Plant local: gardeners urged to consider native species

KEENE VALLEY | In a matter of weeks, garden centers will be overflowing, as, like Canada geese returning to Lake Champlain, gardeners ritualistically begin their annual plant pilgrimages, seeking just the right specimen or groundcover, bloom or broadleaf, to make their yards sing the praises of an all-too-brief summer. New Year's gets all the ink, but nowhere are there more resolutions than among gardeners — this year we will stay on top of the weeding, this year we will water fragile saplings, this year we will compost. But one resolution in particular will create a statement in the yard while broadening the health of the Adirondacks as a whole, and that's a pledge to rely more heavily on native plants. There's growing awareness among gardeners, nurseries and state lawmakers that some of the most popular plant choices through the decades haven't been the most ecologically sound, said garden designer Emily DeBolt, speaking to a video conference sponsored by the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program. The conference was recorded and is available at adkinvasives.com. APIPP, a partner of The Nature Conservancy, works on multiple fronts to beat back a surge of invasive species that arrive by land or by sea, and one commonality among these troublesome bugs, aquatics and plants is that their advance is mostly attributable to the hand of humanity. In the case of garden plants, many troublesome invasives have been treated as desirable additions to Adirondack landscapes. Burning bush, barberry and knotweed didn't just arrive on the breeze — they were purchased, coddled and propagated by well-intentioned gardeners. "Eighty percent of invasives got their start by being sold in nurseries," DeBolt said. From there, they have taken off on their own, choking out native plants and providing poorer nutrition and habitat for wildlife. Today, nurseries are prohibited by law from selling from a menu of blacklisted species, and must provide warnings on others. That's good news, DeBolt said, and the better news is that these undesirable vegatative superspreaders can be replaced with native species that mimic, and even improve upon, the qualities of those they are replacing. Burning bush, for example, was sought-after for its florid explosion of color in the fall. But this red palate can be replicated by red-twigged dogwood or highbush blueberry, which turns red in the fall and produces a flavorful crop of fruit in the summer. Norway maple, a popular ornamental but troublesome invasive, can be replaced favorably with red or sugar maple, or red oak, basswood, hackberry and chokecherry. It may at first seem a bit counterintuitive, since many of these species have been promoted by commercial growers. A variety of barberry, to pick one, is sold under the happy-sounding name of Crimson Cutie. "A lot of marketing goes into this stuff," DeBolt said. But if it escapes into the woods, barberry can take over, choking out native maple seedlings. The seeds and berries of these invasives is not always as useful as they might seem. The ubiquitous honeysuckle shrub produces mounds of berries, but they are not beneficial to birds. "Birds are drawn to (honeysuckle berries), but it's not good for them," DeBolt said. "It's like sugar water." Showy non-natives like Japanese spirea, butterfly bush and the erroneously named spring phlox attract gardeners too, but the most dazzling choice isn't always the best choice. Natives, meanwhile can be just as impressive, but are often overlooked because — when seen individually in their native setting — they do not make as much of an impression as they do when grouped in a garden setting. "These are beautiful and functional, and if you put them in a garden setting it's a whole different game from when we see them out in nature," DeBolt said. Being native, they also are easier to raise since they are accustomed to local climate and conditions. Their roots go deeper, which is better for soils, and they are a natural fit with other native species. It means that landscaping can not only be a showpiece, but a meaningful support system for the Adirondack ecology. "The role that backyards are playing is becoming more and more important as pollinators and habitats," DeBolt said. Not surprisingly, they create a more natural look and do better when layered as opposed to single specimens or formal gardens with rows and lines. Natives also are ideal for replacing sections of lawn, which needs far more maintenance and have a larger carbon footprint. DeBolt encouraged gardeners to be mindful and do what's achievable. Ripping out the old and replanting with new is usually not practical, but simply steering future landscaping choices toward natives. "Every little bit you can do helps," she said.

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Plant local: gardeners urged to consider native species

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