Another one in the can! This week the podcast focuses on native plants; I’ve got an interesting research item about using mixtures of native grasses for lawns. You’ll also hear why sometimes native plants might not be the best choice, whether the goal is attracting fruit-eating birds or creating a sustainable urban landscape. And you will … Continue reading Podcast #4 – Going Native
We’ve had lots of lively discussion on my post regarding the Mark Davis et al. comment in Nature on natives and exotics. I have been traveling and otherwise occupied and have not had a chance to comment so I feel a little like the kid that kicked the anthill and then ran away. Fortunately, Holly was gracious … Continue reading Does native matter?
In yesterday’s post I linked to a letter in Nature by Mark Davis and a number of other ecologists on the role and native and alien plants. Unfortunately the journal requires a subscription. Copyright laws prevent me from re-printing the entire article, however, below is an excerpt from the conclusion, which I think captures … Continue reading Excerpt from Davis et al. letter to Nature on natives vs aliens
Charlie Rohwer, a frequent guest contributor to the Garden Professors, brought to my attention a recent letter in Nature by Mark Davis and 18 other ecologist entitled, “Don’t judge species on their origins.” Davis is a leading authority on invasive species and author the book Invasion Biology. In their article, Davis and his co-authors make … Continue reading Ecologists weigh in on native-exotic debate
We’ve posted before about the native vs. nonnative conundrum, especially as it relates to invasive species. So let’s complicate the issue a bit more by considering how birds are affected by our landscape choices. About 10 years ago my UW colleague Sarah Reichard and I collaborated on a literature review on the interaction between birds and … Continue reading Want more bird visitors? Nonnative plants may be the answer
As many of the blog readers are aware, I do a lot of writing about conifers. In the process I mingle with members of the American Conifer Society or ‘ACS’ for short -although some wag has suggested that ACS actually stands for Addicted Conifer Syndrome, such is the devotion of these enthusiasts for their beloved … Continue reading A lawn alternative we can support: Conifers!
One of the questions that arise in discussing native plants is the question of whether ornamental cultivars (e.g., ‘October golory’ red maple) can or should be considered ‘native’. In short, my answer is ‘No.’ Here’s my rationale on this. First, when we think about natives we need to put political boundaries out of minds and … Continue reading Can cultivars be considered native plants?
Recently I have been fascinated by the native wildflower field I planted last fall. Although I seeded it with the same mixture of seeds (mixed with sand to spread them evenly), you can see that we have clumps of different flowers throughout the area. Figure 1. Descanso Gardens, California The area where the wildflowers were … Continue reading Visiting Professor guest post: Native wildflowers
I was asked earlier today to comment on the Garden Rant blog regarding the issue of nonnative plants and insect survival, specifically in reference to Dr. Tallamy’s research. Though I haven’t read his popular book (Bringing Nature Home), I did read one of his most recent papers (DW Tallamy and KJ Shropshire, 2009. Ranking lepidopteran use … Continue reading Native vs. introduced species – the discussion continues
Just had to get your attention there. We’ve had a great discussion over native and nonnative plants over the last few weeks. I’m going to completely switch gears and move on to another topic – biodynamics. If you’re not familiar with this term, let me refer you to my online column here. Biodynamics is a set … Continue reading Invasives! Natives! No, wait, biodynamics