seed collecting
- To: Perennials list
- Subject: seed collecting
- From: P*
- Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 20:37:28 -0500
Chris wrote:
> First, I want to defend myself by saying that it's really not a wild
> plot. :) It's on the grounds of the University President's house,
> in a space that used to be sprayed with RoundUp. So I figure I'm
> protecting the plants, if anything. :)
Oh Chris, I didn't mean for you to feel singled-out, nor be put on the
defensive. Please forgive me if indeed, you did feel that - it was not
meant that way. Your message just raised an interesting ethical debate
in me . . . .
> You really should ask the landowner if it's private property. On
> public grounds, I'd say it depends on the situation. I dug up
> some shooting stars that were getting mowed over weekly once, and
> now they're happy in my garden. But if you're affecting a native
> stand, you could be causing problems.
The farmland in my area is delineated by tree lines between fields. I
have the owner's permission to walk there (in the perimeter), so I'm not
trespassing. I see some lovely flowers, some I have no clue what they
are, and they simply blow their seeds every year with no one to enjoy
them. And a lot of my walking plots are for sale as commercial
developments . . . I shudder to think what my ethical debate will be
when the bull dozers move in . . . .
I have yet to *do* anything about that *wasted* feeling, but have stood
and looked and thought long and hard about simply shaking the seeds into
my hand and walking home. I've also seen seed heads at the botanical
gardens just blowing their seeds and the gardeners weeding out the
seedlings the next spring . . . .it seems so wasteful! I can't imagine
taking the seeds, but it seems like something better could be done (the
Dutch thriftiness in me is showing, I guess.)
I don't know if you remember, but Gene Bush listed this as one of his
pet peeves. I can understand it too, especially if you're waiting
for seed for private use, trying to hybridize plants, etc.
I wouldn't even think of taking seeds at a private nursery or garden.
I'm not fussy about walking up to a previously unknown neighbor and
asking if I might have seeds of something I admire - I've made wonderful
gardening friends that way! I'm gracious enough (I think) to take
rejection well, and always offer what I can of my own stock to anyone
who asks.
Does that make my position clearer?
--
Pat
pattm@execpc.com
Zone 5 - SE WI
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