Looking back and looking forward!
What a gardening year it has been. New and veteran gardeners flocked to nurseries and websites for seeds and plants in spring and summer. Some seed companies reported business 20 times higher than normal. So many talented writers remarked on the import of gardening as a respite, a cherished source of hope, or a chance to get outdoors.
Dr. Doug Tallamy, frequently quoted in this blog, released Nature's Best Hope. He advocates we all turn our gardens, no matter the size, into ecological havens by adding native plants. His research shows we could amass enough land to easily eclipse the size of all of our national parks and off set losses of our wild lands. If you missed it, here is a very short intro,
Indeed, native plants are having a moment. By subscribing to this blog, you contribute to improving the Chesapeake landscape. If you share it with others you are leading the way. Thank you so much!
One more "plug" for native plants. I know, I just can't resist! Direct Native plants has an end of season sale going on -- perennials by mail for $5 and, yes, you can still plant.
Nuts for Natives will be back in 2021 with lots of new gardens, ideas and even a few new native plant nurseries. Until then, this quote from naturalist John Burroughs seems to fit this gardening point in time.
“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating;
to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night;
to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring —
these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
