New Naturalism, by Kelly D. Norris Some books are just a joy to read- this is one such book. Norris has an engaging writing style, the book is replete with stunning photographs of naturalized gardens and there are a plethora witty and engaging engaging quotes. The book encourages gardeners to re-think their approach to gardens
Climate change is the challenge of the century. You hear about it, read about it, worry about it. Rising global temperatures are caused by our overuse of fossil fuels in combination with widespread destruction of forests, grasslands, peat bogs and other flora. The average temperature of Earth is rising because our polluted atmosphere traps heat
Doug Tallamy’s latest book takes the reader on a month by month tour of life in his oak trees. Over 20 years he and his wife Cindy have transformed their 10 acres from hay fields into a rich varied habitat bursting with life and oak trees. The book is eminently readable and illustrated with many
While listening to a Blue Jays baseball game recently, I was struck by an ad from the Canadian Wildlife Federation that encouraged people to “grow, don’t mow” their lawns. The goal is to encourage pollinators, which like many insects, are in serious decline. The idea of “grow, don’t mow” is not new many groups have
In his new book Nature’s BestHope Doug Tallamy, professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, challenges urban and suburban home owners to create wildlife habitat in their yards. He discusses why we can no longer rely on the few remaining wild spaces, including nature preserves and national parks,
Bringing Nature Home written by Doug Tallamy, Timber Press Inc This book was first published in 2007 and has become more relevant every year, going into its 13th printing in 2019. The subtitle”How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants” sums it up. Tallamy clearly explains the relationship between plants and animals (includes insects) and
“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If all insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos” E.O. Wilson, Biologist, Naturalist, Writer What is a native plant or animal?Native species can be defined as plants and animals
As gardeners we tend to think of gardens as spaces that exist for our own purposes. Gardens are places where we can relax or where we can grow food for our families. We grow plants for our enjoyment and needs. While there is nothing wrong with that, it might be interesting to view our gardens
Insects need food sources and shelter with different types of foliage, at different times of year, at different heights, etc. When you mix diverse plants together, you bring layers of color, shapes, sizes, varieties, and textures – which means a greater diversity of garden predators too. A greater diversity of predators in your garden, means