Be a Wild Gardener – Working With What Belongs Here
I’m not originally from “round here”, as you probably noticed if you’ve read this column before! As a gardener from a very different climate, I’ve had some notable failures trying to cultivate some old favourites here. But I’ve also had some “aha” moments. One of them was when I came to the conclusion that there was no need for me to try and beautify what’s already beautiful. Where we live, we’re surrounded by majestic trees, gorgeous vistas, the sights, sounds and smells of this land. So now when I plant something, it’s usually because I want to eat it.
There are obviously things to consider when planting veggies and herbs and so on here. Where I’m from, snails and slugs are the enemy – and I’m forever grateful that they aren’t a major opponent here. On the other hand, I don’t want my deer neighbours eating what’s destined for my kitchen. With that in mind we can think about fencing off veggie gardens so that they can’t munch their way through our precious shoots and leaves. It’s clearly important to consider wildlife corridors as we do this, and keeping enclosures small can help. We can also watch where and how the animals tend to move through the space. At our place we have clear trails around the house and the surrounding land, so it makes sense to avoid placing beds and enclosures where those routes will be blocked.
The other thing we can do is work with the ecosystem, rather than against it. We can plant native species that are adapted to the way the season work here, and that don’t need a lot of water, for instance. Native plants won’t need to be fed, fertilized and protected with pesticides in the way introduced species might. They’ve evolved to survive what the local ecosystem presents them with.
Lowell Harder, from Harder and Son’s Exterior Maintenance Services in Bragg Creek, agrees. “The simplest way to build a beautiful yard bursting with local birds and pollinators is to work with what you have. Once we understand your soils and microclimates, we can select and source the native trees, bushes and perennials best suited for you and plant them where they will grow best. Doing so promotes biodiversity and makes gardening and yard maintenance a breeze.”
This is especially something to consider when it comes to lawns, which are often extremely hard work to maintain, and which are a much less rich habitat for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Did you know that the types of grass usually used for lawns is non-native? A native alternative grass can be less work, more drought tolerant and still beautiful.
Native wildflowers are a great addition. They will encourage and nourish pollinators, supporting larger species as well – and so on up the food chain. Please don’t use just any wildflowers, though. Check what is locally native. A general mix such as you might buy in some garden centres could contain species that would not survive here, or worse – there may be some invasive species included.
And don’t be tempted to take them from where they’re already established and growing. Leave those for everyone to enjoy in their natural setting.
There are some very interesting projects and resources locally, nationally and around the world where people are ‘rewilding’ or reintroducing native species to the patch of land they live on. For further reading and inspiration you could check out the links below – and why not try it this coming season?
Harder and Son’s Exterior Maintenance Services; provides full services including designing natural landscape around your home, sourcing and planting native plants as well as year around yard maintenance. www.exteriormaintenance.ca
ALCLA – Native Plants Nursery; an excellent source of native plants to Southern Alberta – grass, herbs, flowers and shrubs. They are located in the Bearspaw area. Please call beforehand to make sure they will have time to answer your questions and help you select the plants that are best suited for your surroundings. www.alclanativeplants.com
www.wildaboutflowers.ca is an Okotoks/ Black Diamond nursery that specializes in native flowers and plants. They offer seeds, plants and advice on planting them.
City of Calgary’s website offers a page full of ideas and suggestions on native plant selections. Google “yardsmart plants, city of Calgary”
www.Rewildingmag.com offers articles and tips on how to support wildlife from butterflies to larger mammals. Checkout the article – “How I turned my suburban Yard into a wildlife habitat”
Bragg Creek Wild
www.braggcreekwild.ca
braggcreekwild@gmail.com 403-200-9961
People and wildlife living in community
