Yesterday the Wiggles went out into our woods. The lesson was about the Dogwood. This tree is a valuable component in my long-term Land Stewardship goals. It thrives as a naturalized understory tree on southern/eastern aspects in mid slope areas. It seems to like moist and richer soils, if there is such a thing on unmanaged Oak and Hickory woodland in central VA. The need for managing the land in three dimensions has become one of my criteria as I attempt to maximize land output while maintaining as low an input as possible. The land is a solar collector. The land that captures and retains the most energy will by…

We have two beautiful Dogwoods in our front yard, one nestled between the outbuildings behind our house, and dozens scattered throughout the woods that border the back of our property. They are not only aesthetically beautiful, but also very well-mannered. Requiring little to no input or maintenance, they enhance the overall landscape we are aiming for. Given their medium size and their preference for dappled shade, they fill a void in the three-dimensional space without being problematic, providing dappled shade themselves. While the fruit of this species is not meant for human consumption, the trees provide fodder for the birds and animals in their natural habitat as well as our…