LAST NIGHT WHEN I WENT TO DO MY DAILY DOSE of mowing, I noticed that the gas can is almost empty, dear Andre Jordan. How’d you know I was about to come up short (er, long) if I didn’t pay closer attention over here? Thanks for the reminder; just think of your mishap as a “green” take on the Mohican ‘do.
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.)
I hear you! My greatest pet peeve — no fuel gauge!
A lawn with Faux Hawks could be the next gardening / turf trend. Maybe missing spots of mowing could be considered sculptural, in an all green Zen garden. A bit of extra visual stimulation. But alas, I just got in from mowing mine to a velvety texture, before today’s rain. Maybe if it does not rain too much, I can go 7 days before doing it again.
Speaking about rain, I’ve been happy with the rain we’ve been getting here in southern Vermont, just in time to avoid having to drag the hose to the big garden, where the tomatoes are finally taking hold. So far, no sign of any tomato problems–
Thanks for reminding me. Somewhat dread bringing gas cans in the car, filling them up, hoping not to spill any on me, bringing them home, hoping they don’t spill, and filling up, hoping not too overflow…Ah mowing!
Andre’s cartoon is so cute, as always.