IT’S ALL HITS, ALL THE TIME here at the garden, or at least it is this time of year. Meet more of my beloved companions (click to get to know each one)…and hurry, the next gang will be showing up and showing off at any minute now. (By the way, the third click’s the charm; the photos are better big.)
THE LECTURE that he’s been giving for a number of years is not-so-subtly called “Kill Your Lawn.” Ecological horticulturist Dan Jaffe Wilder knows that starting over and creating an entire native habitat instead of a lawn isn’t for everyone. But Dan just wants to grab our attention and get us to start to make some changes at least in the way we care for the turfgrass we do want in our landscapes. And maybe give up a little square footage of it to some other kind of more diverse planting, too, like the wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana, inset). Alternative, more eco-focused styles of lawn care, along with some lawn alternatives is what he and I talked about on the podcast. Dan is Director of Applied Ecology at Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Wales, Massachusetts, and its 8,000-acre sanctuary. He’s also co-author with Mark Richardson of the book “Native Plants for New England Gardens.”
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
Ken,
Welcome to A Way to Garden. Yes, I am taking all the photos, and cropping and whatever else. I recently promoted myself to Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, which includes photography in the job description.
I think I could use a few camera-operating lessons, however…these digitals have too many dials and buttons and gizmos.
M.
Margaret-
Are you taking all of these photos all the time? No image bank raiding? This is real-time gardening? I want to say “With this blog, you have done a good thing!” (No puns intended.) Maybe a better comment is “I hope you take time to stop and smell the flowers!” (pun intended)
Lina,
Welcome! I have many Euphorbias (I think probably 9 or 10 kinds) and a new one I got last year came through beautifully, though I couldn’t believe it would. It is amygdaloides ‘Helena’s Blush.’ Said to be Zone 4.
Margaret
I adore Euphorbias, but only have two, Polychroma and Cyparissias. Polychroma is a perfect plant, beautiful colors, good shape and it survives the winter in Iceland.
Lina
Yippee! We are reunited. Welcome, Andrew. My friends Glenn and Charles from Seattle brought me flats of L.v. seedlings maybe 6 or 7 years ago, so your mother’s are far more exotic than mine, international imports! And do come 6/14, or another time.
Margaret,
I should have know that you would have discovered Lathyrus Vernus. I thought it was one of my undiscovered finds. I remeber first seeing it in Scotland years ago, I sent seeds home to my mother and she has a lovely clump by the terrace steps.
I just happened to stumbled onto your blog while looking at another blog about galanthus. It is of course lovely.
Keep up the good work. I will be sure to check in often.
I still think about working on all of those seed packets at MS, it was a bit different than marketing pensions. :)
Take care, and maybe I will see you on the Garden Conservancy open days.