Keister House

KEISTER HOUSE |
2012 RUDY J. FAVRETTI FELLOWSHIP The Garden Club of Virginia
Copyright (c) 2013 by the Garden Club of Virginia All Rights Reserved. Reproductions: All material contained herein is the intellectual property of the Garden Club of Virginia except where noted. Permission for reproduction, except for personal use, must be obtained from: The Fellowship Committee, Chair The Garden Club of Virginia The Kent-Valentine House 12 East Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219 www.gcvirginia.org
Keister House Prepared for The Garden Club of Virginia Prepared by J. Gardner Burg 2012 Rudy J. Favretti Fellow
Special thanks to Will Rieley and Karen Kennedy for their guidance through each phase of this project, and especially to David and Lindsay West for their enthusiasm and endless patience with my constant questioning and wandering about on their property. It is their passion that made this project so worthwhile and rewarding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Methods 1
History of the Keister House

Keister House Time Line Keister Family History Kessinger/Shriver History West Family History Evolution of the Keister House 1963 Condition of the Property Elements Remaining from 1963 Condition
2-11
4 5 5 5 6 8 10
Keister House Existing Conditions

Orientation Guide of Existing Conditions Layers of Plant Material Upper Canopy Trees Secondary Canopy Trees Understory Trees Shrubs and Ground Cover Spaces Zones of Existing Conditions Upper Yard and Vegetable Garden North Fence Line Meadow Marsh Sugar Maple Woods Walnut Grove/Oak Field Additional Plant Introductions Keister House Climate and Landform Keister House Climate Keister House Geology and Soils Keister House Landform Keister House Hydrology
12-61
12-13 14-23 16 18 20 22 24-61 26 32 38 44 48 54 60 62-65 64 65 66 67
Future Study/Conclusion
Future Study Areas Conclusion Bibliography
68-71
69 69 71
Methods
The methods used for gathering and synthesizing information for this document included the gathering of site data, personal interviews with the current property owners, and outside research regarding specific questions of horticulture and the Keister Houses history. I began by spending time at the Keister House with David and Lindsay West, getting to know them and their property. This included identifying, locating and sizing plant materials, as well as understanding how the property came to be in its present state and why certain actions were or were not taken in cultivating its development. Efforts were made to understand the condition of the property at various times in the past thanks to personal interviews with David and Lindsay West, and the use of archival resources including those from the Virginia Historical Society and the National Register of Historic Places. This document catalogues existing conditions and their ties to the previous states of the property. A series of plans, sections and photographs are used to portray this information by highlighting different zones of the property as they currently exist. The unique qualities of each of these zones and how they came to their present state is also described. Analysis is based on conversations with David and Lindsay West, and outside research on typical forest processes and plant relationships. Observing seasonal change is an added dimension of this study, and efforts were made to illustrate how plant relationships and processes are affected by the changing of the seasons. Finally discussed is a vision for future study. The Keister House is a unique property due to the diverse collection of plant material, the unusually evident influence of geologic formations, and the informal nature of the landscapes persistence. Thus, the Keister House is an important study that diversifies the Garden Club of Virginias Fellowship archives and will hopefully inspire the study of an even more dynamic range of historic landscapes in the future.
1.

1. Keister House Time Line 2. Keister Family History Kessinger/Shriver History West Family History 3. Evolution of the Keister House 4. 1963 Condition of the Property 5. Elements Remaining from 1963 Condition
2.
Initial understanding of the development of the Keister House landscape is rooted in the history of the property. The following section describes the evolution of ownership since the construction of the house and definition of the property in the early nineteenth century. A bulk of this section focuses on the Wests acquisition of the property in the 1960s, due to their influence on the current state of the property and the longevity of their ownership. In addition, plant material established in 1963, some of which dominates the landscape today, has had a significant impact on how the woodlands have developed over the last fifty years. This topic is introduced briefly here and expanded upon in more detail later.

3.

Keister House Time Line
1800: 500 acres are granted to John
Preston and Philip Barrager (Barger) by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
1814: John Keister marries Sarah

(Sally) Martin and acquires a piece of the 500 acres granted in 1800.
1873: Property is passed on to ten
surviving children after Sallys death. One of the sons, Christian Keister, buys out the rest of his siblings.
1971: Additional
expansion and a porch is added to the house.
1905: Rose Keister (Christians daughter)

and her husband, W. Massie Effinger, buy back the property.
1945: Property, which now consitutes only 14 of the

original 100 acres, is sold to Alfred and Louisa Shriver.
1935-45: Original log cabin

addition on the rear of the house is replaced by a single-story addition twelve feet deep across the back of the house.
1935: Effingers lose the property to

foreclosure. It is bought at auction by Ida and Wm. Kessinger.
1963: Property is bought

by David and Lindsay West (3.25 acres).
1903: Property leaves the Keister family. 1857: Property is left to Sally
after the death of John.
1838-39: Two-story brick house is

built by John Keister.
4.
Keister Family History

John Keister, the original owner of the property, was the son of Philip and Marie Catherine Keister and the grandson of Frederick Keister III. Frederick, a German immigrant who settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, around 1738, is the subject of considerable lore. Frederick is cited a number of times as a famous hunter who was badly scarred after an encounter with a wild panther, only surviving thanks to the hunting dogs that accompanied him1. John Keister was born in 1789 in Rockingham County, Virginia. Johns father Phillip (the son of Frederick) then moved the family to lower Toms Creek, near Blacksburg, in 1799. John Keister married Sarah (Sally) Martin in 1814 and acquired the piece of land on which the house currently sits. The property was part of a 500 acre plot granted to John Preston and Philip Barrager in 1800. The exact date of John Keisters acquisition is not known but the original two-story brick house was built in 1838-391. John and Sally Keister had ten children who survived to adulthood. After Johns death in 1857, the property was passed on to his widow, Sally, then on to the ten children after her death in 1873. One of John and Sallys sons, Christian Keister, bought out the rights of his siblings some time later to become the sole owner of the property. The property remained in the Keister family for all but two years between 1873 and 1935. For an unspecified reason, the property left the Keister family from 1903 to 1905 before it was bought back by Christian Keisters daughter, Rose, and her husband W. Massie Effinger. The property left the Keister family for good in 1935 when the Effingers lost it to foreclosure. The Keister family cemetery is still on the property along the south property line nearest Lucas Drive2.
Kessinger/Shriver History
Ida and Wm. Kessinger bought the Keister House property at auction in 1935. The Kessingers owned the property for ten years and made minor changes to the house before selling it to Alfred and Louise Shriver in 19452. The Shrivers continued to remodel the exterior of the house without making major changes to the interior. When the Shrivers purchased the property it included fourteen acres of land which they divided into three pieces. The central three and a half acres, including the house, were left intact. This piece of land also held three of the four springs on the property. The southern portion was subdivided along what was Maple Lane (now Lucas Street) and the northern strip was subdivided along Oak Lane (now Northview Drive) (Map on pg. 8)3. Even though the property was not for sale, the Wests contacted the owner, who was living in Florida, and bought the house in June of 1963 after immediately falling in love with it. The original acquisition only included 3/4 of an acre with the house on it. When the northern portion of the property was sold to Northview Apartments in 1964, the Wests decided to buy the remaining three available acres2. The West family includes three children: Peter, Roger, and Susan. Peter was very young when the family moved into the Keister House and all three children spent their childhood there. In fact, the presence of children has a lot to do with how the Wests managed the plant material on the property. They envisioned the woods as the perfect place for children to grow up playing outdoors. Fallen trees and leftover stumps that would have been removed by other owners were the perfect playground for the young West family2. David and Lindsay will leave the Keister House to their three children in their will. The children are given first refusal beginning with the eldest, Peter, and descending in order of birth. If one child should want the property, he or she would have the option of buying out the other two. Roger and Susan currently live in the Blacksburg area but it is unclear who will assume responsibility for the property once David and Lindsay pass. If the property leaves the family, David and Lindsay hope that it will go to an owner who will care for it as respectfully as they have2.
1. Keister, John T. The Keister Family. 1946. MS Mss6:1 K2688:1. Virginia Historical Society, n.p. 2. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012. 3. Clauson-Wicker, Su. This Old House. Blue Ridge Country Jan.-Feb. 2011: 60-62. Virginia Historical Society. Print.
West Family History

David and Lindsay West moved to Blacksburg in 1962 when David accepted an Assistant Professor position in the Department of Biology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (commonly known as Virginia Tech). After a year in Blacksburg they decided the location was a good fit and became interested in buying a house. The Wests always liked older houses but immediately discovered that the market for such a property in Blacksburg was limited. The Keister House was introduced to them by a friend in the Architecture Department. He was aware of the property because it was being lived in by a number of architecture and engineering students, and the house was often used for receptions held by the Architecture Department2.
5.

Evolution of the Keister House
The Keister House was built in 1838 as a two-story brick structure featuring a hallparlor design. Each floor had two rooms but no central hallway. One or two narrow staircases connected the main floor to the second story1. The house was built with local materials. Limestone and grey sandstone make up the bedrock on the property and both are found in the houses foundation. The bricks for the house were probably made on the property as well. The floor joists in the house are white oak with the bark still on them; they would also have likely been harvested locally3. The bricks on the front of the house are laid in a Flemish bond with some variant of that used on the sides and back3. The bricks were probably originally painted with a mixture of brick dust and linseed oil with the joints marked in white paint1. The paint is still visible on some parts of the house, especially under the front porch. A photo taken between 1915 and 1920, currently on display in the house, shows that the bricks were freshly repainted in the early 20th century. The roof of the house was originally wood shingle. During the 19th century a decorative gable with a louvered window was added to the front. Sometime later the wood shingles were replaced with a standing-seam widow roof1. When the Kessingers acquired the property in 1935, a log cabin dating back to the early 19th century stood directly behind the house, and the two were connected by a timberframe construction. The Kessingers demolished the log cabin and enclosed the timber-framing in a one-story addition that ran 12 feet deep across the back of the house1. When the property was sold to the Shrivers in 1945, very little had been done to the interior of the house. The Shrivers reworked the staircase and created a central hallway on the first floor including additional closets. They also updated the wiring and plumbing, and added hot-air ducts. Updated plumbing was needed because until 1968, the water for the house was pumped from a spring in the meadow on the northwest corner of the property. Even with all of the interior remodeling, much of the original woodwork was preserved2. The Shrivers remodeled and expanded the addition on the back of the house created by the Kessingers. They also excavated under the current dining room to install a furnace in conjunction with the added hot-air ducts. This was the state of the house when it was bought by the Wests in 1963. In 1965, the Wests replaced the roof and removed the front gable and window. In the process they discovered that the window was purely decorative, having been simply stuck on the original roof with original wooden shingles still underneath it! In 1971, the Wests extended the addition on the back of the house and added a porch. They also made repairs to brickwork on the exterior of the house and restored the windows to resemble what they believed to be their original condition1. In its current state, the Keister House retains much of its original craftsmanship.
The woodwork includes original paneling, some painted grain and a number of sash windows3. Those existing details attest to the houses quality and longevity, having been lived in for over a century and a half. In 1985 and 1986, Gibson Worsham, an architect in Blacksburg, led a survey of historic properties in the area, funded by Montgomery County and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Worsham included the Keister House in his survey because of the historic qualities listed above. While the Wests were aware of the survey and supported the nomination of the Keister House, they did not take an active role in the process1. A second grant in 1989 funded the nomination of the property for the National Register of Historic Places. The Keister House was placed on the National Register because it remains one of only four such two-room-plan houses from 1825-1900 in Montgomery County. Also, while a number of additions and updates have been added to the rear of the house, they have not damaged its visual integrity3. Additionally, the house and property are protected from development by an Historic and Open Space Easement granted to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in 20021.
1. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012. 2. Clauson-Wicker, Su. This Old House. Blue Ridge Country Jan.-Feb. 2011: 60-62. Virginia Historical Society. Print. 3. Mitchell, Bryan. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Rep. N.p.: United States Department of the Interior, 1989. Print. 60-280.
6.
While the Keister House and the surrounding landscape have certainly evolved over the last century, the surrounding context has changed even more. As a comparison between the two far right images illustrates, the change in surroundings even from 1973 to the present is significant. The Keister House used to exist on the edge of Blacksburg, along a dirt road. Presently the Keister House sits in the middle of a neighborhood facing a church parking lot. The evolution of Blacksburg has had three major impacts on the property. First, the current shape and size of the property is a direct response to adjacent development to the north and south. The Wests originally bought the 3/4 acre that the house sits on, but decided to purchase another three acres to buffer the surrounding development1. Thus, the current condition of the landscape may not have ever occurred had the Wests not responded to surrounding neighborhood growth. The second impact relates to the citys development of storm water infrastructure. A permanent pond was created around 1945 in ther former marsh along the south property line when the drainage from a spring was redirected by the construction of Maple Lane. It was open water for many years but is now partially obscured by the growth of a tall grass1. Finally, the development of the context surrounding the Keister House has changed the persistence of wild animals on the property. Due to the removal of green space, the Keister House landscape is now one of the only remaining wooded areas in Blacksburg of any substantial size. In response, deer often
inhabit the property, especially the meadow, during the summer time. The presence of deer has had a significant impact on the development of the landscape because they browse saplings that the Wests have tried to establish. As a result, some plants, like Solomons seal, that are well suited to their immediate environment still cannot gain a foothold. Thus, the Keister House
and its landscape have evolved considerably over the last century, partly in response to internal, intentional efforts; and partly due to the evolution of the surrounding context.
(West, David. 1973)
(West, David. 1973)
View of the yard beyond the back porch in 1973 (far above) and in 2012 (above).
View from the front door looking east across Giles Road in 1973 (far above) and 2012 (above).
7.
Sub-division of northern part of the property along Oak Lane (now Northview Drive).
Barn Garage
Stroubles Creek Spring House
Chicken House Keister House
photo view
Apple Orchard
White Poplars
Marsh
Subdivision of southern part of the property along Maple Lane (now Lucas Street).
1945 Map of the Keister House Property
Keister family cemetery
Hand-drawn survey of Keister House property circa 1945. Notice the amount of open space that was used for livestock grazing. Tree cover was limited to the apple orchard and stand of white poplars along the west property line. Sometime after the Shrivers left the property, while it was being used as a rental property for Virginia Tech students, the apple orchard and chicken house fell into disrepair. By the time the Wests acquired the property in 1963, only the foundation of the chicken house and one or two of the apple trees on the southwest portion of the fenced enclosure remained.
8.

1963 Condition of the Property
Plant List
1. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 4. White Poplar (Populus alba)+ 2. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 5. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)* 3. Norway Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)+ 6. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)* (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
The map on the facing page is a hand drawn survey of the Keister House property commissioned by the Shrivers in 1945. The condition of the property was very similar when the Wests arrived in 1963. Remnants of the apple orchard and the foundation for the chicken house remained. Remnants of the barn labeled on the map also existed.
Photograph of the front of the house in 1963. Note the decorative gable centered on the roof. (West, David. 1963)
Black Walnut
View of the front of the house in 1973 with the gable removed. (West, David. 1973) Norway Maple Sugar Maple
Section/elevation illustrating the open character of the Keister House property in 1963 in the location that currently surrounds the fallow vegetable garden.
The condition of the property is much different today than it was in 1963. When the Wests moved in, the only significant canopy trees behind the house were three black walnuts, a sugar maple and a Norway maple. The bulk of the back yard was open because much of it had been used by the Shrivers for animal grazing. The exception was an area of white poplars on the southwest portion of the property near the marsh. Also, the front of the house was framed by two large hemlocks that no longer exist. The hemlocks were removed because they were dying from woolly adelgids.
9.
Location of former Norway Maple
+ BW
Section
Cut Lin
e
BW
SM
photo view
BW BW
Map of Remaining Canopy Trees from 1963

N
0 20 40 80
The remaining canopy trees from the early 1960s are important because they vaguely mark a couple of the boundaries from the earlier orientation of the property. The black walnuts seem to indicate the eastern extent of the old apple orchard, and the sugar maple is quite close to the southwest corner of the fence that separated the orchard and chicken house from the pasture land.
10.

Elements Remaining from 1963 Condition
Plant List
1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Except for the Norway maple that stood just west of the vegetable garden, the significant canopy trees that dominated the landscape behind the Keister House when the Wests acquired the property in 1963 still exist.
Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
View of the current state of the sugar maple that stood in 1963. Note the number of missing limbs all the way up the trunk.
Sugar Maple
The sugar maple has lost most of its limbs but the trunk is evidence of what was once an impressive canopy. The black walnuts are still distinguishable, but are now much more enclosed in heavy woods and dense understory growth.
Section/elevation showing remaining vegetation from 1963 in relation to the current landscape.
11.
4 2 1 5 11 8
6 9
This existing conditions plan delineates the various zones of the property that will be referred to in the remainder of this document.
Location Plan of Existing Conditions

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0 20 40 80
10
12.

Orientation Guide of Existing Conditions
The remainder of this report focuses on the existing conditions of the Keister House property. The plan on the facing page locates a number of landscape elements and zones referenced repeatedly. Each labeled element on the plan is identified below. 1. Keister House and Garage 2. Upper Yard and Vegetable Garden 3. North Fence Line 4. Meadow 5. Stroubles Creek 6. Marsh 7. Sugar Maple Woods 8. Milk Shed 9. Walnut Grove 10. Oak Field 11. Wild Garden
13.

Layers of Plant Material
1. Upper Canopy Trees 2. Secondary Canopy Trees 3. Understory Trees 4. Shrubs and Ground Cover Spaces
14.
The landscape that surrounds the Keister House has developed into a number of different layers: 1. Upper Canopy Trees 2. Secondary Canopy Trees 3. Understory Trees 4. Shrubs and Ground Cover Spaces
The layers do not exist in consistent relationships across the entire property, but instead represent different zones that have developed under the stewardship of the Wests. Studying these layers in more detail, and how they relate to each other, is a good introduction to the unique qualities that exist on the Keister House property. Together, the layers are worth investigating for how they exemplify the traditional ways that successional forests develop. At the same time, the layers are also important to study for how they contradict such succession in some instances.
15.
BL BW
Section
BW
Cut Lin
e
Vegetable Garden
BW
BW
SM BW BW SM WA
BW
BW
BW
SM SM BW
BW
BW
Plan of Upper Canopy Tree Cover

N
0 20 40 80
PO BW
Similar to the plan of the canopy trees that remain from 1963, the orientation of the upper canopy appears to reference the older uses of the property. The collection of largely black walnuts in the center of the property closely mirrors the boundary of the old orchard and chicken house. Part of the reason for this is the maintenance of the vegetable garden that sits west of the house.
16.

Upper Canopy Trees
Plant List

1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 5. WA-White Ash (Fraxinus americana)* 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 6. BL-Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)* 3. PO-Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)* 4. P-Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)* (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Black Walnut
Black Locust
The upper canopy is dominated by black walnut and sugar maple trees. This is attributed to the fact that when the property was first allowed to return to its wooded state, the only large trees that existed on the property were four black walnuts, a sugar maple and a Norway maple. The Wests intentionally removed the Norway maple that stood just west of the vegetable garden because of its invasive nature and because they disliked its habit1. As a result, seeding over the past fifty years has been predominantly from the remaining maple and walnuts. In many parts of the property the upper canopy has become very dense. The density causes other quite mature trees to have a disproportionately small crown relative to their age and trunk size. For example, there are a number of sugar maples that stand well over forty feet tall and have a trunk circumference greater than fifty inches, but have a crown that is only twenty to twenty-five feet in diameter. These columnar habits are likely a result of very narrow avenues through which new growth can gain access to consistent sunlight.
1. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012.
Section/elevation highlighting the older-growth walnuts, locusts and maples in relationship to the younger hardwoods that make up the understory.
17.
SM SM SV TP C Meadow PO P
SM
SM SM BW BW SM
SM
BL
BL
Section
SM
Cut Lin
e
SM
BW
SM
Oak Field
Plan of Secondary Canopy Tree Cover

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WO
Each collection of secondary canopy trees surround the location of similar species in the upper canopy. For example, the stand of largely black walnuts and sugar maples in the center of the property surround more mature trees of the same type that are some of the oldest at the Keister House.
18.

Secondary Canopy Trees
Plant List

1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 3. C-Catalpa (Catalpa bignoniodes)* 4. P-Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)* 5. SV-Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)* 6. WO-White Oak (Quercus alba)# 7. PO-Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)* 8. BL-Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)* 9. TP-Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)#
(* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Black Locust
Sugar Maple
The secondary canopy contains a much more diverse list of plant species. It is still predominantly sugar maple and black walnut, but intentional introductions by the Wests have added some plant diversity that would not have occurred naturally. For example, the oak field, which is located within the walnut grove in the southeast corner of the property, contains a pin oak (PO) that has reached respectable size after being planted by the Wests in the 1980s. Generally speaking, the density of the upper canopy created a distinct secondary canopy layer. The larger trees in the upper canopy developed in full sun, before dense shade stunted their growth. In contrast, the secondary canopy cannot reach similar size as the trees are competing for a small amount of sunlight beneath the upper canopy. Even so, many mature trees have managed to squeeze themselves into very narrow light shafts. This condition is especially common in the sugar maple woods.
Section/elevation highlighting secondary canopy trees that have not reached the scale of the older maples and walnuts.
19.
SB
PP
IW
SM WC
BL C
SB
SM
BL PS BD H SW
SM SW SM P SM P WA BO P BW BW RB SM SM SM SM BW SM BW RB Similar to the secondary canopy, the understory trees are clustered around more mature specimens of the same type. However, introductions by the Wests have created more diversity than exists among the secondary and upper canopy trees. Unfortunately, the already densely established nature of the two layers of canopy is making it difficult for many of these introductions to gain a foothold. SM CT
Section
SM SM
Cut Lin
Plan of Understory Tree Cover

N PO
0 20 40 80
WO
20.

Understory Trees
Plant List

1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 9. BL-Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)* 17. HK-Hickory (Carya ovata)# 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 10. SW-Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)# 18. IW-Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)# 3. BO-Black Oak (Quercus velutina)# 11. H-Hazel (Corylus americana)* 19. WC-Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina)* 4. P-Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)* 12. BD-Basswood (Tilia americana)# 20. PP-Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)# 5. WA-White Ash (Fraxinus americana)* 13. RB-Redbud (Cercis canadensis)* 6. PS-Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)* 14. C-Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides)* 7. WO-White Oak (Quercus alba)# 15. CT-Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata)# 8. PO-Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)* 16. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens) A substantial number of understory species exist at
Black Oak
Pecan
Sugar Maple
Keister House primarily due to the Wests introductions. They have a keen interest in creating a diverse woodland environment full of native and quasi-native (native to this area of Virginia but not to this specific biome) species1. As a result they have introduced many plants that otherwise would not exist on the property2. For example, a single pawpaw (PP) that was introduced as butterfly larval food to the northern edge of the meadow has now grown to substantial size and has produced a large number of clones. White oak, persimmon, hazel and basswood are also specific introductions. Unfortunately, the canopy layer was already well established when these introductions began, so many of the plants could not reach the kind of maturity that their age would otherwise warrant. The understory layer is also unique for the amount of canopy trees that exist. The combined density of the upper and secondary canopies means that many trees do not have enough light or space to reach full maturity. Because of this, dozens of mature canopy trees and a range of adolescent trees of the same species grow in close proximity to one another.
1. Kirkman, L. Katherine., Claud L. Brown, and Donald Joseph Leopold. Native Trees of the Southeast. Portland, Or.: Timber, 2007. Print. 2. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012.
Section/elevation highlighting understory trees in relationship to the larger canopy.
21.
SB
2 1
PV SB PV L
Section
Cut Lin
BX
4
SB
5
SB PV
BX
SS
3
PV SB The different areas of shrub and ground cover layers at the Keister House are important indicators of other, larger scale conditions. For example, the dominance of privet and spice bush in various parts of the property are signs that those areas are also dominated by a dense canopy that restricts the amount of sunlight that reaches the ground, and thus limits the plants that can grow there.
Plan of Shrub and Ground Cover

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22.

The shrubs and ground cover spaces at the Keister House have developed into distinct zones because of Shrubs and Ground Cover Spaces specific relationships with larger tree species1. Behind the garage, the upper canopy consists of a Plant List variety of trees. The combination of catalpa, black locust, Shrub: Ground Cover: and black walnut trees throw consistent but speckled 1. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 1. Golden Rod (Solidago canadensis)* 2. PV-Privet (Ligustrum)+ 2. Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)* shade, allowing pioneer species like wineberry to survive 3. L-Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)# 3. Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)+ (1). Pioneer species refer to wild plants that are the first 4. BX-Boxwood (Buxus spp.)+ 4. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* to grow on land that was previously cultivated or strictly 5. SS-Strawberry Shrub (Calycanthus floridus)# 5. Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)* maintained. They tend to require full sun to grow and die 6. Sweetflag (Acorus calamus)* back as larger species develop above them1. 7. Golden Globe (Rudbeckia)+ (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens) Farther west along the northern property line, the upper canopy is more consistently black locust with a mixture of sugar maple and black walnut trees. The ground plane here is more densely shaded so the wineberry and black raspberry vines that thrive elsewhere are forced out by privet, spice bush and Virginia creeper (2). The condition is similar to what exists in the black walnut grove on the southeast quarter of the property. Here, privet and Virginia creeper have almost a sole presence in the understory, with small amounts of golden rod and spice bush (3). In contrast to those environs is the presence of very little growth on the ground in the sugar maple woods. The density of the shade is such that only spice bush and Virginia creeper can thrive. Other introductions of false Solomons seal, native hydrangea, and Jeffersonia are surviving but are not widely prevalent. Their limited growth is likely because of the limited amount of light that the maples allow into the understory (4). It appears that the ability of spice bush to force out privet in this part of the property relies on the dense shade of the sugar maples. In the sun on the edge of the woods, however, the pioneer Privet species golden rod, wineberry, and black raspberry are Spice Bush doing very well (5). Virginia Creeper Black Raspberry
Section/elevation highlighting shrubs and groundcover that increase the density of the understory in many parts of the propery. 1. Martin, Jeff, and Tom Gower. Forest Succession. Forestry Facts. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Nov. 1996. Web. 24 Dec. 2012.
23.
4 6
Focus Areas Plan

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Due to the diversity and density with which plant material grows in the Keister House landscape, the most efficient approach is to divide the property into zones. This allows each area to be investigated in more detail without becoming overwhelming. Also, there are some surprising commonalities and differences between the different zones that might not have otherwise been discovered.
24.

Zones of Existing Conditions
In addition to the layers of plant material that have developed throughout the Keister House woods, a series of distinct zones exist. These zones are differentiated from each other based on the plant material prevalent in each of the before-mentioned layers, and the relationships that each layer has with the others. The discussion of these zones includes specific examination of the following: 1. Upper Yard and Vegetable Garden (0.44 Acres) 2. North Fence Line (0.41 Acres) 3. Meadow (0.17 Acres) 4. Marsh (0.16 Acres) 5. Sugar Maple Woods (0.52 Acres) 6. Walnut Grove and Oak Field (0.71 Acres) The zones draw their names from how they were described by the Wests, or by the dominant plant species that reside there. This section discusses specific species development and why some of them are unique to natural landscapes of this type in the region. This section also illustrates the dynamic and diverse nature of the Keister House property as a whole, and how the various zones contribute to this effect. Another key observation presented here is how the zones change with the passing of the seasons and how these changes are reflected in the experience of the landscape.
25.
P BL WC WP C P WP PO P
ut Lin ection C
e
L
BW
photo view
SW
SM BW
The upper yard is notable for its diversity of mature trees.. Unlike other zones that are dominated by sugar maple or black walnut, the regular mowing of the grass in the upper yard has kept either of those two species from taking over.
Plan Highlighting Upper Yard/Vegetable Garden

N
0 20 40 80
26.

Upper Yard and Vegetable Garden
Plant List
Canopy: Understory:
1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 3. PO-Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)* 4. C-Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides)* 5. P-Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)* 1. SW-Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)# 2. WP-White Pine (Pinus strobus)# 3. L-Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)# 4. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 5. BL-Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)* 6. WC-Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina)*
Ground Cover:
1. Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)* 3. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* 2. Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)+ (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Pecan
View of a mature pecan tree that looks over the fallow vegetable garden. Pecan Wild Cherry Black Locust
The upper yard, surrounding what was once a functioning vegetable garden, serves as a spatial transition from the more formal front yard to the dense woods farther down the slope in the back of the property.
Maintained Lawn Section/elevation illustrating the open understory, including manicured lawn, of the upper yard.
27.
Pecan Black Locust Pecan Wild Cherry White Pine
White Pine Catalpa Catalpa Pin Oak Pecan
Maintained Lawn
Lilac
Black Walnut (2)
Vegetable Garden Sweet Bay Magnolia
Black Walnut (1)
Plan Enlargement of the Upper Yard

N
0 10 20 40
28.
Upper Yard and Vegetable Garden

The upper yard allows for the observation of typical forest succession. Forest succession is the process where pioneer species exist in the same environment as developing understory and canopy trees1. As the canopy thickens, the pioneer species die back and the diversity of the woods decreases. The plant species become dominated by the trees that fill the canopy, their shade preventing much growth below them1. In this corner of the property there exists a diversity of plant material both in the canopy and in the understory. As a result of this, no one species dominates. The canopy in this section of the property consists of black walnut, sugar maple, black locust and catalpa. These trees are spread out enough that light filters through to the understory, allowing a number of pioneer species to survive, and because of this the successional process remains in its adolescence. The state of the canopy creates a dynamic where pioneer species are able to remain in large numbers below mature trees. For example, black raspberry and wineberry, which covered much of the property when it was more open in the 1960s, still grow heavily here. Also prevalent in the understory are smaller offspring of many of the trees filling the canopy. Black locust and pecan trees have taken a particular fancy to the speckled shade beneath their larger relatives. As a result, a small stand of woodland exists containing healthy numbers in the canopy, understory and on the ground. This is a condition that is not present in many parts of the property due to the density of the upper canopy, and dominance of one particular species. An exception to the relationship between the canopy trees and younger offspring in the understory is the condition of the black walnuts. Two of the black walnuts that date back to 1963 stand in this part of the property, right behind the house (1) and just south of the garage (2). Unlike in other parts of the property, however, these two walnuts have not created a dense stand of their offspring. The specimen near the garage, in particular, seems not to have seeded any surviving offspring. The reason for this can mostly be attributed to the fact that David and Lindsay West chose, from the beginning of their ownership of the property, to maintain a mowed lawn surrounding the house and the space between the house and the vegetable garden. This meant that any saplings that began to grow were destroyed by the lawns regular maintenance2. Indirectly, the lawn maintenance is responsible for creating a space with much more plant diversity than in other areas where the forest was allowed to grow unattended. What is left is a wonderful dichotomy: a relatively well-maintained lawn that runs directly adjacent to a natural woodland in the middle of its secondary successional process. Aside from its value in displaying the natural process of forest succession and diversity, this section of property exists as a spatial transition from the grounds around the house to the naturalized woodlands that dominate the property farther beyond the vegetable garden. Creating a transitional space does not seem to have been the intent of the Wests in maintaining a lawn surrounding the house and vegetable garden. Their intent was more focused on establishing some breathing space around the house that would otherwise be choked out by the expanding woods2. Regardless of the intent, the result is one of the few places allowing the opportunity to get an outside-looking-in view of the woods. This is a rare chance to see the different zones of the property together, and how they blend into one another. For example, from the vegetable garden it is possible to see how the canopy of pecan and black locust trees along the north fence line blend into the maple woods, and how the maple woods eventually mesh with the black walnut grove.
1. Martin, Jeff, and Tom Gower. Forest Succession. Forestry Facts. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Nov. 1996. Web. 24 Dec. 2012. 2. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012.
29.
[SUMMER]
[FALL]
[WINTER]
UPPER YARD
Seasonal change in the upper yard focuses on viewsheds. During the summer and fall the combination of privet and the many ground covers block views from the back of the house down into the sugar maple woods and meadow. In the winter when that foliage has died back, views open up that connect the property from east to west. The whole property can be seen from the vegetable garden and the perceived scale of the
[SPRING]
SEASONAL CHANGE
place diminishes dramatically. Finally, in the spring time the view shed remains much more open because the spice bush and privet still have not leafed out. However, there is substantially more color as the green of the spice bush buds and the pink of the nearby rosebuds, growing in the adjacent black walnut grove, are much more visible thanks to the lack of understory density.
30.
Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
Catalpa
Pecan
Pin Oak
Black Locust
Sweet Bay Magnolia Lilac Spice Bush Black Raspberry Wineberry January-February March-April May-June July-August September-October November-December
Upper Yard Chart of Color Change
The upper yard maintains the most color interest year-round because it contains the most diverse set of flowering plants. During the early spring, sweet bay magnolia and spice bush provide the first color of the year, which transitions into the pink and red of the lilac and raspberries in the early summer. Late summer does not involve much blooming aside from the lone mature catalpa, but the berries of the black raspberry and wineberry provide a consistent red. In the fall, the diversity of this part of the property is brought back to the fore as all of the trees change into shades of yellow and red. If the vegetable garden was still active, its color would only further enrich the area.
31.
SM PP SM P
C Section
PV TP SB SM BW
HK MB photo view BL PS
SM
ut Line
BD H
Plan Highlighting the North Fence Line

N
0 20 40 80
Similar to the upper yard, the canopy of the north fence line is more diverse than other parts of the property. However, this is really only the case in the secondary canopy and understory because the largest trees along the north fence line are all sugar maple and a couple black walnut trees. In this way, the north fence line serves as somewhat of a microcosm of the condition of the property as a whole.
32.

North Fence Line
Plant List
Canopy: Understory:
1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 1. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 2. H-Hazel (Corylus americana)* 3. P-Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)* 3. PS-Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)* 4. TP-Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)# 4. BD-Basswood (Tilia americana)# 5. BL-Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)* 5. PV-Privet (Ligustrum)+ 6. PP-Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)# Ground Cover: 7. HK-Hickory (Carya ovata)# 1. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* 8. MB-Mulberry (Morus spp.)+ 2. Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)+ (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
View of the north path, lost in the dense undergrowth along the north fence line Hickory
Privet Virginia Creeper
Spice Bush
Privet
Section/elevation showing the dense canopy-understory relationship along the north fence line.
The stretch of property along the north fence line is one of the densest. In this area, spice bush cannot force out privet, but is thriving alongside it, and together the two create a well developed understory. This amount of understory growth is only possible because the mixed canopy of predominantly sugar maple and black locust trees allows enough light for the privet to survive. In other areas with dense shade, like the sugar maple woods, privet is not as persistent and only a scattering of spice bush can grow.
33.
Sugar Maple
Pawpaw
Sugar Maple
Pecan Pecan
Mulberry Tulip Poplar Black Walnut Spice Bush Sugar Maple Black Walnut Black Locust Hickory photo view
Persimmon Sugar Maple Basswood Hazel
Plan Enlargement of the North Fence Line

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34.
North Fence Line

Similar to the upper yard that surrounds the vegetable garden, the stretch of land that extends along the northern property line maintains a large diversity of plant material. Even though some stands of sugar maples have begun to establish themselves, they are not nearly as dominant as in other parts of the property. Alongside the sugar maples, black locust trees have found a solid niche in this area. Together the sugar maples and black locusts create a more dense canopy than what exists in the upper yard, yet not one that disallows a full understory. The understory in this area, however, is quite different than the type dominated by pioneer species that was previously discussed. Along the north fence line, the understory is almost totally made up of privet and Virginia creeper. Spice bush was planted near this section of the property partially in the interest of forcing out much of the privet that is so prominent1. While that has been successful in other parts of the grounds where the density of shade weakens the growth ability of the privet without affecting the spice bush, in this area that is not the case. Spice bush is growing successfully in small amounts here, but the large quantity of privet has prevented it from taking any sort of foothold. Besides the significant presence of privet, the understory is also made up of a large number of introductions planted by the Wests in an attempt to improve the diversity of plant species on the property as a whole1. Hazel, persimmon, basswood, hickory and pawpaw are all plants that would not exist on the property if not for the efforts of David and Lindsay West. The pawpaw, which was planted as a butterfly food source1, has become a particularly impressive specimen with at least a dozen stems and a crown of twenty to twenty-five feet. It is fitting that this section of property is directly adjacent to the upper yard because it shows two different ways of establishing native plant diversity. In the upper yard, diversity was cultivated by preventing a dominant species like black walnut from taking over, leaving other species to grow freely. Along the northern fence line, however, the diversity is a direct result of the active influence of the Wests. Native species were planted to avoid a climax forest condition where one species dominates the canopy. Even so, their efforts have only created some small, rather isolated specimens, that in most cases are struggling to break through the understory into full maturity. The plants are surviving, however, and in time could create a very diverse stand of mature trees that includes the typical large walnuts and maples but also includes mature hazel and hickory trees.
1. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012. View of the mixed canopy along the north fence line.
35.
[SUMMER]
[FALL]
[WINTER]
NORTH FENCE LINE
Along the north fence line, seasonal change is most noticeable during the transition from fall to winter. The density of this part of the property is maintained from spring and summer into the fall, but once winter sets in, it opens up and affords the first views of the context that surrounds the property on the north and west. The sound of cars heard all year is explained as North Main St. becomes visible through the gaps in adjacent properties. Likewise,
[SPRING]
SEASONAL CHANGE
at the beginning of spring this part of the property remains much more open than in the middle of summer when the privet has fully grown in. However, the rate at which this part of the property leafs out is staggering. Mostly because of the dominant presence of privet and spice bush, the understory along the north fence line bursts into green by mid-April and almost immediately begins to fill in the understory.
36.
Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
Silver Maple
Black Locust
Tulip Poplar
Hazel
Basswood
Persimmon Spice Bush PawPaw Wineberry January-February March-April May-June July-August September-October November-December
North Fence Line Chart of Color Change

Like the upper yard, the plant diversity present along the north fence line creates considerable color interest all year. During the early spring, persimmon and pawpaw provide whites and pinks, and a mature tulip poplar tree creates interesting color later in the summer. The existence of large amounts of wineberry on the ground provide a color dynamic that stretches from spring to fall thanks to the combination of colorful foliage and large bundles of red berries. In the fall, the north fence line comes alive with yellows, oranges and pinks as just about every plant in this part of the property bursts into color.
37.
BC SB IW
SV
Section SB
photo view
Cut Lin
SM
The plan view of the meadow is the most illustrative of the spatial contrast that this part of the property creates. Aside from the vegetable garden farther east, and the marsh, on the south property line, the meadow is the only significant area of open ground behind the house.
Plan Highlighting the Meadow

N
0 20 40 80
38.

Meadow
Plant List
Canopy: Understory:
1. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 1. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 2. SV-Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)* 2. BC-Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)# 3. Ground Cover: IW-Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)# 1. Sweetflag (Acorus calamus)* 2. Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)* 3. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* 4. Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)* (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Spice Bush Sugar Maple
(Far above) View of the dominant presence of sweetflag in the meadow and (above) one of the largest spice bush plants along Stroubles Creek.
Sweet Flag
Skunk Cabbage
Standing on the far northwest part of the property, the brightness of the meadow provides a stark contrast to the dense woods that surround it. The meadow is also one of the few places on the property where Stroubles Creek comes into full view, even during the summer when all the plants are lush with foliage.
Section/elevation showing the smaller-scale plant material and lack of large canopy in the meadow.
39.
Bald Cypress
Spice Bush
Spice Bush photo view Silver Maple Ironwood
Spice Bush
Spice Bush (1)
Mix of predominantly Skunk Cabbage and Sweetflag
Sugar Maple
Str le oub sC ree k

Sugar Maple Spring Run
Plan Enlargement of the Meadow

N
0 10 20 40
40.
Meadow
The meadow is a spatially unique area of the Keister House grounds for a number of reasons. It is one of a very few places that is in a similar condition now as it was when the Wests bought the property in 1963. There are not many photographs of it from the 1960s, but based on descriptions by David and Lindsay West, it seems that the condition of the meadow is much the same as it was, except that it has shrunk some due to the invasion of the surrounding woods. Even though it has lost some size in the past fifty years, the fact that the meadow has resisted the infill of woodlands at all is of note. The reasons for this are thought to be two-fold. The meadow is a small part of land that once belonged to a much larger pasture under the ownership of the Shrivers in the middle of the twentieth century. This means that constant grazing of livestock made it impossible for slow growing plant species like sugar maple and black walnut to develop, even though there would have been plenty of seeds spread. The livestock would have eaten or trampled any saplings along with the rest of the plant material in the pasture1. Another probable reason for why the meadow has avoided becoming woodland is the moisture of the soil. The meadow is bordered on one side by Stroubles Creek and on another by a small spring run that flows from the milk shed into the creek. The soil is, therefore, almost always damp and often saturated. That, coupled with plenty of open space for sunlight, provides the perfect conditions for skunk cabbage and sweetflag, which fill the meadow completely, but does not create very good conditions for the development of hardwoods like maples and walnuts2. Another part of the development of the meadow that is worthy of note is the amount of spice bush that has grown to unusual size here. One specimen (1) was recently tagged as one of the largest on record in the Commonwealth of Virginia3. Spice bush was intentionally introduced by David West as a food source for the Swallow Tail Butterfly. Never directly planted in or near the meadow, spice bush was probably seeded from bird and small mammalian consumption and excretion3. Regardless of how it came to be in the meadow, it managed to grow very well and completely force privet out from the understory, another of its desirable traits in the eyes of the Wests. Aside from its development, the meadow, as it exists today, is worthy of study because it provides a contrast to the density of the surrounding woods. This area is one of the few places at the back of the property with any view of the sky during the summer. The amount of summer sunlight also makes it possible for pioneer species like golden rod to grow, which produce nice seasonal color that is absent in the deep woods where very little understory is present.
Stroubles Creek looking north as it runs along the western edge of the meadow. 1. Carmel, Yohay, and Ronen Kadmon. Effects of Grazing and Topography on Long-term Vegetation Changes in a Mediterranean Ecosystem in Israel. Plant Ecology 145 (1999): 243-54. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. 2. Kirkman, L. Katherine., Claud L. Brown, and Donald Joseph Leopold. Native Trees of the Southeast. Portland, Or.: Timber, 2007. Print. 3. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012.
41.
[SUMMER]
[FALL]
[WINTER]
MEADOW
Seasonal change in the meadow is not as colorful as in other parts of the property. Instead of drastic changes in color, the difference in the meadow between summer, fall and winter is due to the amount of vegetation on the ground. During the summer and fall, sweetflag and skunk cabbage fill the meadow to the point that it is only navigable around the edges. In the winter, both species die back and re-create an open field like the pasture that was once here. However, at the beginning of the spring time, the
[SPRING]
SEASONAL CHANGE
sudden presence of bright green that the skunk cabbage and sweetflag create is staggering. Especially in comparison to the surrounding maple woods that still have not leafed out yet, the contrast between the meadow and its context is even more exaggerated.
42.
Sugar Maple
Spice Bush
Goldenrod
January-February
March-April
May-June
July-August
September-October
November-December
Meadow Chart of Color Change

The meadow does not provide the kind of color interest that is seen on other parts of the property. During the summer the area is dominated by the green of sweetflag and skunk cabbage. Late in summer, that green is accented by goldenrod that emerges in clumps of yellow all around the edges of the meadow. Spice bush and sugar maple, framing the meadow, offer nice shades of yellow during the fall. The green of the meadow and the yellow of the surrounding woods increases the sense of contrast that being in this part of the property creates.
43.
SW
SM
Cut Lin Section
WP Like the meadow, the marsh represents one of the few open areas within the landscape behind Keister House. However, there is much more understory growth along Stroubles Creek in the marsh than in the meadow, and the only really open area is the former pond along the south property line. N
photo view
Plan Highlighting the Marsh

0 20 40 80
44.

Marsh
Plant List
Canopy: Understory:
1. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 1. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 2. SW-Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)# 2. WP-White Pine (Pinus strobus)# 3. PW-Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)# Ground Cover: 1. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* 2. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)* 3. Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica)# 4. Yellowflag (Iris pseudacorus)# (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Sugar Maple
View looking across the marsh towards the neighboring property to the south of the Keister House. Sugar Maple
The marsh became a permanent pond when one of the springs on the property was redirected by development next door, but a tall grass now obscures the open water1.
Spice Bush Swamp Milkweed 1. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012.
Section/elevation showing the relationship between the milkweed in the marsh and the surrounding woods.
45.
[SUMMER]
[FALL]
[WINTER]
MARSH
Seasonal change in the marsh is largely impacted by the changes occurring adjacent to it in the sugar maple woods. Because the marsh remains a very wet area the plant material that can grow there stays green well into the winter, even as the shoots die back considerably. Besides a couple of white pines that stand on the border with the sugar maple woods, the marsh provides the only winter color in this part of the property. Similar to the nearby meadow, the marsh creates surprisingly stark contrast
[SPRING]
SEASONAL CHANGE
at the beginning of the spring. The continual green of the puttyroot and the early leafingout of the milkweed create an island of color in the corner of the maple woods that remains largely bare that early in the year.
46.
Sugar Maple
Pussy Willow
Spice Bush
Swamp Milkweed
Yellowflag
Puttyroot
January-February
March-April
May-June
July-August
September-October
November-December
Marsh Chart of Color Change

The marsh is not a large piece of the property, but thanks to a variety of plant species it provides some color interest for much of the year. In the early spring, color is created by the white and green of pussy willow and spice bush before many other plant species have even leafed out. Later, in the early summer, the flowering of milkweed, yellowflag and puttyroot creates an array of yellows and pinks. The fall color in this part of the property relies mostly on the sugar maple and spice bush species that border the marsh because none of the marsh plants have any fall color to speak of. In the wintertime, however, the persistent green of the puttyroot remains some of the only color on the entire property.
47.
BW SM
Section
e Cut Lin CT
SM P BO BW SM WP BW BN BW SM-1 WA photo view CT BL
SM As the plan indicates, the sugar maple woods are impressively dominated by the zones namesake. However, the decline of the oldest sugar maple that dates back to the early 1960s, is opening up the canopy to some other species. The effect of this progression can be seen in the presence of mature black locust, white ash and butternut trees only around the older maple.
SM SM
Plan Highlighting Sugar Maple Woods

N
0 20 40 80
48.

Sugar Maple Woods
Plant List
Canopy: Understory:
1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 1. WP-White Pine (Pinus strobus)# 2. SM-Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* 2. BO-Black Oak (Quercus velutina)# 3. WA-White Ash (Fraxinus americana)* 3. CT-Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata)# 4. BN-Butternut (Juglans cinerea)# Ground Cover: 5. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 1. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* 6. BL-Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)* 2. Golden Glow (Rudbeckia)+ 7. P-Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)* 3. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)* 4. Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)* 5. Puttyroot (Aplectrum hyemale)# (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
View looking east along the south path within the maple woods. Sugar Maple Cucumber Tree
All of the sugar maple trees in these woods are a result of seeding from the lone specimen that existed in 1963 (SM-1).
Golden Rod & Golden Glow
Virginia Creeper
Section/elevation illustrating the relatively open understory of the Sugar Maple Woods.
49.
Sugar Maple Milk Shed Sugar Maple Black Walnut
White Pine
A
Pecan Sugar Maple photo view Black Locust
Pecan Black Oak
Black Walnut Sugar Maple (1) Butternut White Ash White Pine
Sugar Maple White Pine White Pine Sugar Maple Cucumber Tree Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple Sugar Maple
Black Walnut Sugar Maple
Plan Enlargement of Sugar Maple Woods

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50.
Sugar Maple Woods

All of the zones discussed so far have benefitted from a great deal of plant diversity, both natural and as a result of the introductory efforts of the Wests. The sugar maple woods tell a different story. With the exception of a sunny spot at the confluence of two paths where many of the pioneer species discussed earlier maintain some growth (A), the bulk of this section of woodland is so dense below maple canopy during the summer that very little else grows. All of the sugar maples that exist in this area, and on the property as a whole, are thought to have come from the specimen on the property in 19631. It still exists today, although in a rather dilapidated state (1). As a result of the substantial maple seeding that has been allowed to grow unchecked in this area, something akin to a climax forest has developed. A climax forest usually refers to a state where one species dominates and the forest stays in that state until an outside force disrupts it2. In this case, the sugar maples create such a dense canopy that the understory is unsuitable for many pioneering species. The only plants that can grow in such deep shade are sugar maples, so the area should remain in the same condition for many years unless impacted by some outside force. The only other species able to grow in the dense shade cast by the sugar maples is Virginia creeper and spice bush. Also present are a handful of introductions, including Jeffersonia, native hydrangea and false Solomons seal meant to add some diversity to the understory1. These plants are growing, but unfortunately they exist in very isolated numbers and none of the specimens are very well established because of the lack of consistent sunlight and the impacts of deer grazing on the property. This creates a sparse understory, contrasting with the other wooded areas on the property where the understory is dense. Aside from the large quantity of sugar maple (fifty-plus specimens), there are other plants that have found their way into the canopy. These include a black oak at the far end of the central path, a handful of black locust trees, and a number of white ash specimens. One specimen of note is a large white ash that contributes significantly to the canopy. This ash produced a number of saplings that are able to grow thanks to the decline of the original sugar maple. As the maple loses limbs, it creates an opening in the canopy where sunlight reaches the ground. The decline of the original sugar maple acts as the outside influence that can disrupt the climax forest state mentioned before. Since a tree that contributes to a large part of the canopy is dying, the unanticipated opening in the canopy has altered the succession of the sugar maple woods as a whole. The ash saplings seem to be most adept at taking advantage of the clearings in the canopy, and are beating out any sapling maples that might inhabit the same space. In this way, the forest succession in this area of the property is developing opposite of what would be expected. Instead of an adolescent woodland with a large diversity of plant material
View of the milk shed with the maple woods opening into meadow in the background.
developing into a climax forest dominated by one species, this area is developing from a climax forest dominated by sugar maple trees towards a woodland that might eventually contain a large diversity of plant material.
1. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012. 2. Forest Succession and Tolerance. Forest Succession and Tolerance. Northwest Illinois Forestry Association, n.d. Web. 24 Dec. 2012.
51.
[SUMMER]
[FALL]
[WINTER]
SUGAR MAPLE WOODS
The change that occurs in the sugar maple woods in response to the shifting of the seasons has a larger spatial dimension than anywhere else on the property. During the summer and fall, this area is almost claustrophobic. The density of the vegetation blocks any view across the property or outside of it to any neighbors. In the winter, the feeling is reversed. Views are possible all the way across the property and the whole place seems to shrink. The spring time in the sugar maple woods does
[SPRING]
SEASONAL CHANGE
not create as much activity as in other parts of the property. Aside from the early green of spice bush buds and some isolated shoots of Solomons seal, the maple woods remain relatively bare. At the same time, the lack of understory density on this part of the property in the spring time is nice because it continues to facilitate views to other areas like the meadow and marsh that are not possible later in the summer.
52.
Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
White Ash
Black Oak
Cucumber Tree
Butternut
Spice Bush
Goldenrod Golden Glow Black Raspberry
January-February
March-April
May-June
July-August
September-October
November-December
Sugar Maple Woods Chart of Color Change

Fall color in the sugar maple woods is dominated by shades of yellow and orange. The maples contribute largely to this, as would be expected, but they are supplemented by walnuts, spice bush, and butternut. The varying shades of yellow help to illustrate the layers of plant material discussed earlier, and late summer color provided by goldenrod and golden glow add to the effect. Fall is when this part of the property creates the most color interest, but there is some early spring and summer color thanks to a couple of cucumber trees. The solitary white blooms of the cucumber tree are bolstered by the early season white created by black raspberry that is common throughout the property and especially in this area.
53.
RB PV BW-1 SB SB BX PV BW RB Even more so than the sugar maple woods, the walnut grove is dominated by two species: black walnut and redbud. Part of this can be attributed to the Juglone toxicity that comes from the walnut roots and is poisonous to many other plants. Also, the density of the combined upper canopy of walnut and lower canopy of redbud leave very little sunlight for other plants to grow. SS BW-1
BW-1
Secti
Line on Cut
RB
BW photo view BW BW PV BW
RB
BW
Plan Highlighting Walnut Grove/Oak Field

N
0 20 40 80
PO WO BW
54.

Walnut Grove and Oak Field
Plant List
Canopy: Understory:
1. BW-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* 1. RB-Redbud (Cercis canadensis)* 2. WO-White Oak (Quercus alba)# 2. SS-Strawberry Shrub (Calycanthus floridus)# 3. PO-Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)* 3. BX-American Boxwood (Buxus spp.)+ 4. PV-Privet (Ligustrum)+ Ground Cover: 5. SB-Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin)# 1. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)* 2. Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)* 3. Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)* (* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)
Black Walnut
Black Walnut
Redbud
View of the density of the walnut grove along the south path. In addition to walnuts, redbud and privet are found in large numbers here.
Similar to the development of the sugar maple woods, all of the black walnuts on this part of the property are thought to be related to three on the property in 1963 (BW-1).
Black Raspberry Virginia Creeper
Section/elevation showing the dense plant relationships in the Walnut Grove.
55.
Black Walnut
Redbud
Black Walnut Black Walnut
Black Walnut Redbud
Black Walnut
Black Walnut Redbud
Redbud
Black Walnut Oak Field
Pin Oak Black Walnut
Plan Enlargement of Walnut Grove/Oak Field

N
0 10 20 40
White Oak White Oak
56.
Walnut Grove
There are a number of curious and unique aspects of this stand of trees. It is quite rare to find such a dense collection of black walnuts at this level of maturity. Black walnuts are not pioneer species and often have scattered growth patterns due to sporadic seeding and small mammalian impacts. Squirrels, for example, are quite fond of burying, and subsequently digging up, a large number of walnut seeds making it very difficult for mature specimens to produce sapling offspring1. It is not perfectly clear why the walnuts on this property have been so successful, but no matter the cause, they are an impressive sight. Another unique aspect of the walnut grove is the relationship between the walnuts and what can grow beneath them. Black walnut roots produce a toxin called Juglone that is lethal to many plants2. For example, woods of this type often have viburnum in the understory. Viburnum are very sensitive to Juglone, however, and are thus found mostly along the creek. Also, the walnuts have spread roots into the vegetable garden making the growth of some vegetables very difficult, if not impossible2. This effect contributed to the demise of regular harvesting of the vegetable garden. One tree that grows successfully in proximity to black walnuts is redbud, and in this area, redbuds have taken a strong hold on sections of the understory. One specimen, which dates back to the 1960s, is now of substantial size with a canopy that stretches close to thirty feet. Privet remains the overall dominant plant in the understory in this area, not allowing for the consistent introduction of spice bush. The dominance of privet in the walnut grove is more evidence that privet can resist the invasion of other species like spice bush under the speckled shade of black walnut trees, but not in the dense shade of the sugar maple woods.
Oak Field
Unlike the natural development of the walnut grove, the oak field exists as a result of introductions planted by David and Lindsay West in the 1980s. When the Wests first moved to the Keister House, this section of the property was used as an extension of the vegetable garden, planted predominantly with potatoes. Later, David West began to introduce oaks brought in from Giles County, Virginia. This was another effort to improve the diversity of the woods with native species3. Today, the oak field contains half a dozen white oak trees and one pin oak tree that have reached full maturity.
1. Advance-Growth-Dependent Species of Moderate Shade Tolerance. Forest Encyclopedia Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2012. 2. Black Walnut Toxicity. Black Walnut Toxicity. West Virginia University Extension Agency, n.d. Web. 24 Dec. 2012. 3. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012.
Photograph taken from underneath the largest redbud on the property looking back toward the trunk.
57.
[SUMMER]
[FALL]
[WINTER]
WALNUT GROVE
Seasonal change has a dramatic effect on the experience in this part of the property. During the summer and fall, when leaves are still on the trees, the walnut grove and oak field are a densely shaded woods. In the winter, once the leaves have fallen, the experience is dramatically different as the whole area is open to the sky. On a sunny day, the brightness that the open canopy creates is startling. Similar to the maple woods, the walnut grove does not create a lot of color interest in the spring
[SPRING]
SEASONAL CHANGE
aside from the pink buds of the rosebud. However, shoots of green with white flowers are a nice burst of color in the area where the walnut grove melds into the oak field. This section of color along the ground is a subtle, but nice, effect in a part of the property that will be largely dominated by Virginia creeper and privet by early summer.
58.
Black Walnut
White Oak
Pin Oak
Redbud
Spice Bush
Strawberry Shrub
Goldenrod
Black Raspberry
January-February
March-April
May-June
July-August
September-October
November-December
Walnut Grove and Oak Field Chart of Color Change

Early spring blooming by redbud and spice bush species, coupled with multi-seasonal color provided by black raspberry, and late summer blooming of goldenrod provide the walnut grove with color interest all year, not just in the fall. In the fall, the yellows of black walnut accented by the burgundy of white oak and pin oak provide a colorful canopy that mirrors the color of spice bush closer to the ground. The effect is a similar density to what is experienced during the summer, except that the deep green hues are replaced with bright yellow and red.
59.
Additional Plant Introductions

David and Lindsay West have actively introduced a variety of regional plant species to the Keister House property since they moved in during the 1960s. Their intent has always been to create a diverse yet regional woodland. Most of the introductions were via seeds from property owned by the Wests in Giles County, just north of Blacksburg. Those that did not come from Giles County still remained true to the native palette of southwest Virginia1. The plant list presented here illustrates the effort made by the Wests to diversify their property. The list is also a testament to their detailed and exhaustive record keeping. Even though the plant material introduced was regionally appropriate, and the Wests took care to plant them in appropriate conditions, some of the plants did not survive. The reason for their losses are not certain but a couple of factors are most likely to blame. The nagging presence of deer on the property has made it difficult for small saplings to survive. The location of the property, surrounded by the town of Blacksburg, is both a gift to those that are lucky enough to experience it, and a curse because animals enjoy it just as much. Deer have been periodically inhabiting the meadow for the last couple of decades and their presence contributed to the demise of the vegetable garden and made it very difficult for certain plants to grow elsewhere. The deer are particularly fond of Solomons seal, which the Wests continue to nurse along in the maple woods without much success.

Plant List
Introduced and Did Not Survive:
1. Southern Lady Fern (Athyrium asplenoides) 2. Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) 3. Liverleaf (Hepatica americana) 4. Crested Iris (Iris cristata) 5. Varieties of Violet (Viola spp.) 6. Shadbush (Amelanchier arborea) 7. Indian Physic (Gillenia trifoliata) 8. Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii)
Approx. Date Introduced/Lost:

1. Unknown 2. September 1994/2009 3. April 1994/2007 4. June 2005/after 2006 5. 1998-2004/unknown 6. July 2005/after 2006 7. July 2005/after 2006 8. 1960s/2010
Surviving Introductions:
1. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) 2. Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) 3. Butterfly-Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) 4. Dutchmans Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) 5. Bulbet Bladder Fern (Cystopteris bulbifera) 6. Crested Fern (Dryopteris cristata) 7. Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) 8. Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) 9. Broad Beech-Fern (Thelypteris hexagonaptera) 10. White Woodland Aster (Aster cordifolius) 11. Mistflower (Eupatorium coelestinum) 12. Joe-Pye-Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) 13. White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) 14. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) 15. Ragwort (Senecio aureus) 16. Yellow Jewel Weed (Impatiens pallida) 17. May-Apple (Podophyllum peltatum) 18. Hop Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) 19. Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) 20. Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta) 21. Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) 22. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) 23. Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata) 24. Giant Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) 25. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 26. Sedum (Sedum ternatum) 27. Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) 28. Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) 29. American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) 30. Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) 31. Buckeye (Aesculus octandra) 32. Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
Location Introduced:
1. Near meadow/south of creek 2. Wild garden 3. Garden along driveway 4. Behind garage, now widespread 5. Wild garden 6. Maple woods 7. Meadow 8. Wild garden 9. Wild garden 10. Wild garden/maple woods 11. Front yard garden 12. Meadow 13. South of front porch 14. Above vegetable garden 15. Maple woods 16. Widespread 17. Maple woods 18. Top of slope 19. Edge of the meadow 20. Along slope east of maple woods 21. Along driveway 22. Wild garden/meadow 23. Maple woods 24. Maple woods 25. Gardens around the house 26. Maple woods 27. North of the meadow 28. Maple woods 29. Edge of walnut grove 30. Wild garden 31. Slope above the milk shed 32. Edge of maple woods
60.
Surviving Introductions:
33. Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) 34. Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia) 35. Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) 36. White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) 37. Marsh Marigold (Catha palustris) 38. Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) 39. Liverwort (Hepatica acutiloba) 40. Quicksilver-Weed (Thalictrum dioicum) 41. Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata) 42. Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus) 43. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) 44. Phlox (Phlox divaricata) 45. Allium (Allium sp.) 46. Yellow Fairybells (Disporum lanuginosum) 47. Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium americanum) 48. Wake Robin (Trillium erectum) 49. Large-Flowering Tillium (Trillium grandiflorum) 50. Hickory (Carya spp.) 51. Ramps (Allium tricoccum) 52. Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) 53. Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) 54. Silverbell (Halesia carolina) 55. Striped Violet (Viola striata) (West, David. 2012)
Location Introduced:
33. Maple woods 34. Maple woods 35. Wild garden 36. Maple woods 37. Near meadow 38. Wild garden 39. Maple woods 40. Meadow/maple woods 41. North of the meadow 42. Behind the house 43. Widespread 44. Maple woods 45. Widespread 46. Maple woods 47. Maple woods 48. Maple woods 49. Maple woods 50. Widespread 51. Maple woods 52. North of meadow 53. Maple woods 54. Edge of maple woods 55. Widespread
From late spring to early fall, the deep shade that exists on most of the property also makes it difficult for young plants to get enough sunlight to grow and thrive, even when planted in compatible soil conditions2. Because of this, some plants that are surviving do not thrive as much as they might in better conditions. For example, turtlehead has been growing on the property for a number of years, but the shady conditions mean that it rarely flowers. Other introductions have done quite well and are spreading themselves around the property. The most obvious example of this is spice bush. David West introduced spice bush a couple of decades ago in an attempt to attract butterflies to the property. Spice bush
can now be found in just about every corner of the property and is especially common along the north fence line, in the meadow, and in the maple woods where it has successfully suppressed the privet that once dominated the understory there. Other unique changes to the propertys plant palette include English and American boxwoods that are clumped in front of the house. The Wests have been actively suppressing the latter for a number of years and have limited its spread around both sides of the house. According to David West, when the Shrivers owned the property, boxwoods lined the front walk leading to the front of the house. At some point those boxwoods were
sold to Virginia Tech and are now part of the landscaping in front of Burruss Hall. The Wests general attitude toward their landscape is to let it be what it will be1. Even so, their active participation in increasing the diversity of the woods is impossible to miss.
1. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012. 2. Sorrie, Bruce A. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 2011. Print.
61.

Keister House Climate and Landform
1. Keister House Climate 2. Keister House Geology and Soils 3. Keister House Landform 4. Keister House Hydrology
62.
The dense nature of the plant material that surrounds the Keister House makes it difficult to appreciate the amount of topographic change that is present. Even in the winter when all the leaves have fallen, the number of trunks skews ones perception of the landform from the upper yard looking down into the maple woods. However, the landform and the geologic bedrock add an important influence to the landscape. Even though less visible, the bedrock under the Keister House directed how and why certain plant species developed and spread the way they did. The following section explores this dimension of the landscape. The relationship between plant development and geology adds to the unique character of the Keister House property and the development of its woods.

63.
Keister House Climate

The Keister House is located in Hardiness Zone 6a according to the U.S. Department of Argriculture (USDA)1. This means that the average temperature for the area is 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Zone 6a also designates that on average, the first frost occurs in early October and the last frost occurs in early May. In terms of precipitation, this region sees about 40 inches of rainfall a year, peaking from May to July2. The climate of the Keister House and surrounding Blacksburg is cooler than the broader region because it is at a higher elevation. For example, Blacksburg is about
2,100 feet above sea level and Charlottesville is only about 600. The only place in southwest Virginia in a colder zone is neighboring Giles County to the north, where the Wests obtained most of the seeds that they introduced to the Keister House landscape. Giles County is in Zone 5b, which is, on average, about 5 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than Blacksburg due to its higher elevation, and receives slightly more precipitation annually1. The two regions are similar enough that many of the plants introduced by the Wests have survived, even if not strictly native to the property. The combination of mild temperatures (80s in summer and 40s in the winter) and rainfall that is evenly spread throughout the year (3-4 inches a month on average) allowed the
Wests to introduce a number of tree species, maintain a vegetable garden, and grow annuals and perennials in the front yard2. A downside to the mild winter temperatures and lack of heavy precipitation at the Keister House is the persistence of some invasive species. Yucca can survive on the property even though it is not native to the area. Yucca is commonly found in warmer, arid regions but can survive in Blacksburgs temperate climate. Thus, the temperate climate of the Keister House landscape allows for a large variety of plants to grow. Such a climate around Blacksburg is a bit of an anomaly in southwest Virginia due to the higher elevation, but other adjacent regions remain similar enough to allow the successful transplantation of plant material. The Wests have taken advantage of these climatic conditions, and the result is a diverse landscape that while unique to southwest Virginia, remains regionally appropriate.
1. National Arboretum - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. National Arboretum - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The United States National Arboretum, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. 2. Zip Code 24060 Blacksburg Hardiness Zone and Gardening Info. PlantMaps. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2013.
Keister House Location
64.
Map from the USDA: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Keister House Geology and Soils

Sandstone Formation (S)
Keister House Location
Copper Ridge Formation (Ccr)
Blacksburg Geology Map

(West, David and Lindsay. 2012)
The geology of the Keister House property is unique as it sits directly on a fault line that runs predominantly east to west through the northern part of Blacksburg. The fault line runs through the property just south of the house. North of the fault, the bedrock is sandstone, while south of the fault the bedrock is identified as Copper Ridge Formation. The Copper Ridge Formation is characterized by a combination of sandstone and various grains of dolomite. The fault line is important because there is a difference in the soil acidity and drainage characteristics associated with the two separate formations. Sandstone, for example, is more acidic, whereas the Copper Ridge Formation is more neutral to alkaline due to the mixture of stone material. Pure sandstone formation also drains more slowly than the Copper Ridge Formation. The Copper Ridge Formation allows soils to drain quickly because of the varying sizes of dolomite and sandstone particles1. The difference in acidity and drainage characteristics is visible in the dispersal of some plants on the Keister House property. The distribution of redbud is evidence of this effect. Redbud trees are tolerant of a variety of soil types but they prefer welldrained neutral to alkaline soils with a pH above 7.5, over very acidic ones2. This soil preference can be seen at the Keister House in the dense stand of redbuds south of the house in the Copper Ridge part of the property and almost none north of the fault

on top of sandstone. Such a difference in dispersal across a consistent barrier is due to the change in the soils pH and drainage characteristics. The conclusion is that the difference in soil character is directly related to the difference in bedrock under different parts of the property, which can be seen in the dispersal of specific plants like redbud. Another subtle dynamic at play on the property is the impact that sugar maple leaf litter can have on soil acidity. Sugar maples are tolerant of a range of acidity levels, but they prefer moderately acidic to alkaline soils. In the fall, sugar maples create a lot of leaf litter, and over time the decay of those leaves can gradually increase the acidity of the soil3. Sugar maples can tolerate the increase in acidity but some plants like the redbud are more sensitive. The amount of sugar maples on the north and west parts of the property, combined with the sandstone formation, create a uniquely acidic soil condition for the area. This relationship is important for understanding plant distribution on the property and why a plant like redbud can be simultaneously thriving in one area, and completely absent in another.
1. Mineral Industries,World Minerals,Mineral Information,Properties of Minerals. Mineral Industries,World Minerals,Mineral Information, Properties of Minerals. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Dec. 2012. 2. Brakie, Melinda. Plant Fact Sheet: Eastern Redbud. Publication. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Aug. 2010. Web. 8 May 2013. <http://plants.usda. gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_ceca4.pdf>. 3. Hornyak, Dana A. Effects of Soil Nitrates, PH and Organic Content on Acer Saccarum Seedling Distribution. Journal of Ecological Research 2 (2000): 64-66.
65.
Corn Crib
Meadow Garage
Spring
Stroubles Creek
Spring
Milk Shed
Keister House Fault Line
Marsh
Spring
Landform Illustration
0 20 40 80
The signature of the landform, which slopes down hill from the house to Stroubles Creek, is best seen in this plan due to the lack of plant material representation. While the gradient of the landform is not severe enough to affect plant growth, the way it impacts the distribution of water on the property is an important factor in plant distribution and growth.
66.
Keister House Landform

The landform illustration on the facing page shows that the topography of the Keister House slopes down from east to west with the lowest areas surrounding Stroubles Creek. The sloping of the topography produces a convex landform with the majority of the grade change occurring from just behind the house to just west of the milk shed, where the slope is between 15-25%1. The convex shape, and orientation of the landform affects plant material on the site through impacting water infiltration and sun exposure. Soil profile is an important consideration when exploring the effect of landform on water infiltration. The soil at the Keister House is loam to a depth of 10 inches above clay, until bedrock is hit at a depth of more than 80 inches1. The clay on the site is categorized as well drained, but fundamentally has a larger water storage capacity than loam and sandy soils due to size and density of particulates. Around the house and below the milk shed where the slope of the landform is less than 10%, the combination of loam and clay allows water to infiltrate through the loam layer quickly during a rain event, to be stored in the clay at a greater depth2. In the middle of the property where the slope is much steeper, however, water from rain events is likely to run-off along the surface and infiltrate when it reaches flatter ground. Evidence of this process exists in the meadow and marsh, which are the two most consistently wet areas of the property. The other impact that the landform has on plant material is orientation to the sun. The slope of the property creates a predominantly
western exposure which provides consistent sunlight throughout the day. At the same time, even though the landform is a significant part of the landscapes character, it is not steep enough to have a major impact on sun exposure.
Keister House Hydrology

The Keister House property is located within the Stroubles Creek sub-watershed, which is a component of the New River Watershed. The property is in the upper part of the sub-watershed so water that flows in Stroubles Creek on the western edge of the site proceeds through the campus of Virginia Tech and eventually into the New River3. The Keister House is in a unique situation because it exists in the upper part of the larger sub-watershed, but is also a low spot in relationship to the immediate context. This means that run-off from the surrounding neighborhood to the north and east is directed to the property, but at the same time, the Keister House is not affected by large rain events as much as places farther down stream. The landform that directs surface water flow onto the property also affects how water infiltrates within the property, and these differences can be observed in the distribution of plant material throughout the landscape. One example is the relationship between hydrology and the distribution of hardwoods like maple and walnut trees. Both sugar maples and black walnuts grow well in moist soils as long as they are well drained and do not flood during the growing season4. The marsh and meadow are both constantly fed by Stroubles
Creek and spring runs so they flood during significant rain events. Therefore, that periodic flooding is part of what has kept the maples and walnuts from spreading into those areas. The hydrology of the Keister House has changed in response to developments to Blacksburgs water infrastructure. The biggest change was the loss of a small pond on the southwest part of the property. The pond was fed by one of the springs on the site, but the expansion of storm drainage in the neighborhood reduced the flow from the spring and the pond dried up. That area is now the site of the marsh and remains wet throughout the year, but standing water only occurs after major rain events. The discussion of the changes to the marsh are important because they describe how a landscape is affected by the surrounding context, sometimes in unexpected ways.
1. Montgomery County, Virginia Web Soil Survey. Rep. N.p.: National Resources Conservation Service, n.d. National Cooperative Soil Survey. Web. 11 Jan. 2013. 2. 4. Soil and Water. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 84-114. Dspace.udel.edu. Web. 13 Jan. 2013. 3. Parece, Tammy, Stephanie DiBettito, Tiffany Sprague, and Tamim Younos. The Stroubles Creek Watershed: History of Development and Chronicles of Research. Rep. Virginia Water Resources Research Center, May 2010. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. 4. Kirkman, L. Katherine., Claud L. Brown, and Donald Joseph Leopold. Native Trees of the Southeast. Portland, Or.: Timber, 2007. Print.
67.
1
photo view
3 Plan Highlighting Future Study Areas

N
0 20 40 80
68.
Future Study/Conclusion
Future Study Areas
This study of the Keister House and its property was a yearlong examination from late May, 2012 to early May, 2013. In that time, over 200 individual plants were identified and located, and seasonal changes were observed and documented. These changes included the way the plant material responded to the seasons and how the experience of the place was altered. This report is meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the current state of the Keister House property and its history, focused predominantly on plant material. However, even with almost twelve months of study, there are parts of the property that were not reached. These shortcomings are a result of either physical access limitations or the constraints of time. Future study of the property should focus on three areas. The largest area that remains unstudied is a portion of the property on the west side of Stroubles Creek along the far west property line (1). This part of the property is full of extremely dense undergrowth, but also contains a handful of interesting species whose presence is only known through David Wests meticulous records of introduced plant material. This area will be difficult to accurately survey, and it is not part of the propertys regular uses, but it is nonetheless worth exploring. The other two areas that have been left to future study are small clumps of growth along the northwest (2) and southeast (3) property lines respectively. These parts of the property

were not reached during this study due to physical access limitations and the observation that they appeared to contain similar plant material as the zones surrounding them. It would be worthwhile to investigate these areas more closely because one never knows what might be found in the corners of the woods surrounding the Keister House.
Conclusion
The Keister House property has seen a lot of change since its construction in the early 19th century. The house itself has remained in a relatively similar state throughout its lifetime, but the landscape surrounding it has undergone a constant evolution. The property began as a piece of a much larger farmstead under the ownership of the Keisters and Kessingers, and developed into a small rural property under the ownership of the Shrivers, complete with apple orchard, barn, and fields for the grazing of livestock. As the town of Blacksburg developed around it, the Keister House landscape became a wooded oasis for the West family. Throughout their fifty years as stewards of the property, David and Lindsay West have taken a keen interest in the evolution of the Keister House landscape. They have taken strides to improve the plant diversity in some areas, while allowing others to develop naturally. The result is an unusual landscape with distinct areas that contribute to a coherent whole. - J. Gardner Burg
View across Stroubles Creek into future study area 1.
69.
70.
Bibliography
1. 4. Soil and Water. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 84-114. Dspace.udel.edu. Web. 13 Jan. 2013. 2. Advance-Growth-Dependent Species of Moderate Shade Tolerance. Forest Encyclopedia Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2012. 3. Black Walnut Toxicity. Black Walnut Toxicity. West Virginia University Extension Agency, n.d. Web. 24 Dec. 2012. 4. Brakie, Melinda. Plant Fact Sheet: Eastern Redbud. Publication. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Aug. 2010. Web. 8 May 2013. <http:// plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_ceca4.pdf>. 5. Carmel, Yohay, and Ronen Kadmon. Effects of Grazing and Topography on Long-term Vegetation Changes in a Mediterranean Ecosystem in Israel. Plant Ecology 145 (1999): 243-54. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. 6. Clauson-Wicker, Su. This Old House. Blue Ridge Country Jan.-Feb. 2011: 60-62. Virginia Historical Society. Print. 7. Forest Succession and Tolerance. Forest Succession and Tolerance. Northwest Illinois Forestry Association, n.d. Web. 24 Dec. 2012. 8. Keister, John T. The Keister Family. 1946. MS Mss6:1 K2688:1. Virginia Historical Society, n.p. 9. Kirkman, L. Katherine., Claud L. Brown, and Donald Joseph Leopold. Native Trees of the Southeast. Portland, Or.: Timber, 2007. Print. 10. Martin, Jeff, and Tom Gower. Forest Succession. Forestry Facts. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Nov. 1996. Web. 24 Dec. 2012. 11. Mineral Industries,World Minerals,Mineral Information,Properties of Minerals. Mineral Industries,World Minerals,Mineral Information,Properties of Minerals. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Dec. 2012. 12. Mitchell, Bryan. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Rep. N.p.: United States Department of the Interior, 1989. Print. 60-280. 13. Montgomery County, Virginia Web Soil Survey. Rep. N.p.: National Resources Conservation Service, n.d. National Cooperative Soil Survey. Web. 11 Jan. 2013. 14. National Arboretum - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. National Arboretum - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The United States National Arboretum, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. 15. Parece, Tammy, Stephanie DiBettito, Tiffany Sprague, and Tamim Younos. The Stroubles Creek Watershed: History of Development and Chronicles of Research. Rep. Virginia Water Resources Research Center, May 2010. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. 16. Sorrie, Bruce A. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 2011. Print. 17. West, David, and Lindsay West. Personal interview. 20 June 2012. 18. Zip Code 24060 Blacksburg Hardiness Zone and Gardening Info. PlantMaps. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2013.
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KEISTER HOUSE |

2012 RUDY J. FAVRETTI FELLOWSHIP The Garden Club of Virginia

History of the Keister House

Keister House Existing Conditions

History of the Keister House

History of the Keister House

1814: John Keister marries Sarah

1873: Property is passed on to ten

1905: Rose Keister (Christians daughter)

1945: Property, which now consitutes only 14 of the

1935-45: Original log cabin

1935: Effingers lose the property to

1963: Property is bought

1838-39: Two-story brick house is

Keister Family History

West Family History

History of the Keister House

(West, David. 1973)

(West, David. 1973)

Stroubles Creek Spring House

Chicken House Keister House

1945 Map of the Keister House Property

Keister family cemetery

History of the Keister House

Location of former Norway Maple

Map of Remaining Canopy Trees from 1963

History of the Keister House

Location Plan of Existing Conditions

Keister House Existing Conditions

Keister House Existing Conditions

Plan of Upper Canopy Tree Cover

Layers of Plant Material

Plan of Secondary Canopy Tree Cover

Layers of Plant Material

(* Natives present in 1963, # Natives introduced/volunteered, + Aliens)

Plan of Understory Tree Cover

Layers of Plant Material

Section/elevation highlighting understory trees in relationship to the larger canopy.

Plan of Shrub and Ground Cover

Layers of Plant Material

Focus Areas Plan

Keister House Existing Conditions

Plan Highlighting Upper Yard/Vegetable Garden

Zones of Existing Conditions

Pecan Black Locust Pecan Wild Cherry White Pine

White Pine Catalpa Catalpa Pin Oak Pecan

Black Walnut (2)

Vegetable Garden Sweet Bay Magnolia

Black Walnut (1)

Plan Enlargement of the Upper Yard

Upper Yard and Vegetable Garden

Upper Yard Chart of Color Change

Plan Highlighting the North Fence Line

Zones of Existing Conditions

Privet Virginia Creeper

Persimmon Sugar Maple Basswood Hazel

Plan Enlargement of the North Fence Line

North Fence Line

North Fence Line Chart of Color Change

Plan Highlighting the Meadow

Zones of Existing Conditions

Spice Bush Sugar Maple

Spice Bush photo view Silver Maple Ironwood

Spice Bush (1)