Episode 16

In Rebellion Against the Neat and Tidy

Published on: 29th February, 2024

In Rebellion Against the Neat and Tidy

Episode Introduction

In today's episode, In Rebellion Against the Neat and Tidy, we go over why seemingly perfect gardens are not sustainable and address common garden myths that may prevent you and others from growing native gardenscapes.

Host Stephanie Barelman

Stephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.

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Episode Content

Over-curated, over-groomed, over-mulched gardens are not sustainable

We need to transition from over-consumption to being sustainable producers for our local ecosystems.
Let’s make less chemical and plastic waste and save ourselves time and moolah!
Mulching is unnatural and so tedious!!! Why do it every year? That’s the definition of insanity! Mulch once- you heard me- just once, and let nature do its thing by injecting in ground covers, sedges, and native grasses to inhibit weeds and create a full landscape.
Don’t deadhead, just don’t do it.

For a low maitenence garden, know your plants.

Don’t overtend them.
Wait to cut back perennials until spring.
And please for the love of all things Mother Earth, let wild plants go a little wild.

“The Green Thumb” isn’t real! And neither is half the other crap we believe.

You do not need to be Michael Jordan to play basketball, you don’t have to be some sort of crazy garden-savant to garden. It’s (actual) fake news!!!

No, native gardens DON’T require a lot of time and money.

Imagine how much time Karen next door expends mowing, mulching, weeding, trimming hedges, fertilizing, watering, and spraying chemicals on a monthly basis. You see where I’m going with this?
Also, boxwoods and hydrangeas aren’t cheap.
Start small and work from there. Repeat after me: START SMALL. You can always go full-metal-maximalist in a few year’s time.

No, native gardens DON’T increase allergy symptoms

But that monoculture of allergy-causing turf grass? Public enemy #1

No, bees and wasps will NOT sting everyone .

They may sting your daughter if she tries to pet their fuzzy little bodies. But mostly they are out to… you guessed it… find other insect prey, nectar, pollen, sleeping places, mating places, among other things that bees and wasps do.

No, a native garden will NOT increase other unpleasant wildlife such as mice, mosquitos, voles, skunks, moles, spiders, snakes, and just way too many bugs.

Because life on earth is going to be around even if you just have turf grass and dirty old kids toys for yard decorations.
Let’s encourage that life on earth has a right to exist, even if it isn’t human, canine, or feline.

And no, there is NO “right” way to landscape

Gardening is like art. There are many different ways to do it right. You do not NEED foundation plants, you do not NEED containers filled with exotic annuals, you do not NEED turf grass, you do not NEED your landscape to be 100 percent weed-free (which is also another myth) you do not NEED to mulch every year, you do not NEED to do something because your neighbor, or your mother-in-law, or even another gardener says you NEED to do it or not do it. You’re welcome.

Share the love!

Let’s plant native, spread the love, and meet people where they are- in their sterile, super green turf grass- and show them a different way of doing things. Who knows, they just might listen.

Additional content related to this episode:

What makes a plant native?

http://bonap.net/fieldmaps Biota of North America North American Plant Atlas database-select Nebraska

https://bellevuenativeplants.org Bellevue Native Plant Society

native (wild type) vs. nativar/native cultivar (native plant cultivated by humans for desirable characteristics)

On the Web

BONAP aforementioned

BNPS aforementioned

http://www.facebook.com/groups/bellevuenativeplantsociety- BNPS on Facebook

Books & Authors

Rick Darke- The Living Landscape

Douglas Tallamy- Professor and Chair of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Entomology at the University of Delaware, author of The Living Landscape, Nature's Best Hope, naturalist, and curator of "Homegrown National Park".

Enrique Salmon- Iwigara

Daniel Moerman -Native American Ethnobotany

Heather Holm- https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com

Native Plants of the Midwest

Planting in a Post-Wild World

Jon Farrar's Field Guide to Wildflowers of Nebraska

Additional Resources