On May 15th, Marshall Haus owner Jeanine Wavelet and landscape designer Renee Kitt took a last look at a detailed color -coded landscape design plan when Manuel Rivas and his crew from Northern Virginia Property Services do the installation of the native systems in Wavelets Garden. Although Wavelet and Kitt focused on the present task, they radiated a feeling of joy. They have been working on the plans for Wavelet's property for over a year, recorded Wavelet's personal goals for the project and comparable to the topography on site, the floors and the light load. “I wanted to create a beautiful place for Jeanine and maintain the organic river,” said Kitt.
Wavelet, a retired teacher, won a peaceful outdoor area in which you can reflect, go and go. Kitt, a Warrenton-based and owner of Ahimsa Native Plants & Design LLC, added a multifaceted project to her growing landscape design portfolio. Both were satisfied with knowing that the plants that go into the ground on this day would benefit the wild animals and protect the water quality in the small stream that comes from Wavelet's garden.
Occupation members from Northern Virginia Property Services, a landscape professional in Chesapeake Bay, which is affected by business, plans Spicebush, known for its yellow flowers, red berries and autumn color.
Like many local residences, the Wavelet's house was built at a climax. The expansive garden falls steeply on a flood level, which was mainly mowed with low -lying, muddy areas next to the current. A girlfriend helped Wavelet and Kitt Connect after Wavelet expressed her interest in the local landscape design. Landowners and landscape poreates saw the enormous potential to restore the location ecologically by adding several layers of local plantations.
Wavelet's streamside planting is partially financed by the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) by the John Marshall and Water Conservation District (JMSWCD), which supports the landowners of Fauquier County in the administration and protection of their natural resources. Renee Kitt has become the unofficial local ambassador of the program. Some of their youngest customers took part in VCAP and benefited from Kitts experience, knowledge and enthusiasm.
“Landscape construction projects can be expensive,” she said. “VCAP enables more people to do them.”
It will return to Wavelet's house in autumn to plant a specially designed local mix of seeds, which covers all the barren areas and replaces part of the swingel lawn. “It's an ongoing process,” she said.
A dream is born
Occupation members from Northern Virginia Property Services, operated by Manuel Rivas, plans White Turtlehead, short -toothed mountain mint, Golden Alexander and Black Cohosh along the Bachbänke in Wavelets Garden.
Kitt acquired a degree in geography and environmental studies at Radford University in 1998. She continued her training in natural resources by voluntarily reporting for a large number of environmental organizations over the years. Kitt attributes the Clifton Institute in Warrenton to ignite her passion for local grasses and meadow restoration.
Her passion for landscape restoration continued in her own back yard in Warrenton, where she coordinated her first major project in connection with the designer Elisa Meara of the local plant landscape design in 2019-2020.
“Elisa had the feeling of having a natural suitability and was the first to suggest that I would be a designer,” said Kitt. Later she received encouragement from her friends, neighbors and other experts. “It is a very tangible way to heal the environment,” she said.
In 2021, Kitt started the local plants & design LLC from Ahimsa. She sees her business as an expansion of who is as a person, someone who is justified in science and immersed in spirit. When her yoga teacher introduced the Sanskrit concept of “Ahimsa”, which “does not cause damage”, Kitt found that it fits perfectly with her company name.
Happy landowner
Kitt uses a variety of local grasses and wildflower types in their Meadow projects and viewed to share information about planting methods and maintaining an important part of their role as a designer.
Two other happy recipients of their instructions are Carolyn and Larry Parks by Warrenton. “The area behind my shop was a jungle,” said Larry. “It was full of invasive vines that had stunted the growth of the trees.” The local VCAP coordinator Kelsi Steele (with JMSWCD) was like the approximate space of around 2600 square meters would be a good place for a Meadow restoration project that can store the habitat of the pollinator, the filter outflow and carbon. The parks chose putty to support them in a VCAP application and plant design.
As soon as the room was deleted in spring 2024, the parks used an open -ending technology to have it ready for plants last autumn. Kitts recommended seed mix for the location included Little Bluestem, Virginia Wild Rye, Schwarzäugs Susan, Butterfly Milkweed, High Coreopsis and many other species according to parks.
The germs are currently about 1.5 feet high. The couple, who has lived on their property for over 30 years, knows that the maintenance of its new meadow will make efforts: they have to monitor the space and remove the invasive plants that reappear.
“We enjoyed working with Renee and were very impressed by their knowledge of the local plants in Virginia, thoroughness and enthusiasm,” said Larry. “Your attention to detail was significantly involved in the fact that our VCAP application was approved.”
JMSWCD pursues hectares of newly vegetated streamside buffers on local farms as part of the Chesapeake Bay Restoration efforts. “The rooms served by VCAP may be smaller,” said Steele, “but together their restoration has a positive impact on the natural environment and the well -being of the community. Rene's contribution to these efforts can be felt in Fauquier County.”