From the Very Beginning in 2016:
The inspiration for the 2023 version of Garden 9 comes from Douglas W. Tallamy’s book, Bringing Nature Home.
Garden 9 started the same as the other ten gardens, accepting any and all free plants. They might have been nearly dead and needing life support, but if they had some roots and a little green, we planted them.
Consequently, the gardens all started with some desirable and some not so desirable plantings which, much to our chagrin, included high maintenance and invasive species.
Next, hot house plants that filled the tables at the local nurseries and big box stores were our “go to “plants. We didn’t know any better. At times, the “learning curve” was steep and costly.
The urge to maintain the look of a botanical garden, rather than one that is more butterfly friendly, has been hard to resist.
It’s hard to stray away from old gardening practices. Garden 9, following Tallamy’s knowledgeable advice, has taken a giant step to leave the manicured botanical look behind.
You might find that the garden looks neglected and in need of a major weed and trim. Butterflies don’t appreciate the results of weeding and trimming. From a butterfly’s view, Garden 9 is a pollinator paradise. Rest a while on the bench and count the butterflies, I think you will be convinced that the garden is just the way they like it.
Linda Blaise, Garden 9 leader
Our team is Linda Blaise (Leader), Joe Garner, Kim Place, Jackie Fegan, Gary Schweers, Linda Schweers, Jan Anderson, and Mary Whalen.
VillageWalk Garden Club of Bonita Springs 