Winter News
With the crazy weather we are having it's truly hard to know what season we’re in, but I’m still holding onto the notion that it is winter (despite it being 56 degrees out as I write this).
In December, I had the pleasure of seeing Doug Tallamy live in Salem talking about his new book, The Nature of Oaks. We hear (and see and feel) the effects of not having cared for this earth the way we should have, pretty much daily. After 41 years in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, Doug Tallamy is asking gardeners to help correct environmental problems by doing 4 things with our gardens: sequester carbon, manage watersheds, increase biodiversity and support local food webs. Reading Bringing Nature Home, is what made me think I could have a profession designing and installing butterfly gardens. What I like most about his presentations, is how he is giving us (gardeners/property owners/individuals) very doable action steps to take, that really make an ecological difference. I see this in all of your gardens, and my own. If I plant milkweed, we get Monarchs who lay eggs and hatch caterpillars. That’s why we plant host plants.
There are many of his presentations on YouTube. These are the two I like best, but really all of them are so easy to listen to.
One of my goals for 2023 is to make sure all of my gardens have keystone species (watch the first 20 min of the YouTube video on that and you will know why I feel so strongly about it).
On the horizon - a few things to note for 2023:
· I am actively seeking new clients. For anyone who refers a new client to me, I will show my appreciation by gifting your property native strawberry plants (Fragaria virginiana) from my father’s pasture in Upstate NY. The idea of gifting was something I was intrigued by in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book, Braiding Sweetgrass. A must read if you haven’t already.
· Spring schedule. In a “normal year” I start onsite work when daytime temps have reached 50 degrees for 5 consecutive days (giving overwintering insects time to come out of winter mode). This is around the beginning of May, but this is not a normal year, so it could be sooner than that, and invasive control is anytime/all the time. May/June are busy since all of my clients need attention at the same time. If you know you will be wanting work done you can email me anytime to get something on the calendar and/or to discuss goals for 2023.
In the meantime, I am in my studio working hard on 3 fine bindings to be delivered to my dealer so they can find a home, and reading, and listening to YouTube, and am here if you have any questions at all about your gardens. If I don’t know the answer I’m happy to connect you with someone that might.
Kindly,
Deb