Information and Links
Join the fray by commenting, tracking what others have to say, or linking to it from your blog.
- Other Posts
- Boggy ground at Pacific Rim
- Bears by the Somass River
Wildflowers in Your Garden
Wild flowers in people’s gardens have become much more popular in recent years.
Most of us, coming from another continent, mostly Europe, are used to seeing European plants in the garden. Early immigrants often brought their own seeds. And people also seek out exotic plants from the four corners of the world. Some how local flowers got a bad rap over time.
But there are several advantages to them. They are disease and insect resistant, adapted to the local climate, attract birds and insects that pollinate and distribute seeds so that more can grow, and they require relatively low maintenance. And they can be very attractive.
Redwood Sorrel in our Garden
But with the popularity of wildflowers now come problems. Whole beds of popular plants can disappear into people’s gardens. Good for the gardener, but bad for the natural environment. People have recognized this and guidelines have developed. There are many nurseries across the country that specialize in native plants. Here are a couple on Vancouver island. Streamside Native Plantsin Bowser, and Nanaimo Area Land Trust Native Plant Nursery near Ladysmith. Other nurseries carry some native plants along with thier usual fare. This is where you should look instead of digging them up from the wild. Alternatives to this are to take cuttings or seeds from the plants. But please just take a few sparing cuttings or seeds. Not a wholesale harvest! Yet another way to acquire native plants and wildflowers is to be aware of land development around your area. Then you can “rescue” plants that are in the path of this development.