Re: Marketing Problems For Rain Gardens

**"* H* <h*@erols.com>**

I have to agree with Monica that yes, there are groups and individuals 
objecting to anyone planting nonnatives - in rain gardens or anywhere, for 
htat matter.  Just to throw one national group into the discussion, have you 
seen the National Wildlife FEderation's so-called "Gardener's Guide to 
Global Warming"?  It says the only way to be sure we're not part of the 
problem is to plant natives (and only natives) because any nonnative can 
suddenly turn into an invasive.  Reminds me a little of the Department of 
Homeland Security. Susan at GardenRant
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Monica Milla" <gardenfaerie02@yahoo.com>
To: <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 2:05 PM
Subject: Re: [GWL] Marketing Problems For Rain Gardens


> Jeff,
>
> I'm interested where you attended the workshop. In Ann
> Arbor, there *is* a kind of You Can Only Do Things One
> Way approach by certain groups. Certain groups that I,
> at any given time, have been a member of, attended
> meetings of, and in general am a supporter of.
>
> Nonetheless, sometimes, in order to drive home a
> point, a group (any group) can, with the best of
> intentions, go a titch overboard.
>
> To me, a rain garden is simply something located near
> gutters to filter and collect rain and prevent runoff,
> and in a larger sense, waterwise planting altogether.
> However, some groups now recommend digging way deeper
> than I've found necessary and in some ways imply that
> this is a task one must hire a landscaper to do.
>
> Um, no. I have a garden of both natives and
> non-natives, most gotten as divisions and swaps or
> started from seed. I have two rain barrels (that I
> made myself using free 60 gallon barrels from the
> water treatment plant and $20 of hardware) that catch
> all the water on my roof. They are connected to soaker
> houses that deliver the water in areas rain won't
> reach. If I didn't have the rain barrels, I would have
> created flowerbeds at the spout locations instead
> (which did not work on my property for several
> reasons). I only water when planting and
> transplanting. I never my lawn. I don't use
> fertilizers. I compost.
>
> And yet, I have in fact met people who imply my using
> anything other than natives is politically incorrect
> and that somehow I'm just not "green enough." This is
> sad, because I think this type of attitude turns
> people OFF not on.
>
> Whenever I teach or present, I do mention the
> advantages to natives, and encourage people to try
> them. But I would never turn my nose up at anyone for
> not using "the proper amount."
>
> Monica Milla
> thegardenfaerie.com
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