Explore Our Projects

This property was dealing with a severe infestation of lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), an aggressive invasive plant that had overtaken nearly 25% of the front yard. Although its bright yellow flowers appear briefly in spring, the plant retreats underground in summer, where it continues spreading silently through tubers before reemerging even more densely the following year, often leaving behind large bare patches of mud where native plants can no longer grow.

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Following a site assessment, we developed a hands-on removal plan focused on carefully excavating the infestation and removing as much of the underground tuber network as possible. Because lesser celandine is highly persistent, the project also includes ongoing monitoring and long-term management to address regrowth over multiple growing seasons.

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With the infestation now significantly reduced, the long-term vision for the property is a thoughtfully designed native plant garden that restores biodiversity, stabilizes the soil, and transforms the area into a resilient landscape that supports pollinators and wildlife.

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Photo Descriptions: 

Top row left to right: (1) The start of removal. (2) Digging deep to remove tubers, bag them, and send them to the landfill. (3) Close-up of lesser celandine leaves and flowers.

Bottom row left to right: (1) Lesser celandine bordering the sidewalk on both sides. (2) Lesser celandine grows in thick, dense mats crowding out native species. (3) Shovel in the ground! Be sure to dig about 6" deep and inspect the ground to be sure all tubers have been removed.

Wildly Native Suburbia was contacted by new homeowners who discovered a severe English ivy infestation throughout their property. The vine had become well established, suffocating the canopy trees and growing through a cracked garage foundation and into the siding of the home. Because the property is actively used by their dog, the homeowners requested a completely herbicide-free approach to removal.

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After a site assessment, we developed a hands-on management plan focused on careful manual extraction of vines and root systems both on the ground and in the canopy, followed by strategic smothering to suppress regrowth and exhaust remaining energy reserves. Work also included tracing and removing ivy spreading from hidden source points along fence lines and structural edges, with ongoing monitoring to prevent reinvasion.

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With the infestation brought under control, the long-term vision for the site is a thoughtfully designed native plant garden, transforming a once-invasive-dominated yard into a resilient, low-maintenance landscape that supports pollinators, wildlife, and year-round ecological value.

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Photo Descriptions: 

Top row left to right: (1) Before initial removal. (2) Results after phase 1 of removal. (3) Close-up of English Ivy leaf.

Bottom row left to right: (1) English ivy growing up the side of the house. (2) Tree climbing gear used to remove English Ivy from the canopies. (3) Results after phase 1 of removal.

Wildly Native Suburbia was contacted by a homeowner in Hamburg, NY, about a severe Japanese knotweed infestation. The plants had spread from a neighboring property and pushed through a paved tennis court, threatening nearby structures and the property’s value. After a site assessment, we put a targeted management plan in place that traces the physiological cycle of the plant to control regrowth and contain the underground rhizomes as quickly and as effectively as possible.

 

For the first round of management (Fall 2025), we allowed the knotweed to flower, exhausting some of its reserved energy from the growing season. We then cut the knotweed down right before winter. We bagged and disposed of all knotweed material in the dump. This is very important as knotweed can regrow from even very small fragments! The next spring (Spring 2026) the knotweed patch put up new shoots, which we applied a targeted, diluted dose of herbicide + surfactant to. The plant will pull the chemicals into the root system as it grows and damage the underground storage system. 

 

We look forward to the next step of our treatment plan that will occur this fall (Fall 2026). We continue to monitor the spread, working with both property owners to support long-term control across the property boundary. 

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Photo Descriptions: 

Top row left to right: (1) Assessment of colony size & establishment. (2) Colony spreading 2 to 3 meters across the fence into the to neighboring property. (3) Japanese knotweed breaking through paved tennis court.

Bottom row left to right: (1) Mechanical removal of colony. (2) Localized injection of diluted herbicide. (3) Results after phase 1 of removal.