tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post4463780039217427662..comments2024-03-16T00:59:41.212-04:00Comments on grounded design by Thomas Rainer: Myths about Native PlantsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13805682623764800983noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-46295131018604820062011-03-21T08:55:04.099-04:002011-03-21T08:55:04.099-04:00Hi, master gardener in Florida here and I've n...Hi, master gardener in Florida here and I've noticed a disturbing trend the last year or so toward this almost uncompromising allegiance to native plants AND the non-use of chemicals. Right plant, right place always no matter where the plant originates. Also, in IPM, you start with the lowest impact and if that doesn't work move up. Chemicals have their place to be sure. If people have a real problem and don't want to use any chemical, then they must accept their plants will be compromised. Another pet peeve, the belief that going native means your yard must look like a jungle a la the Hormel commercial with the goat on the roof. Good landscaping principles apply regardless. Funny thing too that people have this image of what a 'natural' environment looks like (jungle) when it often doesn't. It was said at one time you could ride a horse from the mid-Atlantic states to Texas under pines with no shrubs. All this being said, I do like to use natives whereever possible because so many are threatened in their natural habitat. Just don't care for this absolutism that's going on in landscaping here.<br />Definitely going to bookmark this site. Excellent post, thx.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-33724525531673297952011-01-08T17:52:27.629-05:002011-01-08T17:52:27.629-05:00The average person, gardener or not, not only does...The average person, gardener or not, not only does not know endemic/native/exotic, but anything else in terms of biodiversity and the wise manner of designing: not necessarily from common place nurseries, but from what the immediate surroundings, microclimate will<br />allow to flourish without much or any high maintenance. <br /><br />Excellent post.antigonum cajanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08227233232030093487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-9497271820774089322011-01-08T09:24:20.006-05:002011-01-08T09:24:20.006-05:00Thomas, Thanks for another great article. I agre...Thomas, Thanks for another great article. I agree there is a lot of mis-information out there about using native plants. And there are lots of 'Neighbor Susie's who are just trying to grow a colorful garden and don't realize there's more to it than planting it and forgetting it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-19155915074021710242011-01-07T06:41:53.598-05:002011-01-07T06:41:53.598-05:00Hi Thomas, a good point well made.Hi Thomas, a good point well made.mike 'hazeltree' thompsonhttp://www.englishrosegarden.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-417237646357922292011-01-06T14:48:13.830-05:002011-01-06T14:48:13.830-05:00This is such a good post...I'm glad someone fi...This is such a good post...I'm glad someone finally came out and said it! I always roll my eyes when I see people pompously announce they are planting ONLY native plants in THEIR garden, you know, because they care. Then they tell me the plants they are growing and i want to say "Umm...your parking strip in the middle of a city isn't exactly like that plants native environment...you know, stream beds and forest edges." I love natives, but only in appropriate conditions...as you said, Right Plant, Right Place.scottweberpdxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-85058499235309037922011-01-06T11:40:55.836-05:002011-01-06T11:40:55.836-05:00Good points - people should preface "native p...Good points - people should preface "native plant" with "drought-tolerant", "cold-requiring", etc.<br /><br />Here, many use native riparian trees (cottonwood, ash, etc) with native desert upland shrubs (cacti, etc), with the same failed results you stated - and the same public negative reaction. But change the trees to native, upland species (mesquite, juniper, oak, etc), and success!<br /><br />The same thing is useful in expanding to non-native adapted plants - discern analogous climates, then soil types, moisture regimes.Desert Dwellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00952727692048782529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-48835831438627073052011-01-06T11:05:00.151-05:002011-01-06T11:05:00.151-05:00What a pedagogically perfect posting.
I hope you s...What a pedagogically perfect posting.<br />I hope you save such posts for a book that you might publish one day.allanbecker-gardenguruhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00249183285802762125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-73679498412489077952011-01-06T10:50:21.056-05:002011-01-06T10:50:21.056-05:00Oh how I fell for this myth years ago, assuming lo...Oh how I fell for this myth years ago, assuming lobelia would be fine in dry shade - after all it's native. Killed quite a few til the penny dropped - now it's happily situated in a damp meadow. Thanks for this - looking forward to future myths...Cyndyhttp://gardeningasylum.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-4540807934701490962011-01-06T09:09:47.744-05:002011-01-06T09:09:47.744-05:00Great post Thomas, can't agree more right plan...Great post Thomas, can't agree more right plant right place. <br /><br />I always recommend reading about the particular habitat that a plant originated from or observing it in nature. It is the key to success for natives (and ornamentals) in your landscape.Heather Holmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12614164765858960174noreply@blogger.com