Digging in: Paying it Forward, Garden Style 

By Peter Wimberg

Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” I think we all feel a bit of that sentiment now, in the winter months when our gardens, while still supporting the native insects, pollinators and birds we attracted in the summer, are quite subdued in their appearance. The blooms have long faded and the fall foliage, which added such rich colors to the garden, is scattered on the ground. 

What I do see is an abundance of seedheads to feed the birds, tufts of native grasses offering shelter and pithy stems with beneficial insects tucked safely within waiting for spring to arrive. The seeds that escaped the foraging birds will take root in the soil. My ban on shredded mulch in my gardens makes it easier for desirable plants to reseed as they see fit. 

When I look out at the winter landscape, I see a garden that’s paying it forward by offering food and shelter, a fresh cache of seeds to germinate in the spring and shrubs that will bloom and set berries for this coming summer and fall.  

Our new gardens, those we plant with nature, offer the neighborhood landscape more plant diversity. The more diverse a home, street or neighborhood landscape is, the more resilient it will be against pests and diseases. Adding more boxwoods is not what we need. Our landscapes, the one we share with our neighbors, need more native plants, more pollinator plants, more oak trees, in short, more plant diversity.  A street that is planted with just a few types of trees, (all too often, pear trees) is at risk of losing much of its tree canopy with the next invasive insect or plant disease. 

We may not mourn the loss of the pear tree, but to lose a great percentage of any tree, desirable or not, in one event, would be devastating.  If you want a way to pay it forward with your garden, plant an oak tree. An oak tree does a tremendous job supporting nature. Hundreds of insects feast on its leaves and in turn, those insects are consumed by the birds. The long-lived oak tree shades our home and the street, making a walk around the neighborhood in the summer far more enjoyable. Mature trees increase our home’s property value and, as more trees are planted, increase the value and desirability of an entire neighborhood. 

The gardens we plant with nature are paying it forward by inspiring and motivating others to transform part of their landscapes into more nature-friendly habitats. People who view our gardens see not only the birds and the butterflies, but they also see a place where they too can find balance, a reprieve if you will, from computer screens, text messages and hours spent at a desk. We are not meant to be apart from nature, we are a part of nature. While we strive to create balance in our landscapes, the gardens we create help us find balance within ourselves.  

When we create space for healthy activity, be it gardening, walking, even just resting under a tree, we create healthier lives for ourselves and our families. As we pay it forward with our gardens, we need to share our knowledge. Planting a garden is just the first step. The insects know what to do: They will find your garden and make good use of it. But your neighbors, those who aren’t as well-versed in gardening, not to mention gardening with nature, will benefit from your advice, guidance and encouragement to plant their own garden with nature. Your new garden pays it forward when you share your plant prowess with others.