Re: Native Plant Rescue

**l*@juno.com**

Get whom to consider it? I have sat through hundreds of hours of
developer applications. The developers want the cheapest thing they can
get away with and in most cases, only have to guarantee that plants live
one year. Many engineers (on planning and zoning boards) object to
pervious surfaces because they present problems for snowplowing (oh my,
one might actually have to lift the blade!). Other objections are that
they allow the very materials (petroleum, salt) that you're trying to
protect against to percolate down through the gravel, grates (or
whatever). 

The education curve is so steep that, if I stopped to look at it, I would
throw up my hands in despair. What I wouldn't give to have an applicant
come in with a LEED proposal, a green roof, an energy-efficient anything,
plants that would last more than a week, etc. It is tough out here in the
trenches of government service. 

I'm sure there are areas of the country with more foresight, but New
Jersey is not one of them. I guess I have job security (volunteer) for
life.

I keep hoping that the gardening and lifestyle mags will catch on to what
a huge topic this is and what homeowners can insist that their towns do
to retain/improve the quality of life in this regard. Gardeners (and
garden writers) can have a huge influence in how they want to see things
landscaped, where they want the emphasis to be, etc. 

I am excited that this thread has continued so long and that so many of
us are interested in issues of sustainability, preservation, restoration,
and green building. See my blog entry
http://loisdevries.blogspot.com/search/label/Lawn%2FGrass for more on the
impermeability of turf grass.

Regards,
Lois J. de Vries
Visit http://loisdevries.blogspot.com

On Mon, 7 Jan 2008 18:38:29 -0500 jo ellen meyers sharp
<hoosiergardener@sbcglobal.net> writes:
> Maybe we could get them to consider pervious/porous hard surfaces???
> 
> jems
> 
> 
> >Susan has a good point on sustainable vs natives-only.
> >
> >I often wonder, if the choice is concrete/blacktop or a non-native  
> garden,
> >what they'd choose? Sure there are plenty of great hardy native  
> plants, but
> >lets face it - in many situations, such as along a busy strip-mall 
> 
> >parking lot,
> >they are just not going to thrive and survive the abuse and  
> neglect. I'd
> >rather see anything green than more gravel or rubber  mulch.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >Kathy Jentz
> >Editor/Publisher
> >Washington  Gardener Magazine
> >826 Philadelphia Ave.
> >Silver Spring MD  20910
> >301-588-6894
> >editor@washingtongardener.com
> >_www.WashingtonGardener.com_ (http://www.washingtongardener.com/)
> >
> >Our  mission: to help your Washington, DC, area garden grow 
> better!
> >Subscribe  today for $20 a year by sending a check to the address 
> above.
> >The magazine  makes a great gift for gardening friends! 
> >
> >
> >In a message dated 1/6/2008 9:43:12 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
> >harristakoma@erols.com writes:
> >
> >I also 
> >question the notion that that I'm doing *harm* by growing, say, 
> >super-sustainable and loved-by-wildlife sedums in my  garden.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >**************Start the year off right.  Easy ways to stay in 
> shape.    
> >http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
> >_______________________________________________
> >gardenwriters mailing list
> >gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> >http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> >
> >GWL has searchable archives at:
> >http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> >
> >Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> >at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> >
> >Post gardening questions/threads to
> rs on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;
> >
> >For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> >http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________________
> Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
> Garden writer, speaker, author, photographer
> Region III Director Garden Writers Association
> Phone: (317) 251.3261
> Fax: (317) 251.8545
> E-mail: hoosiergardener@sbcglobal.net
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
> 
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
> 
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
> 
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> &quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; 
> &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;
> 
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
> 
> 

_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters