Spring Beauty

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Sure, we could talk about the article in the Washington Post on the Endangered Species Act, or about President Trump's misguided climate change policy.....and we will eventually.  But today, let's enjoy nature's spring beauty.

Spring has sprung!

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It’s springtime at my favorite state park – Sky Meadows State Park!  What’s your favorite local park?  Please share!  Here are some photos from Sky Meadows!

Historic Mt. Bleak House

Take a hike!

Or take a ride!

The bees are ready to get back to work…

and they may be looking for early spring blooming plants.  Spring beauties,

redbuds,

and trout lilies.

Even the zebra swallowtails are ready for spring!

Goin’ Native!

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It’s almost spring, which means I’m looking for some interesting trees and plants for my garden, to add a little zest to the landscape and to fill in holes from any plants that didn’t make it through the winter.  I’ve had a longstanding hole in my backyard  along the fenceline that I plan to fill in this spring.  I’m going to plant two redbuds (Cercis canadensis, photo credit:  Arbor Day Foundation, www.arborday.org) and look forward to their beautiful spring blooms.   Why did I choose the eastern redbud?  The most important reason is that it’s a species that’s native to the mid-Atlantic region where I live. 

Ecologists separate plant and animal species into non-native and native species.  Here’s how this classification works:

• As a general rule of thumb for the Chesapeake region, non-native species are species introduced to the ecosystem after the arrival of Europeans in this area (1700s), and native species are species that were here before that time. 
• Non-native species have been introduced to ecosystems in many different ways – as plants for people’s gardens (roses), as crops (tomatoes), as possible fur producing animals (nutria), as ornamental animals for the lawns and ponds of wealthy landowners (mute swan), as misguided attempts at erosion control (kudzu), as packing material to protect fragile items (Japanese stiltgrass). 
• Some non-natives don’t cause any problems (roses or tomatoes); they stay where they’re planted and serve the intended purpose. 
• But some non-native species “go rogue”.  When they leave the habitat in which they evolved, and enter a new habitat, they’re able to outcompete other species.   This unbalanced competition causes disruptions in species interactions that have evolved over thousands of years. 
• A great example of an invasive non-native species in the Chesapeake Bay  is the snakehead fish – this top predator can really clean out a lake, leaving almost nothing in its wake.  AND it has no natural predators – talk about a one-two punch for native ecosystems!

That’s why we want to try to plant as many native plants in our gardens as possible.  They’ve evolved to be able to handle the climate in the native area – think less water needed, fewer pesticides (they’ve evolved natural defenses), less fertilizer (they’re used to the native soils).  They have also evolved to work with other native species.  Many plants and insects come out of winter sleep at about the same time – the plants are ready to be pollinated, just as those pollinators wake up!  What a great system!

So I’ll be planting my two beautiful redbuds this weekend and enjoying them for many years to come!  If you’d like to see some native species from your area, check out eNature’s listing of local species by zip code.  What are you planting in your garden?

Non-native invasives crashing the garden party

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It’s finally warm, which means I spent the morning in my garden, planting (which I love), weeding (which I don’t love), and listening to country music on the MP3 (which makes the weeding more bearable).  I love planting all the different vegetables – tomatoes, of course, but also zucchini, okra (fried, oh yeah!), snow peas (they went in earlier), radishes, lettuce (hoping it doesn’t bolt too soon), eggplant (always a challenge), sweet potatoes, and beloved basil!  After the vegetables are planted, my eye wanders to the rest of the garden.  The blueberries, raspberries, and figs will be on our table soon, if the birds don’t get them first.  And I’m always looking for some nice perennials that will bring in the butterflies and feed my honeybees.  I just planted some bee balm, right next to the joe pye weed that’s a favorite of the butterflies.  Planting wild indigo (for the wild indigo duskywing butterfly) was a stroke of genius – it fills my garden with beautiful blue blossoms in the late spring and early summer.  Don’t forget the milkweed, which is necessary for the monarchs (as in the picture to the left).

Unfortunately, there are also unwanted invaders in my garden.  Usually, plants (and animals) that we want in our gardens, or forests, or any other natural area, are native to the area.  They’re species that have evolved in the region; they are well-adapted for life in a particular climate with particular neighbors.  But there are other species, the non-natives, that were somehow brought to an area and allowed to establish themselves.  Sometimes, non-native species are not a problem for the ecosystem.  They stay where they’re planted and don’t outcompete native species for resources.  Examples of common non-native plants are roses, tulips, or Japanese cherry blossoms.

But then there are the non-natives that aren’t so innocuous – they’re referred to as “invasive non-natives”, because they can outcompete native species and have a tendency to turn a landscape that once had much biodiversity into a landscape with just one main species.  Not exactly a healthy outcome for an ecosystem.  Common invasive non-native plants include English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, periwinkle, garlic mustard, porcelain berry, and kudzu (the photo at the right is kudzu taking over an area, from http://www.fws.gov/invasives/volunteersTrainingModule/nwrsystem/kudzuorigin.html).  As we’re planting our gardens in the spring, the goal should be to minimize introduction of these harmful plants into the ecosystem.  It’s not as easy as it sounds, because many plant nurseries sell these plants!  Be sure to go to the nursery armed with a list of invasive non-natives to avoid for your geographical area.  We also want to try to remove the invasives from our gardens and yards as much as possible – again, not the easiest thing, because you don’t want to cause erosion (by leaving big empty spaces) or remove large swaths of bird habitat.  Take your time, be methodical.

But really, why should we give a flying flit about invasive non-native removal if we just want to plant one or two?  Because invasive non-natives affect ecosystem health, economic health, and human health.  For more information on invasive non-natives in your area, check out http://www.fws.gov/invasives/.   And Happy Planting (natives only please)!

Happy Mothers’ Day!

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To help you celebrate this special day, here are a few of my favorite pictures of Mother Nature!   

Happy Valentines Day!

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It’s almost time for Valentines Day, and for many of us, that means flowers and chocolate.  I love having flowers brighten my mid-winter house, but I’ve been wondering whether there’s an eco-friendly flower option for my husband as he shops (not so subtle hint, hint).   I came across an excellent article on the topic in a 2009 issue of  Scientific American.  To summarize, don’t assume that all imported flowers are less “green” than other flowers; sometimes the lighting and heating required in the greenhouses in more northern climates easily outweighs the shipping necessary from more tropical flower fields.  A few other tips from the writers of the article (and me):

• check out organically grown flowers
• look into other sustainable growers, such as Florverde
• try locally grown flowers; here in northern VA, I often buy locally grown tulips from Whole Foods.
• roses are very difficult to ship; think about selecting heartier breeds that are easier (less energy demanding) to ship, like bird of paradise, ginger, or lilies
• try field-grown flowers in season, like dahlia, sunflower, or larkspur
• try something totally different and give a plant that can be replanted in the garden.  If you’re in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, try native plants that look great in winter.

If you’re really interested in the topic of flowers, a good read that’s on my future reading list is Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers by Amy Stewart. 
Just a few ideas to make Valentines Day green – all of the romance, none of the guilt!