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Mark Johnson
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- Location: Orlando, Florida
Native Plants and Low Impact Development site design
Native plant selections can be an important part of low impact development site plans. However, simply because a plant is considered “nativeâ€
I would fall into the category of an average gardener. I have a full time job and in the evenings and weekends I play/tinker in the garden. After discovering native plants, I have purchased many books and have done my best to educate myself on native plant species and needs.
Am I an expert? Absolutely not (especially when it comes to aesthetics!). However I am extremely grateful for the supportive community on this forum. This is a great medium to share my excitement and limited gardening knowledge, in addition to asking questions. I imagine the people who have found their way to a gardening forum are automatically interested in educating themselves... its the people NOT on the forum that you should be worried about!
Am I an expert? Absolutely not (especially when it comes to aesthetics!). However I am extremely grateful for the supportive community on this forum. This is a great medium to share my excitement and limited gardening knowledge, in addition to asking questions. I imagine the people who have found their way to a gardening forum are automatically interested in educating themselves... its the people NOT on the forum that you should be worried about!
I agree with Mark when it comes to landscaping with natives - it's really helpful to do a little homework to use species that are appropriate for your specific microhabitat.
The reason: avoiding disappointment. A lot of places will sell, say, wetland species and identify them as "sun to part sun" -- which definitely won't work in a xeric landscape. I've notice that even species that seem to be appropriate for "upland forests in northern Pennsylvania" don't always work. It didn't take much time this winter (when gardening is on the slow side anyway) to discover that in the county where I live, there are not only three major geologic regions but a couple of dozen different kinds of forests.
I quickly discovered why I was having problems with some and success with others, along with discovering others that create neat plant communities and outstanding landscape options.
To be sure, any number of species work across a wide range -- that's very helpful to learn -- but others are as Mark described very habitat specific. Any time you try to modify a habitat or adapt varying species to a new habitat, you're asking for a lot of work and a high risk of failure.
A marvelous aspect of landscaping with natives is learning elemental ecology - it enriches the entire experience. With all the sources on the net these days, it's not difficult and certainly fascinating.
gmehl
The reason: avoiding disappointment. A lot of places will sell, say, wetland species and identify them as "sun to part sun" -- which definitely won't work in a xeric landscape. I've notice that even species that seem to be appropriate for "upland forests in northern Pennsylvania" don't always work. It didn't take much time this winter (when gardening is on the slow side anyway) to discover that in the county where I live, there are not only three major geologic regions but a couple of dozen different kinds of forests.
I quickly discovered why I was having problems with some and success with others, along with discovering others that create neat plant communities and outstanding landscape options.
To be sure, any number of species work across a wide range -- that's very helpful to learn -- but others are as Mark described very habitat specific. Any time you try to modify a habitat or adapt varying species to a new habitat, you're asking for a lot of work and a high risk of failure.
A marvelous aspect of landscaping with natives is learning elemental ecology - it enriches the entire experience. With all the sources on the net these days, it's not difficult and certainly fascinating.
gmehl
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The Helpful Gardener
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- Location: Colchester, CT
Mark's point on Iris versicolor is well taken, and educating oneself to understand local ecotypes is neccesary to understanding the big picture of what happens as we garden. I have found emersion to be my most valuable tool in this understanding, balanced with self education and certification; my best lessons in ecology have come in my kayak. There is something about the shared ecotone of air/water/land that is magical in it's complexity...
It is these interface areas, both inland and coastal that are most threatened by our worst horticultural behaviors. Certainly a big goal for THG is
HG
It is these interface areas, both inland and coastal that are most threatened by our worst horticultural behaviors. Certainly a big goal for THG is
in fact the prime thrust of organic culture in general is to do just that, and THG has always supported organic methods as an extension of local biota. While we do not discriminate against those that choose other cultural methods, we do like to point out the whole system approach needs to extend both underground, and into our lakes and streams, as the results of our gardening extend at least that far. Right plant-Right Place means defining "natives" or "invasives", which is a political timebomb in the horticultural community and not really in the context of what we do here, but we offer an excellent beginning point for someone like Lazygirl, and we are happy to take her as far into understanding ecology as she cares to go, and value her contribution to the Forums, along with yours...reducing water consumption, insecticides, and fertilizer
HG
I think a lot of this also is far more than just an individual learning or losing ignorance. A lot of what people buy is what they see for sale and is pretty. Responsible garden centers and those who sell plants to the general public becoming more aware of what they sell is an important step into change with the general populous will put into their yard. A lot of people would love to have wonderful native plants at their sights and homes, but they do not have to time to find out where to buy these things, and at times it is very time consuming finding native plants. Also a lot of the gardening literature you can buy in the book store is printed and written in the UK, which can give the false inpretion of native plants or invasive.
An important step is not just educating people, but our buying and selling practices need to change. I volunteered in a native garden/xerescape, and here I am telling people to using native plants and directing them to the organizations website, but all these people interested would love the plants at home. They were amazed at the beauty of natives. The downside is access to these native plants, because it is illegal to harvest in most places and most nursery only stock standard gernaium and impatiens and hybrid plant di giorno. Unfortunaly a lot of people only have Bix Box stores to get their pretty plants, and they definately don't hav a selection of nice natives. Even the best minded towns who have prairies and forrest preserves still offer Norway Maple to residents to plant in their new home, and this is mostly due to the people who supply trees. Before most people get native in their yard it has to be made better access.
An important step is not just educating people, but our buying and selling practices need to change. I volunteered in a native garden/xerescape, and here I am telling people to using native plants and directing them to the organizations website, but all these people interested would love the plants at home. They were amazed at the beauty of natives. The downside is access to these native plants, because it is illegal to harvest in most places and most nursery only stock standard gernaium and impatiens and hybrid plant di giorno. Unfortunaly a lot of people only have Bix Box stores to get their pretty plants, and they definately don't hav a selection of nice natives. Even the best minded towns who have prairies and forrest preserves still offer Norway Maple to residents to plant in their new home, and this is mostly due to the people who supply trees. Before most people get native in their yard it has to be made better access.
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The Helpful Gardener
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- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
Manok, I left the wholesale industry for exactly the reasons you outlined; I have been speaking to that point publicly for over a decade now, and a few years back worked on the first native plant marketing program for garden centers (if you don't count the fact that my friend Bill Cullina, in his old role as propagator for the New England Wild Flower Society has been helping smart G.C. managers for years; he just didn't have the fancy posters...)...
[url]https://www.abnativeplants.com/[/url]
Bill Cullina was instrumental in helping with this program, in both selection and information (and even some propagation); I think his books on the topic of native plants are without comaprison. I had been a vocal proponent for this program for years and was very happy to work on this project with folks like Bill, and my old friends Dale Hendricks and Steve Castorani of North Creek Nurseries. There are nurseries like Prides Corner trying to do good work in the backyard environment, and this program is expanding so keep an eye out in your garden centers. And if you don't see natives, ask. These guys catch on fast...
HG
[url]https://www.abnativeplants.com/[/url]
Bill Cullina was instrumental in helping with this program, in both selection and information (and even some propagation); I think his books on the topic of native plants are without comaprison. I had been a vocal proponent for this program for years and was very happy to work on this project with folks like Bill, and my old friends Dale Hendricks and Steve Castorani of North Creek Nurseries. There are nurseries like Prides Corner trying to do good work in the backyard environment, and this program is expanding so keep an eye out in your garden centers. And if you don't see natives, ask. These guys catch on fast...
HG
Both of the locally owned independent garden-supply shops I go to have sections of "Native Plants." They also have plants grouped by function, e.g., "Shade Plants," "Drought-Resistant," "Full Sun," and so on.The Helpful Gardener wrote: There are nurseries like Prides Corner trying to do good work in the backyard environment, and this program is expanding so keep an eye out in your garden centers. And if you don't see natives, ask. These guys catch on fast...
HG
Of course, all the veggies are together! It's up to the gardener to put these where they go!
I've also done a walk-through of the local Home Depot and OSH (I don't know whether OSH--Orchard Supply Hardware--is a national chain or not, but it's definitely a chain in California). They don't have any such groupings. Annuals, perennials...together. Ground covers...together, with no mention of water or sun requirements. The "usual suspects" in the veggie department; no varieties specific to the Bay Area, much less the more prevalent growing conditions here (aka Sunset zones).
So, when you ask after native plants, be sure to do it at an independent nursery/garden-supply store. The big boxes will probably not understand what you're asking about. I imagine something like this:
Gardener: "I was looking for some native plants for this region."
Big Boxer: "These are all native; every one of them was grown in the U.S."
Cynthia
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The Helpful Gardener
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Yeah, you don't find programs like American Beauties, or knowledgeable sales staff, at a big box. There were eight from Prides Corner and eight from Home Depot taking the nuseryman's exam the year I did it. All eight from PC passed; all eight from HD failed... Independent garden centers are a resource all gardeners should value, no matter what you are doing in the garden. Every garden center has one person who knows natives; I sold garden centers for years and know this to be a virtual absolute. Just ask them who to ask...
Bill Cullina is a fan of propagating from the wild; maybe the best way to get our native plants is to raise them from seed (I'm doing three bird started raspberries, and a winterberry from the same source). Home grown home plants!
HG
Bill Cullina is a fan of propagating from the wild; maybe the best way to get our native plants is to raise them from seed (I'm doing three bird started raspberries, and a winterberry from the same source). Home grown home plants!
HG