THE TALK WAS OF LIVING MULCH, meaning groundcovers, on this week’s Robin Hood Radio podcast, because it’s the perfect time to divide your best ones up (or buy some!) and get some needy areas of the garden covered in weed-thwarting beauty. Speaking of which, I’m going outside to do that right now, but not before giving you the link to the latest episode (or any of the archives, if you’ve missed a week).
I WATCHED A ZOOM lecture the other day that really put into words a lot of the ways my own deepening understanding of ecology is shaking up the way I practice horticulture—from spring cleanup, right on to the last chore of the active year. The lecturer was Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, where she leads the team that manages 85 acres of diverse parkland with a central focus on habitat creation of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows to build soils and support birds, butterflies, and other organisms.
We talked about the dynamic tactics they use and when and why–a whole different approach to spring cleanup, where the life cycles of animals (from insects on up) dictate what happens when, garden maintenance-wise. Like why some things don’t get cut back, and others that are still seed-laden when they do have their seeds collected and set aside, then returned to the spot after whatever cleanup is needed there.
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
Very nice. It’s the first of your podcasts that I’ve listened to. Lovely to hear your voice. I’m going to get out and move/divide ground covers tomorrow, now that we finally got a bit of rain. Great advice – I’ve lived with mulch patches in my shrub border for too long. Geranium mac will be great there, and I have tons of it in my shade garden, where it thrives under spruces.
Is this still accessible anywhere?
Try this newer one instead, Jessica.