Native Plants Take Care Of The Earth

Earth Day was last week. If you didn’t celebrate it, shame on you! This celebration, started in 1970, is all about the need to preserve our earth for future generations. A good way to preserve our earth is to plant a native tree.

And, the holiday for that – Arbor Day – was last week also. This tree planting tradition is actually older than Earth Day. The first Arbor Day was April 10, 1872 in Nebraska, although some claim its roots go back to 1594 in Mondoñedo Spain. We now celebrate Arbor Day on the last Friday of April.

Full-time Effort

The madman doesn’t think that either of these celebrations should just last one day. Planting trees and preserving the earth should be a full-time occupation. And remember, he feels that our earth is best preserved if we plant native trees and shrubs instead of just any old tree.

At this time of the year, people around here focus on their yards. Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, birds are returning and nature is coming out of dormancy. The other day, the madman watched an American Lady flit by and land on a stone to dry its wings. The first butterfly of the season always brings a smile to the madman’s face. He knows we’re doing a pretty good job.

Wrong Thinking

In reality, we weren’t always focused on native plantings. When we moved in back in the 1970s, we thought more about what we wanted, not about what we needed. We wanted bright blooms to please me, delicious vegetables to please the madman, and fragrant herbs to please us both. We thought about our yard, not about our environment.

All the while, we played in the lawn, enjoyed the flowers and ate good vegetables. We spent summers at the lake, and if we wanted to visit nature, we took the kids for a hike. It never occurred to us to open our yard to nature.

First Step

Then, we took the Master Gardener Course at UConn. We learned what we were doing right. And, we learned why we killed so many plants. More importantly, we learned about being good stewards of the land. By planting native species and discouraging invasive ones, we began to take the first steps toward stewardship.

Spring is a good time to plant trees and shrubs. Of course, the madman is pushing native species. But, where do you start. We look back on the early days and laugh about the things we did. We didn’t have a plan and we didn’t know our land. Sure, we had a general idea of what we wanted, but mostly we landscaped on impulse.

No Plan Is No Good

We bought what appealed to us and planted it where we wanted it. We never thought about the plant’s needs. And, we certainly never considered how big the plant would grow over time. Now when the madman sees someone plant a spruce tree near a house foundation he just shakes his head. (In reality, we never did do that, but the wisteria around the front door is another topic.)

If we had to start over, we would have done more planning. After all, the trees and shrubs you plant now form the backbone of your yard. So, our advice to you is to do your homework before buying anything. All plants need light, water and food. The exact amount of each varies from plant to plant. Get to know your property and think about what plants will beautify it while helping Mother Nature take care of it.

Creating a sustainable landscape in Connecticut is easy because we have so many choices. First thing, test your soil. Then look at the sun – is your land sunny, shady or partially shady. Remember, summer sun is higher than winter sun and trees have more leaves in summer. With a better understanding of your yard, you can match your planting to your space. Just remember plants grow.

Favorite Natives

Plant choice is personal – that’s what makes gardening great. Let’s tell you about our favorites. Top on the list is Blueberry. It loves acidic soil, it thrives in Connecticut, offering year-round interest. White spring flowers are followed by blue berries, loved by the birds. (We cover our shrubs because they are also loved by the madman). Red leaves appear in fall, and red stems contrast with the dull landscape or bright snow in winter. This plant is a wonderful substitute for the invasive burning bush. Here’s a link where you can check out other alternatives to invasive species.

Next is spicebush (Lindera benzoin). While blueberries favor full sun, spicebush prefers a little shade. We particularly like the yellow flowers in early spring and for its role as a host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail. Red berries feed birds while its yellow leaves provide nice fall color.

Winter Favorites

Red Twig Dogwood, or Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) has white flowers in spring and white fruit for the wildlife all summer. But it is most spectacular in the winter with its bright red bare stems. Another plant that seems to be best in winter is the native Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). In late fall, its yellow to orange-red flowers open, often hanging on into winter. While we are in the winter landscape, we have to mention Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) with its bright red berries (poisonous to us, delightful to the birds). And, don’t confuse Winterberry which drops its leaves in fall with American Holly (Ilex opaca) which has glossy evergreen leaves. We’ve never done well with the holly, but winterberry spreads well for us.

Best Trees

The madman can think of lots of other native shrubs which will beautify your property while it helps our native wildlife. And, he says “don’t forget the trees”. Native trees can form the backdrop for your property. They can create screens. And, they can offer shade as well as beauty. Our top native tree is the White Oak (Quercus alba). In fact, noted Conservationist Doug Tallamy says that if you can only do one thing to help wildlife, plant an acorn you find nearby.

If you have the space (fortunately we do), don’t stop there. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) with its stunning (and edible) spring flowers looks beautiful as a specimen tree, or tucked along the edge of forest. Serviceberry (Amelanchier arbrea) is the first shrub to bloom in the spring, filling its branches with lots of white flowers that turn into blue berries in the summer. In the fall, the leaves turn brilliant red-orange.

Other Trees

The madman also likes lots of trees that don’t have showy flowers but provide important benefits to the wildlife – Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), White Pine (Pinus strobus), Sumac (Rhus typhina), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), and American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) to name a few. As we said the list is long. Lucky for us, UConn has put together a nice list of native trees and shrubs. AND, they have a list of nurseries that sell native plants – here’s the link.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that our native birds, bees and insects grew up with the trees, shrubs and plants that thrived in our area. Those bees and insects don’t just rely on the pollen from the flowers. Their offspring need the leaves, bark and roots of native plants to survive. Trust me, the more you begin to plant native species, the more you will find yourself amazed by the wonderful diversity of the world around you.

With that thought it’s time for a cup of hot cocoa (not quite warm enough for lemonade).