Inside this edition of Natural Garden News

• Plant it and they will come
• If you want a Grounded garden…
• Myths about native plants and natural gardens
• My shoreline helped me through Covid
• Native plants and natural gardens 101
• Today’s recommended reading
• Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant)
• July at Lucas House (lots of pictures!)
• From the socials

There are lots of super images in this newsletter – please allow your email software to see them!

I hope you enjoy the newsletter! If you have any questions or feedback, please reply to this email.

Simon Payn
Grounded
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Email: hello@groundedgardens.ca​
Web: groundedgardens.ca​
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​Follow Grounded on the socials!

Plant it and they will come

Back in the year 2000, I went to work for an internet start-up. This was the goldrush days of the dot-com boom, when investors were throwing money at anyone with a garage and an idea.

The mantra was, build it and they – that’s visitors and customers – will come.

Except they didn’t – and the whole dot-com boom went bust. (The one I worked for is still here today, mind you. But that’s another story.)

In spring last year, I stripped the lawn from a building I co-own in Haliburton village (Lucas House, next to the post office and home to The Highlander and Corner Gallery.)

I replaced the lawn with 1200 native plants. The first year was pretty slow – it took time to establish. And indeed, even this year started quietly…

… until the past few weeks when it began to take off. The garden is now buzzing with insects – butterflies, moths, bees, flies.

Someone said to me, “how did that Monarch know the milkweed was here?” Another said, “where did all those insects come from?”

Here’s the thing: plant it and they will come. Nature hungers to be abundant.

All of which makes me think: it’s easy to bring nature back simply by providing habitat and nutrition. Imagine how easy it would be to lead a green renaissance! All it takes is a few plants.

As I stand in the garden, I can only smile.

Simon

P.S. If you’re in Haliburton the next couple of weeks, please stop by the garden. I’d love you to experience it for yourself. It’s still in the establishment phase – it will be better next year – but it’s buzzing. The best part for pollinators right now is by the Swamp Milkweed near the side door. Feel free to go right into the garden and look around!

If you want a Grounded garden… I’m now booking garden and shoreline installs for this fall and next spring. If you’re interested in working with me, don’t wait until then. I use the summer to prepare your site and to work on plant lists and designs. I’m happy to come out and look at your site for no charge and with no obligation. If we’re not a fit, we’ll depart as friends. Just click the button below. To see some of my recent work, please look at this article. ​ Learn more

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Myths about native plants and natural gardens At Grounded, we hear a lot of myths about natural gardens and the native plants they host. Here’s my personal takedown of this fake news. Read more.​ ​

My shoreline helped me though Covid In case you missed it, here’s the advertorial I put in The Highlander last week. Read more.​

Native plants and natural gardens 101 New to this newsletter? Here are links to the most important articles I’ve written. Read more.

Today’s recommended reading

Is the lawn a yawn? This is a story out of the United States but it’s equally applicable to Canada, particularly the GTA. In short: Nothing wrong with grass. We just have too much of it. Read more.

Taking the pledge: The David Suzuki Foundation is getting with the program. They’ve created the Lawnshare Pledge to help people reduce the amount of lawn they have (and have to mow). Read more.

La-la land? Another inspiring story of someone turning to native plants – this time in Los Angeles (but the same story applies right here!) Read more.

For the love of life: A beautiful article by Jason Anthony, whom I’ve mentioned here before. It’s about getting to know nature, falling in love, and doing the right thing. Sound familiar? Read more.

Checking in on the bylaw: The Highlander reports on Haliburton County’s Shoreline Bylaw, a year after it came into force. (I’ll be writing about the bylaw and how it relates to what we do at Grounded in the next newsletter. Spoiler alert: we can easily comply.) Read more.

Plants (and pints, if you wish): Congratulations to the Haliburton County Master Gardeners for getting recognized for their work on the Minden Riverwalk Trail. Take a stroll down there and learn about its native plants (then maybe stop for a pint of local brew at Boshkung Social on Water Street.) Read more.

Get the free guide I’ve updated my guide to natural gardens in Haliburton County and surrounding areas. Download here

Now booking garden and shoreline installs If you’d like me to come and look at your garden or shoreline, please fill out the inquiry form. Learn more

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Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant)

If you’re following Grounded on Facebook or Instagram (if not, click on the links to follow!), you’ll have seen I’ve been posting information about native plants. I’ve spent a bunch of time putting together these information “cards”, which you can also see on my website here.

Today let’s look at Pale Purple Coneflower

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Common Name: Pale Purple Coneflower Scientific Name: Echinacea pallida Layer: Vignette Light Conditions: Sun, Part-sun Soil Conditions: Dry, Moist-drained Bloom Colour: Pink Season of Interest: Summer Suitable for: Lawn replacement Description: This is the demure sibling to the more splashy coneflowers. Its deep taproot, however, is anything but demure, helping the plant survive drought.

July at the Lucas House Garden

The garden (which you can see next to the post office in Haliburton village) stepped up a gear in July. It’s still a young garden, so many of the plants aren’t established yet. But there are some wonderful blooms and the pollinators are very happy.

Pictures, top to bottom

Monarch butterfly on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnarta)

American Lady butterfly on Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum)

Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria). This is an annual I sowed in part of the garden in the spring. Don’t tell anyone, but it’s not strictly native to this part of Ontario, but we don’t have many annuals available here.)

Great Black Digger Wasp on the Slender Mountain Mint. Thanks to Baz of Haliburton Micromeadows for identifying this for me. Apparently they paralyze grasshoppers and bury them underground to feed their young.

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). I didn’t plant this – it volunteered in the garden last year – but I didn’t want to get rid of it. Look at those seed pods! I just have to be careful it doesn’t take over because it’s quite aggressive.

A Soldier Beetle (I believe) blending in well with a Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

Clump of Swamp Milkweed, which has been so amazing this year but is getting towards the end of its blooming period.

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From the socials

This is the planting at the arts center in Des Moines, IA, created by Kelly D Norris. It’s one of my favourite landscapes, which first came to my intention when I was studying with Dr. Norris for a course on natural gardening. Click through to the post to read more about it.

And here is a meadow garden created by Nigel Dunnett, whom I’ve mentioned here before. Click through to see more images.

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Rufus says Natural Shoreline Ahoy! And when are you going to pay me to sow seeds like this dog in England?​

Thank you for reading!

Simon

Email: hello@groundedgardens.ca​
Web: groundedgardens.ca​
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