HOW MANY -PEDES DOES IT HAVE, I ASK? CENTI- OR MILLI- OR ??? All I know is that they creep me out, too, my dear friend Andre Jordan–or at least startle me when they come pedaling prehistorically in my direction out of nowhere. “Back!” I say, “back!” But on they pedal, chomping as they go, like this:
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 I imagine it to be a metallic robot millipede, with a body of pewter and copper legs, then it’s not quite so creepy. But still, ewww….
Welcome, Carlee. I know, prehistoric — or science fiction, right? :) See you soon again, I hope.
They creep me out as well and yet, how strikingly beautiful -coordinated developmental gene expression resulting in such amazing symmetry of form and function.
they are quite beautiful really, aren’t they?
Margaret and Andre, that doodle made my seven-year old laugh. We’ve done that same thing many, many times.
Along these lines…are either of you playing the game Plants vs Zombies? HYSTERICAL. I think all gardeners would get a kick out of it.
I am kind hearted too, and save many a spider that wanders into our home, by putting them outside. You are kind to let the centi or mili pede live.
Do the -pedes serve any purpose, other than the eeew factor? A dehumidifier in the basement seems to help keep them away.
A much belated thank you, Margaret, for opening your garden on Copake Falls day and showing your frogs to my little boy.
p.s. Our mystery Copake pear trees have tons of fruit, feeding the deer and the occasional neighbor who apparently knows how to ripen and cook them.