This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

'native' plants vs.. 'other' plants

The recent discussion about the 'ease' of growing native (or not!)
has inspired me to taken my e-pen in hand . . . (bare with me) ;-)

Perhaps is it due to the overwhelming prevalence of easily
grown plants in the nursery trade that has created this concept
that all plants must be easy to be worth growing for the
average gardener.  And easy being usually defined as the ability
to grow regardless of where (soil, exposure, water) the poor thing
is planted.  I confess to subscribe to this type of mindset along
with many gardeners.  Sometimes though, the 'easy' plants are
indeed those which are well suited to the environment, or are also
very adaptable to a variety of environments.  This can also cause
them to become labeled as 'weedy', and even become true pests in
their non-native environments - it is the thin line those of us
who help introduce plants thread (and there is an inherent
responsibility there!).

Gardeners love to tell each other stories about how a certain
plant (deemed 'difficult' by many) thrives for them without any
special care.  Usually this can be related to conditions, subtle
or not, being well suited to their liking.  Sometimes the smallest
of changes in exposure or shelter can make all the difference.
This should be a lesson to our gardening wisdom - that indeed it
is the suitability of the environment that causes a plant to thrive,
not our wishing it, or our 'expert' care (though this certainly
helps at times).

All plants are 'native' - to some part of the world.  Knowing about
the native haunts of a species can only help you get a feel for the
basic needs of that species.  Plants deemed 'difficult' often have
very specific needs based on their adaptation to a difficult or
unusual situation.  The decision must be made about what can be
provided (or will be provided) in your garden, and therefore what
will thrive in that circumstance.

I have always loved Echeverias, and grew many types and forms over
the years.  In my last home and garden, there was no place for them
to thrive, and while I tried to keep many of them, they simply
languished in the improper conditions.  I was smart enough to give some
of them away, because when I move to my present garden, where there
is a sunny porch and stair to house and display these beauties to
perfection, I was able to reintroduce some via cuttings from those
previously owned plants!

I also love shade gardens, but alas there is no shade of significance
in my garden now, so those horticultural desires are put on hold, or
even better, put to use in my designing of other's gardens.  My
current sloping lot has taught me a lot about tenacious, heat
impervious (south-west exposure), drought tolerant selections, and I
now have increased my 'palette' of plant species tremendously.

Most of us fall in love with this or that type of plant, and feel our
horticultural desires will not be met unless we can obtain and then
grown a particular something or other.  Even as I fall into this state
myself, I have learned to chuckle at my foolishness and set it aside.
Unless it is suited to my limited growing conditions, I don't even
imagine growing it under any circumstances.  But you know, it is truely
amazing how man other plants there are out there to grow . . . 

A local horticultural personality, Ted Kipping, punctuated a recent talk
by noting the size of pot in which he kept the labels of the plants he
had killed in the creation of his garden.  Starting from a mere gallon
size, it ultimately reached 15gallon in his closing remarks.  He felt
is was a true sign of horticultural prowess - not how many he actually
grew, but how many he had tried to grow!!  Many of us can relate and
perhaps take comfort in owning 'smaller pots' than Ted, but it does
illustrate the trial and error of the process.  If you find this fact
to much of a heartache, don't worry! - you can always hire those of us
who have already gone through this process in your area!!!  ;-)

Anyway - before dismissing any major group of plants (such as 'natives')
as being unsuitable for your garden, take a long, hard, critical look
at where it is you are asking plants to grow.  Think of the situations
they will have to deal with, not the imagined solutions you may or may
not find - but the real, hard reality of the site.  There will be
some things you can do to improve it (soil amendment, opening up a
tree to let in more light, regrading or drainage, etc.), but if you
accept what you have to deal with, and you explore those plants, native
or otherwise, which actually PREFER to grow in those conditions, then
you find your garden suddenly thrives in the way you always imagined.

 Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
 710 Jean Street                    (510) 987-0577
 Oakland, California 94610-1459     h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
 U.S.A.                             'a garden suited to its purpose'
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index