New Years Resolution #3 - Support Wildlife with Native Plants

The importance of native plantings for local wildlife.

There are many advantages to incorporating native plant life into your garden or outdoor space, but one of the most valuable is the positive impact this action could have on wildlife in your area.

“Planting native species in our gardens and communities is increasingly important, because indigenous insects, birds and wildlife rely on them. Over thousands, and sometimes millions, of years they have co-evolved to live in local climate and soil conditions.

- David Suzuki

There is a notion of ease that accompanies native planting, and the contribution to wildlife is no different in this regard. Planting particular native plants is an efficient and manageable way for each person to contribute to combating recent losses in biodiversity. The food chain depends so heavily on the little guys at the bottom, the smears on road trip windows. By boosting insect populations you can increase the food supply available for the next strata of wildlife and at the same time help supply your locale with plenty of pollinators.

The insect's plight

Let's be honest, insects can be pretty gross. There is a seemingly instinctual response triggered in the base of our spines at times when we see them crawling, impossibly tiny legs moving at impossible speeds. Antennae probing out into the air and blank collections of eyes you can get lost in. It is easy to settle for a knee jerk reaction. Every way they buzz and brush against us can evoke such a confident response, repulsion.

Repulsion can have its place. Conditioned taste version would be an example. Our minds have a remarkable ability of triggering strong sensations of nausea when we look at or consider eating a food that has made us sick in the past. This can keep us from repeatedly eating things that make us sick and potentially save our lives, but it can also, for no good reason, ruin dishes that we used to love. Beyond just food, instinctual repulsion can make us scared or hateful of people we hardly know, for almost no reason other than the hairs standing on the back of our necks.

Luckily, many of our parents and teachers can provide the guidance to help prevent these repulsive tendencies. We are taught about other cultures in school and reminded of the ways that differences can draw us together instead of divide us. In the same way, learning about the native insects in your area, and the role they play in maintaining this grand experiment, can help alleviate some of this natural repulsion and help instill a sense of appreciation for the massive positive impact even the tiniest of creatures can provide.

New Years Resolution #1: Low maintenance Life with Native Plants

There are many positives to planting native plants in your area. One big one is their low maintenance compared to most non-native plants.

In real life low maintenance already guides my life, if for no other reason that it's easier and sometimes I just need a little lazy in my life. Three young kids, building a house, starting a business and getting ready for 2 (that's right TWO) newfypoo puppies. I'll take my 1 trip Sams outing to not only provide my house it's needs, my family their food, and myself my wardrobe. Done and done. I realize this is nothing compared to many people's lives and concerns which is why I'm not discussing this to evoke sympathy, but to encourage more ways to lessen the load.

“Don't try. You don't try that's very important; not to try, either for Cadillacs, creation or immortality. You wait, and if nothing happens, you wait some more.” - Charles Bukowskie

This is specifically for native plants. Please try in your other areas of life.

This is also where I bring in our "Don't take my word for it" mentality for some of our posts. While I did earn a B.A. in Biology, it wasn't with any intention to one day be doing this! (Apologies to my Botany professor) There are real experts out there covering these topics which we are constantly reading and continuing to learn from. A lot of the time I find that helping bring attention to their information is time better spent than attempting to recreate it.

Native Plants are Low Maintenance

One of the best things about native plants is that they don't require a lot from you. They provide great benefit to their environment, the native wildlife and in turn only require to be placed in their native environment. They typically don't need any special fertilization, special watering, or other special requirements. They evolved to not just survive, but thrive in their native environment. But don't just take my word for it: Check this out!

A Special New Years Wish

"To plant a garden is to believe in the future"

-Audrey Hepburn

Here at Hodge Podge Flower & Photo Co. we are excited to wish everyone a Happy New Year and to kick off this year as our first official year! While we have been working and building our 25 acres for the last 6 years, this is the first year where we decided to make the move to an official business.

“So excited to see where this adventure takes us as well as the people we meet along the way.”

We are looking to provide a unique take on the flower farm business. The name Hodge Podge was decided upon after realizing that there are a number of items that we are passionate about that can all come together to build all encompassing experiences.

Here is to 2021 and to growing a better tomorrow.