went up front by the carousel and weeded the flowerbeds that are near the carousel.

Thursday morning consisted of manure mulching for Kerrick and me around the zebra and kudu exhibit. We did this until 10am as that is when the zoo opens and carts must be off grounds at 10am. While manure mulching we got a short break by trying out the zip line in Como town that opens this weekend. After break, we went and planted the remaining Joseph's Coat on the back side of gates ajar and planted the larger Joseph's Coat from which the cuttings were taken in the flower bed surrounding gates ajar. After planting in the flower bed, Amanda, Kerrick, and I mulched that bed. We also watered gates ajar. Then, we mulched around the edge of the intern bed and swept up the mulch that was spilled in the parking lot.

Friday morning Amanda, Kerrick, and I started off the day by planting some Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia as a ground cover to fill in the open spaces in the garden. Then, we watered in the plants. After that we weeded the beds by the excedra and put down fresh wood chip mulch. Then, we swept up the mulch that had fallen upon the path. After that, we started weeding in the beds around the pine trees near the frog pond. There was a lot of clover along with some dandelions and thistles in these beds which took us the rest of the day to weed.


The plant of the week is Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia. Creeping Jenny is native to Europe and has become naturalized in the eastern United States and is often found at the edge of wooded areas. It is good for zones 3-9 and grows to be 4-8" tall by 24" wide. The flowers are yellow and occur in early summer. The leaves are rounded and 1" long. Plants can produce adventitious roots which can result in rapid multiplication. Large patches appear in a single season where soil is moist. Creeping Jenny is used as ground covers by streams, pools, or other moist areas. They are easy to remove so are seldom thought to be invasive. Propagation can occur by dividing plants in the spring or fall. The cultivar 'Aurea' is the most common because of the lime green to yellowish leaves. 'Aurea' is the cultivar which we planted. (Information obtained from "Herbaceous Perennial Plants" Third Edition by Allan M. Armitage)

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