WHEN I SPOKE to naturalist and nature writer Nancy Lawson recently about her adventures in wildscaping at her Maryland garden, there was one topic in particular I wanted to double back to and dig in deeper to: her tactics for fighting unwanted weeds and invasives as we loosen up parts of our landscapes with more native plants.
I wanted to learn more about how to give the desired plants the edge, including some of the native perennials that have proven to be Nancy’s allies in out-competing the undesirables.
Nancy Lawson is author of “The Humane Gardener” and more recently of “Wildscape.” In that book, she stresses that we’re not alone out there, and promotes animal-friendly planting and maintenance strategies. She helps us tune into everyone whose home it is through a mix of findings from scientific research and her own intimate moments of discovery spent making her own wildscape.
Read along as you listen to the June 12, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).
weed-fighting natives, with nancy lawson
Margaret Roach: Thanks for coming back to talk to me again, Nancy. Much appreciated.
Nancy Lawson: Thanks for having me. It’s great, and this is one of my favorite topics too.
Margaret: You like weeds, huh?
Nancy: I like native weeds.
Margaret: O.K. Yeah, because I’ve just gotten past having a garden open day. And so it’s sort of the spring drill of getting the garden, whether you’re literally having visitors or not, but getting the garden open—mulched, and cleaned up and whatever, whatever. And now it’s time, and I bet a lot of people are in the same boat. It’s like it’s
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And their horticultural experiments seem to prove that’s true.Its director, Ethan Kauffman, and I spoke about how he and his team are reinterpreting the grand old landscape with a natives-only ethos that was handed down to them by the nonprofit called Natural Lands that conserved the p
My name is Helen Stephenson, and I have been gardening in the Halton Region of Ontario for over 20 years. For the past 10 years I have tried to plant mostly native species. I am on the northern edge of the Carolinian eco-region, which is an area that makes up just 1% of Canada’s total land area but contains more flora and fauna species than any other ecosystem in Canada. I believe it is my duty to preserve this little bit of heaven on earth!
Invasive English ivy causes a lot of problems in North America. It spreads rapidly, harms trees, and outcompetes native plants. If you have ivy in your garden, consider removing it. Using native vines or groundcover to replace ivy, you can transform your garden and make it friendlier to the ecosystem in your area.
Today’s guest, Erik Keller, has practiced horticultural therapy for more than 20 years, using plants and nature to help clients from cancer patients to special needs children and disabled seniors, to help them cope and to make positive life changes. He’s also author of“A Therapist’s Garden: Using Plants to Revitalize Your Spirit” (affiliate link).Erik’s a master gardener and manages the gardens and horticultural therapy program at Ann’s Place in Danbury, Connecticut, an organization assisting cancer patients and their families.We don’t need to be in a formal horticultural therapy program, though. Erik wants to remind each of us of the power of what we
The ground is undisturbed. Maybe it’s in a forest, in a city park, or in your front yard. The moment is quiet. But the air is charged. It’s fueled by the energy of an impending change and the promise of a new legacy. Then, the silence is cracked open by the slice of a shovel breaking through the seal of the earth. The soil gives way, making room for the gentle roots of a young tree.
A new book I’ve been reading called “These Trees Tell A Story: The Art of Reading Landscapes” (affiliate link) takes the reader along on explorations through a diversity of places looking for hints on how to know the land as its author, Noah Charney, suggests.Noah is an assistant professor of conservation biology at the University of Maine and co-author with Charley Eiseman of the award-winning field guide “Tracks
You may know Nancy Lawson as “The Humane Gardener” (also the title of her previous book). She has a new book out called “Wildscape” (affiliate links) that asks us to adjust our senses to take into account everyone out there whose world it is—everyone else whose world it is, and was, before we intervened.Nancy Lawson is a naturalist and a habitat consultant based in Maryland who promotes animal-friendly plant strategies and challenges us to sharpen our awareness that we’re not alone out there. (Above, a spring mome
Freezing rhubarb is a great way to preserve this tangy and versatile vegetable for future use. It’s a simple process that can help you enjoy the flavor even when it’s out of season.
Add a splash of colors to your home and garden with the awesome flowers of Hydrangea! Here are some Pictures of Container Gardening with Hydrangeas that’ll surely tempt you into growing this beautiful plant!
A room full of greenery always reverberates a calm environment where anybody would love to spend time. Here are some great Living Room with Garden Ideas that’ll help you add plants to your home with style.