There ’s nothing like a good symposium with a chemical group of antsy gardener to render motivating and inspiration for the upcoming gardening time of year . The University of Wisconsin ’s Allen Centennial Gardens of late hosted its outpouring Resilient Landscape Symposium , challenge attendees with gravid ideas and achievable goal .
What is a resilient garden?
Basically , this is a ism that helps inform a garden ’s aim and alimony and is steered by an awareness of how garden interact with , and can contribute positively to , the larger ecosystem . For example , gardens with a multifariousness of plant bloom through all the seasons can provide vital resource for native pollinators that may struggle to subsist even in rural , agriculturally dominated landscape . Healthy , urban green spaces host birds and the dirt ball they need to exert sustainable populations , while cooling cities , pick air , and even making us feel more relaxed . ( Numerous studies link spending time in tree - filled areas with decreases in blood pressure and emphasis - related hormones . )
The idea is to advance thoughtful garden recitation , which can reduce corrosion , capture and slowly release rain , reduce pesticide usage , and minimize resources needed for garden maintenance . As human pressure increases , the forcible and functional boundaries between uninfluenced “ natural ” areas and urban and suburban landscapes are increasingly undefined . The resilient landscape painting social movement seek to reveal how gardens can be not only beautiful and adaptable within themselves , but can corroborate the health of regional ecosystem and human community as well .
Impactful ideas were offered by local horticultural icons
Nebraska garden writer and designer Benjamin Vogt warmed up the gang with a few corny jokes before apply concepts of deep ecology and Aldo Leopold ’s acres ethic . horticulture in a direction that does not cater only to human emotion and preferences , Vogt believe , acknowledges the constitutional importance of all organisms and in good turn opens us up to swell compassion : “ If we can ask our garden to be more , then maybe we can be more — maybe we can refocus who we are and become greater than we dreamed . ”
Midwestern plantsman Roy Diblik ’s motto “ The stunner is in the doing ” was reflect as he spoke about plant compounding , seasonal and recollective - term industrial plant succession , and sustentation technique to create low - maintenance , eminent - diversity gardens . Roy ’s commitment to making caliber horticulture approachable and affordable is evident , with undertaking rove from Chicago ’s Lurie Garden to municipally sustain boulevard planting .
A garden ’s ability to adjoin a broad interview was also a theme expressed by Scott Stewart , executive director of the Millennium Park Foundation , and garden designer Austin Eischeid , who tell of their sweat to lift plantings in Chicago ’s Millennium Park to be as displace as the iconic space and art slice within . A green respite not only for human visitors , Millennium Park ’s impressive tree cover provides home ground for a surprising number of bird species .
attendant were also treated to 15 - minute micro - talks from loss leader in Madison ’s horticulture community . Jeff Epping of Olbrich Botanical Gardens spoke on his pursuance to eliminate the traditional lawn , and Tony Gómez - Phillips recounted his efforts to bring the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright into prairie - root on plantings at Monona Terrace , a lakeside rule center and rooftop garden designed by Wright . Arborist Briana Frank spoke on the nation - of - the - art tree farming techniques she ’s using to uphold and mend tree health with her stage business , Tree Health Management .
Attendees pledged to make a difference
Allen Centennial Gardens ’ music director Ben Futa capped off the symposium with a surprisal . Futa invited attender to take a “ Resilient Landscape Pledge , ” challenge them to take small , mensurable actions promoting garden resilience — simple affair like install a rain cask , imbed native plants , even voting . An on-line forum allows participants to share ideas and document their action ; a bonus is a discount off next class ’s symposium based on how many garden advance individuals complete . More importantly , Allen Gardens will be able to key out the scope and wallop these ideas are have in the Madison area . With 156 pledges and 667 advise actions , we expect forwards to get wind about the results next twelvemonth .
For further recital on resilient landscaping principle and ideas , check out these books :
Erin Presley is a plantsman at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison , Wisconsin .
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Drought-tolerant Gravel Gardens at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, WI. Photo: Erin Presley
Whitman Wildflower Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, full of native plants. Photo: Erin Presley
Prairie-inspired William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, WI. Photo courtesy of Tony Gómez-Phillips.
