Re: 'dry sticks'
- Subject: Re: 'dry sticks'
- From: J* D* <j*@yahoo.com>
- Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 17:19:17 -0700 (PDT)
To my eye, the most artful and enchanting public
native plant garden is the Santa Barbara Botanical
Garden. The work they have done with containers, among
other innovations, is inspiring.
Jason Dewees
San Francisco
--- "Sean A. O'Hara" <sean@gimcw.org> wrote:
> Barry -
>
> This reminds me of a fellow in Oakland, and
> enthusiastic native plant
> promoter. The trouble is, the garden he is
> constantly dragging people to see
> as an example (his own) is hideous!! Talk about dry
> sticks! Even at the
> lushest time of year, his garden looks like 'dry
> sticks'! I think he has
> single-handedly turned off more people to native
> plant gardening than anyone I
> know!
>
> I am so glad for the recent books on California
> native plants:
> California Native Plants for the Garden
> http://gimcw.org/books/cnpftg.cfm
> Native Tresures
> http://gimcw.org/books/ntgwtpoc.cfm
> California's Wild Gardens: A Guide to Favorite
> Botanical Sites
> http://gimcw.org/books/cwgpf.cfm
>
> Next time you get the 'dry stick's business, shove
> one of these in front of
> their faces and you won't have to say a word!
>
> Seán O.
>
> > On 5/8/07, Barry Garcia wrote:
> >
> > Most people associate xeriscapes or native gardens
> with "Oh, you mean
> > those dry sticks?" I've heard this from two
> separate people. One guy I
> > know was complaining about how difficult it can be
> sometimes to have a
> > nearly all tropical-esque garden, and when I had
> mentioned why not
> > using a backbone of interesting natives he
> screeched about how
> > everything native turns to "ugly dry sticks!" Of
> course, he also kept
> > complaining I wasn't doing my share of promoting
> his website when I'd
> > mention this list off and on.
> >
> > Another was a coworker who, when I mentioned I was
> adding a natives
> > and Mediterraneans (not 100% Xeriscape, a few
> areas have things like
> > Spiraea douglasii), she give this look, and said
> with a rather
> > disdainful tone in her voice "Oh, you mean those
> dry sticks?" I had to
> > remind her that natives can look like dry sticks
> under drought stress
> > or just in general in the middle of summer without
> a little
> > supplemental moisture.
> >
> > I am constantly surprised when people complain
> about "Those dry
> > sticks" when every single time I've been out in
> the chaparral here,
> > and even the stuff still left around town on the
> borders, none of it
> > is "dry sticks". I guess if it isn't hostas,
> annuals, and privet, it's
> > "dry sticks".
>
>
