Making sense of the buzz on biodiversity
Biodiversity is a word that’s bandied about a lot nowadays. But what does it really mean for people with gardens?
Is it now considered incorrect to pretty up the front yard with a row of identical hybrid hydrangeas? Should we stop planting one fave kind of tulip in fall? Which plants and shrubs are OK to use — and which ones carry the dreaded “invasive” tag? Are native plants always superior? Are lawns truly bad?
And are we wasting the earth’s resources if we plant flowers and shrubs instead of taking up the current craze for urban agriculture?
In the 21st century, gardening has — like so many things — become as complicated as ordering coffee at Starbucks.
Gone are the days when homeowners picked up a flat or two of impatiens and petunias at the garden centre, then cut the grass with a gas-powered mower once a week, and left it at that.
“Pollination” is the new buzzword. So are expressions such as “sustainable habitats” and “environmental stewardship.”
We are nagged to create gardens where honey bees and heirloom tomatoes can exist together in perfect symbiosis.
And if we don’t have tons of visiting birds and a resident toad lurking beneath the purple coneflowers, well, black mark, folks. The implica- tion is that we’re failing as ecofriendly guardians of our beleaguered planet. But are we? How can we make the bewildering business of biodiversity work on a small scale? To pick up some practical pointers, don’t miss the upcoming Beneficial Biodiversity Symposium at the Toronto Botanical Garden. It features a keynote speaker who has broad hands-on experience with this complex — and often confusing — topic.
Ari Novy is an evolutionary ecologist and biologist, as well as chief of the U.S. Botanical Garden in Wash- ington, D.C. He has, among other things, done extensive research into that big bugaboo of modern gardening: invasive plants.
“I’m interested in determining what makes invasive plants so successful,” he explains. “My research may interest gardeners because it helps to explain why we are constantly fighting invasive plants and other weeds.”
In Washington, he says they encourage diversity by planting a wide variety of native trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials — particularly those that are indigenous to the Mid-Atlantic region.
And — surprise — he doesn’t believe in habitually yanking out “volunteers,” those often-annoying plants that self-seed all over the garden. “We let some annual selfseeders stay in order to preserve their own diversity and allow them to adapt to their environment,” he says.
Novy also follows the adage that “practice makes perfect.”
“No matter how green your thumb, plants always throw something new at you. It takes time to get to know their needs — and your location,” he concludes.
Other speakers at the daylong session include Mary Gardiner of Ohio State University and Harry Jongerden, head of Toronto Botanical Garden, on “regilding our cities.” There’ll also be presentations by Pollinator Partnership, Sustainable.TO and West Toronto Railpath, along with a panel discussion on urban agriculture.
Sounds like a thought-provoking day and lunch (always good at the TBG) is part of the deal. Visit soniaday.com. The Beneficial Biodiversity Symposium takes place at the Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave. E., Nov. 6, 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Cost is $75, pre-registration is a must. Online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca or call 416-397-1340.