The Perfect Excuse

As we begin the busy spring planting season, we would be remiss if we didn’t remind folks that in this country we mow 32 million acres of lawn every week, burning about 600 million gallons of fossil fuels every year. We could continue to site depressing lawnmower stats, but let’s stop talking about the problem and cut to the chase. Let’s fix it.

​If you’re following our Journal, we’re thinking about how we use our lawn, expanding our planting beds, and planning for more trees, shrubs and perennials. Right in our own backyards, we have the opportunity to improve biodiversity and ecological function, thereby increasing ecosystem services.

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Wow. Now there’s some pressure, but maybe not. To a plant geek (like me, like all of you) this sounds like the perfect excuse to plant more plants. We’re just helping to save the planet, right? So let’s go.

But wait, hold on, one more reminder…. in order to get the biggest bang for our eco-friendly buck, check the shopping list. Native plants provide significantly more ecosystem services than non-natives. You will find our Go-To Native Plant List in the footer of our store. Use it as a great memory jogger when planning for new or expanded beds… and less lawn. Let’s do it.

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Pee Wee'