In Rebellion Against the Neat and Tidy

Episode Introduction

In today's episode, In Rebellion Against the Neat and Tidy, we go over why seemingly perfect gardens are not sustainable and address common garden myths that may prevent you and others from growing native gardenscapes.

Host Stephanie Barelman

Stephanie Barelman is the founder of the Bellevue Native Plant Society, a midwest motivational speaker surrounding the native plants dialogue, and host of the Plant Native Nebraska Podcast.

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Episode Content

Over-curated, over-groomed, over-mulched gardens are not sustainable

• We need to transition from over-consumption to being sustainable producers for our local ecosystems. 
• Let’s make less chemical and plastic waste and save ourselves time and moolah!
• Mulching is unnatural and so tedious!!! Why do it every year? That’s the definition of insanity! Mulch once- you heard me- just once, and let nature do its thing by injecting in ground covers, sedges, and native grasses to inhibit weeds and create a full landscape.
• Don’t deadhead, just don’t do it. 

For a low maitenence garden, know your plants.

• Don’t overtend them.
• Wait to cut back perennials until spring.
• And please for the love of all things Mother Earth, let wild plants go a little wild. 

“The Green Thumb” isn’t real! And neither is half the other crap we believe.

• You do not need to be Michael Jordan to play basketball, you don’t have to be some sort of crazy garden-savant to garden. It’s (actual) fake news!!!

No, native gardens DON’T require a lot of time and money.

• Imagine how much time Karen next door expends mowing, mulching, weeding, trimming hedges, fertilizing, watering, and spraying chemicals on a monthly basis. You see where I’m going with this?
• Also, boxwoods and hydrangeas aren’t cheap. 
• Start small and work from there. Repeat after me: START SMALL. You can always go full-metal-maximalist in a few year’s time. 

No, native gardens DON’T increase allergy symptoms 

• But that monoculture of allergy-causing turf grass? Public enemy #1

No, bees and wasps will NOT sting everyone .

• They may sting your daughter if she tries to pet their fuzzy little bodies. But mostly they are out to… you guessed it… find other insect prey, nectar, pollen, sleeping places, mating places, among other things that bees and wasps do.

No, a native garden...