Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, best known for his opinion pieces on political tomfoolery, has turned his eye to a different type of scam, this time in the fields of horticulture and landscaping.
Great post, Lolly! I hadn't read Dana Milbank's Opinion piece in the Post. Thanks for spreading it far and wide. Save Earth one yard at a time! Join Wild Ones.
Great post. I added some Zizea aurea plugs last year and am eager to see how they've wintered. It's still pretty cold here in Maine, and too soon to start the minimal garden cleanups.
I'll have to look up the erstwhile *helpful and good* butterfly bush... tho I don't have any up here and don't really plan on it. In fact, I feel a lot better about being a garden slumlord. The folks who lived here before me were all about natural herbal remedies- plants, many of which have taken me a long time to id. And tho my youth-informed landscaping dreams have always hovered in the background- so very tempting and so very, very out of reach, I'm now, apparently, doing (mostly) the right thing by taking my cues from what's already here, splitting and transplanting as time (and my back) allow. Thanks for this interesting blog! (I wonder if you have any more northern insights??)
Eliza, check out the Wild Seed Project https://wildseedproject.net/ up in your neck of the woods. Great organization with lots of written, in-person and online resources on native plants and their care in northern New England. Also yes, for those with the patience (and vigilance to fight invasives), waiting to see what natives grow naturally is a great strategy.
Deb Perkins' website firstlighthabitats.com is another great resource up this way - especially her phenology notes and tips on invasive control. She's in Poland Spring, Maine.
Eliza— You are right, butterfly bush is a very bad actor. Not only is it non-native, it is also invasive… Meaning it takes over nearby areas including, obviously, natural areas. It is especially bad because it attracts native pollinators, yet they get little nutrition from it and cannot lay their eggs on it, and thereby reproduce.
Try using the iNaturalist app to identify the plants that you have on your property so you know which ones should be split and transplanted and which ones are non-native and invasive and should not be split and transplanted. Thank you so much for being interested in doing the right thing and doing your research.
As ever, thank you!
Wow! A bonus Saturday post! Love it. Thanks, Lolly❤️
Great post, Lolly! I hadn't read Dana Milbank's Opinion piece in the Post. Thanks for spreading it far and wide. Save Earth one yard at a time! Join Wild Ones.
Great post. I added some Zizea aurea plugs last year and am eager to see how they've wintered. It's still pretty cold here in Maine, and too soon to start the minimal garden cleanups.
Your zizia will bloom in a few weeks, Dudley. Hang tight!
This is your best post ever, Lolly! Nature thanks you.
I'll have to look up the erstwhile *helpful and good* butterfly bush... tho I don't have any up here and don't really plan on it. In fact, I feel a lot better about being a garden slumlord. The folks who lived here before me were all about natural herbal remedies- plants, many of which have taken me a long time to id. And tho my youth-informed landscaping dreams have always hovered in the background- so very tempting and so very, very out of reach, I'm now, apparently, doing (mostly) the right thing by taking my cues from what's already here, splitting and transplanting as time (and my back) allow. Thanks for this interesting blog! (I wonder if you have any more northern insights??)
Eliza, check out the Wild Seed Project https://wildseedproject.net/ up in your neck of the woods. Great organization with lots of written, in-person and online resources on native plants and their care in northern New England. Also yes, for those with the patience (and vigilance to fight invasives), waiting to see what natives grow naturally is a great strategy.
Deb Perkins' website firstlighthabitats.com is another great resource up this way - especially her phenology notes and tips on invasive control. She's in Poland Spring, Maine.
Thank you for this!
Eliza— You are right, butterfly bush is a very bad actor. Not only is it non-native, it is also invasive… Meaning it takes over nearby areas including, obviously, natural areas. It is especially bad because it attracts native pollinators, yet they get little nutrition from it and cannot lay their eggs on it, and thereby reproduce.
Try using the iNaturalist app to identify the plants that you have on your property so you know which ones should be split and transplanted and which ones are non-native and invasive and should not be split and transplanted. Thank you so much for being interested in doing the right thing and doing your research.
Thank you Kathy. Currently fighting back the Japanese barberry and Norwegian maple. Slow but steady headway.