I ‘VE GOT SUNSHINE, though it’s cold outside, and hardly like the month of May. The golden-leaved plants that are a backbone of the garden are seeing me through. Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Crippsii’ cascades down onto a little Chinese stone bench that has an emerging carpet of gold in Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ beneath its feet. Investment strategy: Gold is always a good buy. (And it really sparkles if you give the photo a click.)
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 love, love, love nummularia. It brightens up any garden and trails beautifully in a pot. That bench… there must be a story to that bench..
I love gold in my garden as well.It brightens up the garden, not to mention the good investment.
Chey,
Welcome! Glad to know that you agree with my investment philosophy.
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Farmgirl,
Love the rhyme…sort of like the corn is knee-high by the Fourth of July. Yes, good to have the moisture (and also my golden plants).
M.
Farmer Ed says:
A wet cold May makes a barnful of hay.
We can use it to cover stuff next fall!
Oh dear yes! I should have added, Farmer Ed thinks gold is a good investment too.