THE CLOCK IS TICKING. There went Christmas and here comes you-know-what. I made some early resolutions this fall (which I then updated with more detail about my, ahem, mowing style) but doodler Andre Jordan’s promises seem more resolute, and more contrite. Yes, Mother Nature, I promise to be better, too, just like my old friend Andre.
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.)
If Mother nature would stop sending us such wammys maybe we could figure this whole thing out. But what fun would that be.
I admit my garden of 2012 was ‘a challenge’ – and we’ll do so much better in 2013. that’s one of the best thing about gardening – we have a chance to learn from our mistakes, and do it over the right way! It seems every season there’s a whole new bunch of screw ups, and I continue to learn from my mistakes. Have a happy New Year.