Re: Peter's comment

**"Peter Loewer" t*@earthlink.net**

Donna: This list calls attention to an argument that's been raging in the
garden world for over a decade: About folks who have been called "Plant
Nazis." They believe that the only plants worth growing are native plants
and so-called exotics, those often beautiful species from Europe, Asia, and
the Near and Far East should never be allowed into the country, much less in
our gardens.
    It's a noble and philosophical viewpoint, but like many such reads
better than it serves. First, it forgets that many of our native plants,
when moved from their home base to areas of different climate zones, can be
invasive beyond belief. Poison ivy is a native and never a great scourge
until people began cutting woodlands and feeding birds. Now it's in every
suburban place in the land.
    If this argument is carried to the ultimate, it means digging up all
your peonies, tossing out some of the most beautiful roses, saying farewell
to many lilies, waving goodbye to the scourge of the hosta, tearfully
sending back all the daylilies, so long to those Chinese wildflowers--and we
haven't even mentioned some of the most beautiful rock garden plants--and
all those big and showy orchids.
    The protectionists always mention kudzu. But they never seem to remember
that it was specifically the railroad barons who needed a cheap erosion
control as they dug their way throughout the Southeast slashing hillsides
and making incredible tunnels. One should also remember the corn lobby and
their intense efforts to discredit the vine has led to the result that most
people have no idea just how valuable a resource it is.
    As to the invasive plants, most of the problems in this country are the
result of nurseries bringing them in. For example, spiraea, honeysuckle, the
multiflora rose (Horticulture magazine ran ads for this invasive all through
the 1970s), the wineberry, Arundo donax, Himalayan Steppe grass (brought in
for packing material in Tennessee), and on and on and on. And before you
discredit poison ivy, John Bartram sold it by the pot in the first American
nursery as everybody wanted it in their backyard, climbing up an apple tree,
not only to feed wildlife but for the great autumn color.
    How about the curse of the lawn, with folks cutting down valuable shade
trees in order to grow lawns in areas of the county where lawn grass simply
has no reason for being. Where, people, is all the water going to come from?
    But there are other threats to gardens: What was once the glory of the
garden is now color swatches parlayed by interior decorators into TV shows
of such insignificance, that even Fox News has purpose. Watch nightly as
sassily-dressed commentators (of little knowledge), turn gardens from just
being messy into outdoor vaults of terror, with colors so purposefully bad,
that only somebody slogged out from a day in the business world could even
face them. This opinion by Nigel Colborn was logged on the BBC Website (with
thanks to Pam Beck for sending it to my attention): "I have to say that I am
really angry at the moment. I have watched with increasing frustration my
beloved hobby, my chosen way of life, the thing I love the most hijacked by
what seems to me to be a gang of interior decorators and installation
artists!"
    Finally, let's mention the creative aspects of the box stores: Bring 'em
out in flats, keep the choices down (after all, the public knows little of
taste, so proclaimed by book after book of glowing pix), and sell 'em lots
of fertilizer to keep it all green and glowing.
    Yes, this argument has been simmering for years and while it simmers,
gardening itself has been stolen by the folks with more money than brains,
and they will continue to set the trends.
    Just my opinion. Peter

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Grandiflora2001@aol.com>
To: <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 7:51 AM
Subject: [GWL] Peter's comment


> ...and while it simmers, gardening itself has been stolen by the folks
with
> more money than brains, and they will continue to set the trends.
>
> Peter:
> Can you say more about this? It's clear that something is happening...here
> they says it's the end of the DIY movement in gardening. I'm not so sure.
> Donna Williamson
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