Building Bridges with Gardens

     

Garden and Photo by Casey Palmisano

       Is there a person in the world who doesn't enjoy the beauty of a garden? Even those who don't enjoy the work of gardening themselves can appreciate the results of the gardener's efforts. People of every nationality, political or religious persuasion, count themselves among the gardeners of the world, and even more people enjoy the fruits of the gardeners' labors. Gardening, and sharing one's garden with others, can be a wonderful way to build bridges of oneness!

       This spring many people found themselves stuck at home, thanks to Covid 19, and so many decided to use their time to beautify their property by building decks and pergolas, and planting new gardens. I have been admiring gardens all over the world, thanks to Facebook pages like "View from my Window" and "Garden Design and Ideas." And since my husband and I just moved to Wisconsin, where we have been busy creating new hardscape (Mark) and landscape (me), I have joined several Facebook pages specifically meant for Wisconsin gardeners.  

       I spent thirty years creating and tending flower beds at our home in Oneonta, New York, which I really missed this spring when nothing bloomed in our new yard except for the little blue scilla that popped up under all of the trees. Once the scilla died out it was up to me to figure out what I could plant in the hard, clay soil near the five black walnut trees which exude juglone, a natural herbicide that kills certain plants, including columbine which is one of my favorite spring flowers. 

      While learning to garden in Wisconsin, I began to learn about the value of native plants. I had known about the importance of milkweed for the survival of the monarch butterfly, but otherwise I had no idea that many bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators depend on native plants for their survival! While I had been disappointed that so few flowers existed in our new yard, I am excited about this opportunity to start from scratch with a different type of garden that will benefit the environment. 

       When people are excited about new ideas, they want to share what they're learning with others. I like to tell other gardeners about the value of native plants, but that doesn't mean I don't understand and appreciate why their gardens are full of what I would call "old favorites." I have discovered that some of the other Facebook gardeners are already gardening with native plants or are keen to learn about them, while others think I am judging them because their gardens are full of flowers that originate from other countries. My New York garden was brimming with these plants, from bleeding hearts and hosta, to astilbe, iris, peonies, and many more. I think the only natives in my New York garden were Black-eyed Susans and Butterfly Weed. I really had no idea there was any difference. So how could I judge anyone whose gardens are full of the same flowers I used to grow and still love?

       It's interesting, and a little bit sad, how easy it is for a group of like-minded people to split into factions of "us" and "them." I really hope that the gardeners of the world will continue to admire the beauty of one another's efforts while remaining open-minded about new ways of doing things. Maybe I will put a bridge in my garden to remind visitors that we can build bridges of oneness one garden at a time.