Keeping up with this week’s theme, Kat and Miss Bonnie have returned to talk about their experience as gardeners.

Kat shares about her attitude change when in comes to gardening. It is important that we move toward more restorative methods of producing food.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter!

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Why do I garden?

Gardening has many mental and physical health benefits and people may garden for various reasons or purposes. I’ve enjoyed gardening for as long as I can remember, but only recently have I undergone a major shift in my gardening attitude, due to my new squirrel friend.

Gardening for the wildlife

Native plants are species that have existed historically in a particular area. Native trees and shrubs usually have a better chance of survival because they are adapted to their native regions’ climate, soil conditions and biotic relations. Native plants also support a higher diversity of animals and can host many more types of insects than non-native ones.

I must admit that up until a few years back I wasn’t paying much attention to whether I had native or non-native plants in my garden. Usually, if it looked pretty, it was good enough for me, but thanks to Miss Bonnie, I became more mindful about the kind of plants I was purchasing. Instead of planting for my own pleasure, I started planting for pollinators, birds, and all the wildlife I could attract.

Kat spotted a swallowtail butterfly in her garden.

Know the difference

Educating yourself and learning the difference between native and non-native plants in your area is essential. While native plants can help create a healthier ecosystem, some non-native plant species can be considered invasive, and likely to cause environmental, economic, or social harm. Invasive species can have devastating effects on ecosystems as they usually have no natural predators, diseases, or competition to stop them from growing and overtaking native vegetation.

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If you have any questions for Miss Bonnie or Kat, you can reach out directly to them with the following email address: bonnie@plantgrowsave.org

Thank you for being here. Looking forward to hearing from you!