Planting something more appropriate

I read Jerry's take on the problems in the Oakland hills with
invading species.  Having worked on projects and done consultation
in that area (both before and after the fire), I know what he is
saying.  And now there are lots of new landscapes, so great, some
not so great, and all right up close to the wild areas where there
can be some 'escape' into the native ecosystem.  While there was
some sort of 'fire-scaping' program for these areas, there is little
over all restriction on particular species or types of plants that
can be planted.

One of the main problems I find among clients is their cluelessness.
They really don't know what to plant and are willing to listen to
anyone who seems to know.  Plus they are trying to create something
familiar to them which usually translates into the gardens they
had 'back home' (i.e. not in California) or what they see all the
time in magazines and books (i.e. not in California).

So, they go to nurseries, garden centers, and to professionals.  Here
they find lots of plants that are not appropriate for our climate or
situations, but which are prevalent because they are easy to propogate,
'fashionable', ordered for all nurseries west of the Rocky Mountains,
or just what the nursery owners find interesting.  They assume that
whatever they see must be what they should plant because they people
are the 'professionals'.  Too often, they are encouraged to buy
plants so that sale can be made ($$) and noone wants to be left
holding a lot of plants from last season.

I know of many in the horticultural trade, either in nurseries or as
landscape designers/gardeners who are quite knowledgeable and well
informed.  Unfortunately, this is not the majority, nor the criterion
for entering into this type of work.  Some nurseries have career
positions where people of experience and knowledge are given a format
to work that is appropriate and respectful of their backgrounds.  Then
there is the more common case where some 'who likes flowers' and who
moved here from Michigan a year or so ago is setup to be a local expert
for the masses.

After going through the above, people find their gardens don't do as
well as they'd like, and don't look like the magazine and books they've
originally seen them in.  They decide they must look into this further,
so they go to another establishment know for good information - their
public library or bookseller.  Here they find books ranging on all
type of interesting topics, styles, approaches, and philosophies of
garden making, most presenting their information in a completely factual
manner which rarely mentions considering the specific climates.  There
are some important works out there on Mediterranean climate gardening
but they are again in the monority, hidding under the piles of other
works in print that have nothing to do with our local situations.
Again, here is a clear 'steering away' from climate appropriate garden
design because those who stock these shelves are not considering the
impact upon the public.

A real exception to this, that I know of, if the bookstore at Strybing
Arboretum in San Francisco.  Those of you in our area, or those traveling
through, should make every attempt to visit this fine collection.  They
recently displayed hundreds of worthwhile titles for mediterranean
climate gardeners at the symposium of that theme earlier this year.

While reading some of this material, a gardener might happen to stumble
upon some information about a horticultural society in their area.
If they are this fortunate, they may discover that there are lots of
gardeners out there who have traveled their road and are now enjoying
more success in being a member of a community of gardeners.  Hopefully,
there will be an occasional event which features information that
aligns with our climate instead of the many horticultural speakers which
roam the nation giving talks about famous English gardens or how they
grow Rhodies in their own temperate climate landscapes.  Most of these
societies in my area do not go out of their way to publisize their
events to the public, only to their own membership.  The situation
become very insular and the assumption is that everyone 'knows' what
is going on (when in actuality there are hundreds of people around
that have never heard of these groups!).

So, enough railing!  This is why we have the Medit-Plants discussion.
This is why we are building the Medit-Plants website.  This is why
membership in the Mediterranean Garden Society is important and
beneficial.  There are hundreds of plants that are known but remain
untested in our gardens, both from our California flora and the floras
of other mediterranean climates.  Getting the word out is very 
important toward turning the tide of inappropriate horticulture in
our gardens.

Humbly stepping off his soapbox,
Sean O.
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