Mother Nature Knows Best

Mother Nature Knows Best

Natural gardening is winning converts to the cause of ecology

Before there was Scott's Turf Builder, bioengineered tomatoes, and sprinklers that operate on timers. Mother Nature was already a pretty impressive ecologist when it came to designing self-sufficient habitats. Many gardeners are now honoring that wisdom by trying to imitate closely what nature does when left to its own devices. The movement, known as natural gardening, champions the use of biologically diverse indigenous plants, the restoration of wildlife habitats, and the reduction or elimination of chemical pesticides and herbicides. It also promotes designing landscapes to conserve water and developing naturally healthy and fertile soils by using compost and other organic soil supplements.

The native plant trend owes much to the severe droughts experienced in California and other parts of the country over the past decades. In the face of such dryness, gardeners saw their cultivated garden plants wither under the heat, yet at the same time noticed many wild plants growing beautifully in undeveloped areas. Their conclusion: native plants are often best suited for stressful environmental conditions. Hardy native plants, they also learned, rarely need any chemical fertilizers or sprays to stay healthy.

We cannot in fairness rail against those who destroy the rain forest or spotted owl when we have made our own yards uninhabitable (Sara Stein, author of Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards). Picture by Elena.

Another tenet of natural gardening is xeriscaping, which literally means dryscaping. The term refers to landcaping techniques aimed at conserving water in parched regions. Although originally developed in the West, xeriscaping methods are now used in all parts of the country to conserve water. Technicians include grouping plants according to water needs, using native plants, limiting lawn areas, and using mulches. When watering, xeriscapers recommend using drip irrigation or soaker hoses. The most commited even collect rainwater, and in very drought-stricken areas gray water collected from household laundries, showers and sinks. (Don't bother with gray water unless you use biodegradable soaps).

Many specialty nurseries now sell native plants for specific natural habitats such as Midwest prairies, Southwest deserts,and wetlands. Conservation groups like the National Wildlife Federation are also active in explaining the importance of planting vegetation that will attract and sustain butterflies, bats, birds, and other animals pused out by housing and business development.

To get away from chemical pesticides, gardeners are also practicing integrated pest management. By using natural botanical pesticides, sticky traps, and other IPM techniques, the amount of chemicals necessary for a pest-free environment can be cut dramatically. Composting can serve much the same rôle in helping gardeners reduce the use of chemical fertilizers.

To be sure, Americans still spend close to $10 billion every year to keep their lawns looking emerald green and weed-free, and more chemicals are dumped on gardens and lawns each year than on all the farms of America. But with just small compost piles and meager water rations, wonderful plants may easily grow – if you are naturally inclined.