If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my fellow gardeners, it’s that they lean toward frugality on the micro level. On the macro level, they might be spending half their incomes on their domestic landscapes, but that’s OK if they’re also getting good discounts at the garden center and free divisions from gardening clubs and friends.
That’s why I’m a bit troubled by a recent offering from the National Wildlife Federation. Now, this is the group that we were mad at about its “leave the leaves” advice, but that’s another story. The new promotion asks supporters of wildlife to buy four different starter sets of native plants. There are part-shade and full-sun blends; the plants are as you’d expect: butterfly weed, coreopsis, aster, and goldenrod in the sun package and wild geranium, foxglove, lobelia, and rudbeckia included for part-shade. There are a couple other plants in the mix and you can get the exact species here. The 12-packs go for $118 and the 6-packs for $68. The inch sizes of the pots are not given.
One should not expect deep discounts from a nonprofit’s fundraising efforts—quite the opposite. But that’s not the only purpose here. The NWF is tapping into a surge of interest in supporting pollinators, especially from beginning gardeners. It knows that’s the main reason many are getting into gardening in the first place. I know this, too; I see it listed as a reason on the regular whenever we get new member requests for our online gardening group.
What happens when someone orders one or more of these collections, plants them in an 8×10 or 4×6 bed, as suggested, and, at the end of the season, is met with a discouraging survival rate? New gardeners especially won’t be too thrilled about what they spent and what they got. It’s just human nature, but it won’t advance the cause of supporting pollinators.
I’m just leary of kits. Let people discover what happens as they plant and maintain. Notice what pollinators love, but also important, notice what they, the humans, love. Notice the plants that are both thriving in the garden and attracting bees and butterflies.
You’ll say that “well, at least it’s getting people into gardening,” but I maintain that it’s aimed at people who want to be there already and might think that a garden can work like a meal kit. They’ll find out differently soon enough.
Speaking of the NWF, remember when everyone was mad at them for partnering with Scotts Miracle-Gro right around the time Scotts pled guilty to knowingly selling poisonous bird seed? https://gardenrant.com/2012/01/scotts-fined-for-selling-toxic-bird-seed.html
Oh yes.
Hasn’t the Arbor Day Foundation been doing the same thing, providing dogwoods (C. florida) susceptible to anthracnose, and questionable maples?
I’m getting very wary of claims about helping wildlife or good for pollinators. One size doesn’t fit all; many of the pollinators in my garden have specific preferences at particular times,and after all,as you say, the garden is also for humans. I’ve found planting a good selection including at least some natives keeps me and the bees happy. New gardeners will have more pleasure from making their own discoveries.
You are absolutely right. As a long-time gardener, I wouldn’t purchase such a kit Even when I read that X plant will grow where I live, even if it’s native to the area, sometimes it just won’t. It’s much better to experiment on a smaller scale especially if you are a new gardener who might be turned off by lack of success.
Examples: Hubby & I purchased 13 different cultivars of buddleja in gallon containers. This was quite the investment. We were told they worked in our area. Every buddleja died; most sooner than later. Our soil was caliche, which isn’t actually soil. Buddleja won’t grow in caliche, even amended caliche.
More recently, I spent bucks on native seeds/plants for my region. I purchased the plants/seeds from a nursery with a GOOD reputation located in Minnesota. Minnesota isn’t Texas. I learned the hard way that natives get used to the climate they’re grown in and frankly, almost all of these natives whether from seed or plant died. However, when I took cuttings from the same plants grown locally, all of the cuttings survived and thrived. They were used to local conditions. I think this makes a difference.
When I was just starting out, I had $0 to spend on gardening. Zero. I get that this is a kit, but it makes me sad that a) people look at gardening like they’d look at a meal kit, and b) that so much money is now spent on convenience. Had I spent money this way then, I wouldn’t be living with land to garden now. I’m afraid we’re losing touch with that crucial premise. – MW
I had some money but I never would have spent it this way. I did buy a can of wildflower seeds for a few bucks and still have one plant left from that.
I would love it if ranters and commenters would add a state, region or zone to their entries. That would help me understand their situations.
Thanks,
Diana, Portland OR area, Pacific NW, supposedly zone 8 but at 700 Ft. elevation so really zone 7.
The Ranters have “about the authors” underneath their posts that include info on where they live. If you scroll above this to mine, you will see I live in Buffalo, NY.
This is a bit off subject but I would like to add my experience with those “wildflower” packages of seeds. I planted them about three years ago and have been plagued with the worst thug of a plant since. They appeared the next season in the original bed. It took many digs to get rid of them there and now I have the plant appearing everywhere in the garden, including the gravel covered courtyard. The tap root is a devil. Beware.
What is it? Yes, I would advise anyone to stay away from those packages.