Copyright of Sharon’s Florida
Copyright © 1998 - 2018 Sharon LaPlante
Go Native Without Making
the Neighbors Go Ballistic
In our urban
neighborhoods
a wild garden is
often times
taken as an
unkempt
garden. The
neighbors that
admire their
wide expanse
of green lawn
on the
weekdays, and
work on it all
weekend, will
not appreciate the wild patch you have started for the
butterflies, or the brush pile for the snakes. Beauty is in the
eye of the beholder you say? Well, when in Rome.... Here are
some tips to help you get along with, and maybe change the
mind of your environmentally unfriendly neighbors.
Keep the areas around the naturalized area mowed. This will
show the neighbors that you are taking care of the place and
not just letting it go. Framing the areas with mowed paths and
borders will give a neat appearance that the neighbors can
relate to.
Trim the
plantings in
front of the
house. Many
people feel
that a house
that cannot be
seen because
of overgrown
shrubbery is
neglected.
You don't
have to spend
the weekends
making
topiaries, but
a little
trimming will help with the public relations.
Use colorful plants and flowers. Give the neighbors something
to ooh and ah over. Plant wildflowers, trees and shrubs that
are bright and beautiful. Even lawn lovers can appreciate
colorful and interesting plants.
Use landscape borders. Use rocks, landscape timbers,
railroad ties, or whatever is available to make borders and
beds. Borders
give the
appearance
of the area
having
received a
gardener's
attention.
Use fences.
Another
aspect of
giving the
yard a
boundary will
be a fence. A
rustic wooden
fence is very natural looking yet gives a boundary that is easy
to identify with.
Use lawn ornaments and/or benches. A bench in the center of
the butterfly garden gives it a homey and much used look.
Don't forget ornaments. A sun dial, or statue, is always nice to
look at.
Remember you want the natural look, not the neglected look.
However, many people don’t like the natural look, but if you
plant, cultivate, and maintain, your natural areas it’s no
different than someone maintaining their St. Augustine lawn,
putting out bright red mulch, and concrete circles around their
trees. We have just as much right to have natural areas as
the other folks do having red mulch and concrete circles
around their trees.