By: Marlene Rodak | President, Coccoloba Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
The new year brings resolutions—some realistic, some not. One to consider is making your landscaping friendlier and lighter on the environment.
What does that mean?
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Perhaps you can reduce irrigation by installing native plants that (once established) need less supplemental water. Now that’s a timely concept because many communities have wells that are drying up. Low water pressure has also become an issue for local hospitals and other businesses. So, imagine if everybody started watering less, or not at all: we could significantly increase our water supply.
You use well water, you say? Well (pun intended), that water isn’t free. As aquifer levels drop, many will need to drill deeper wells. Even if your well is deep, the water quantity can affect the County, which means we are all paying for it. The more we build on lands that historically have recharged our underground water supplies, the worse the situation becomes. (Not to mention how bad the traffic from that development has gotten.) Plus, well water is a bit stinky and discolors sidewalks and driveways. Of course, since irrigation generally occurs at night, maybe we all might sleep a little more soundly if we didn’t awaken to the sprinklers kicking on. More sound sleep could certainly help us be friendlier, too.
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Perhaps we can use fewer chemicals in our landscapes. Oh no! What if you have an insect eating your plant? What if grubs overwhelm your sod? I say, “YAY!” It is 2025. Let’s realize that the planet will suffer if we do not make space for insects and pollinators. If you like butterflies, you must tolerate caterpillars because they become the butterflies you love. If you want to see birds in your yard, you must provide caterpillars and other insects for them to eat. The point is, the planet is a system of ecosystems with many interdependent parts. So, let’s make peace with creepy crawlies, and that includes snakes. They are all, like us, just trying to get by. It is on us to be careful and respectful of the other creatures who share this planet.
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Hire good people. Ask your landscapers questions. If they don’t know the answers, ask them to find out or find people that do know the answers. The local chapters of the Florida Native Plant Society are here to help them (and you) FOR FREE! They simply need to spend the time and effort learning. Right now, there are far too few landscapers who know native plants. We need more! Demand it.
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Overall, let’s try to respect nature a little more. It’s not all about color. There are plenty of colorful native plants, but there are also plants that smell heavenly. There are plants that attract and support beautiful butterflies, birds, and bunnies. Exotic plants have a role in the landscape, but they should be focal points, not the foundation. As you plan and plant your yard, take time to learn more about native plants. There are a few thousand of them!
Of course, The Coccoloba Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and your local native plant nursery are here to help. You can learn more about native plants at FNPSCoccoloba.org. You can also visit River Oaks Preserve, 9541 Broadway Ave E, Estero, on Sundays and Tuesdays from 9–1 to see our up-and-coming demonstration gardens, shop at our nursery, and talk to knowledgeable people who want to help you. Don’t forget to grab some of our illustrated literature to help with your wonderful new year’s resolution.
