"Landscaping for Wildlife" by Jim Gallion

For this review of Jim's talk last night to the Takoma Horticulture Club, I Google-imaged his name to see if I could find him, cursing under my breath that I hadn't brought my camera and done it myself.  This is one of the resulting photos and it's so not Jim I had to laugh.  It's some other Jim Gallion who hasn't created, with his wife Teresa, the most beautiful replica of nature I've ever seen on their property near Frederick, if his PowerPoint show can be believed.

Yes, I'm happy to report that someone is achieving the ideal of combining the love of nature with a love of beauty.  And right up front he told us he wouldn't be encouraging us to get rid of all our nonnative plants, meaning almost every plant in our gardens - he even grows them himself.  So we could relax and be seduced by his gorgeous photographs of the birds, bugs, rabbits, frogs and plants in his garden.

In his gentle way, Jim's on a mission to spread the word.  He and Teresa work through their design/consult firm, Gardening Adventures, to help homeowners move toward harmony with nature and enhance the beauty of their surroundings.  And on top of what they get paid to do, they contribute 300 or so hours a year in community service, which is 275 more than what's required to maintain their Master Gardener status.  And judging by Jim's talk, he's a great teacher for the cause because his love of nature is infectious.

More good news - their excellent articles on such topics as wildlife in the garden, native plants, and turf reduction can be found on line.  Here they're listed with other Master Gardener articles, so scroll down alphabetically to Theresa and Jim Gallion.

Among Gallion's words last night:
- "If you don't have some nonnatives, you're missing out on a lot of really cool plants," so he's not a "native plant elitist."
- You can create a habitat even if you only have a balcony to work with.
- His winterberry has tons of berries and has become the guarded territory of a mockingbird couple.
- Hang your suet-holder upside down to discourage the "junk birds."
- Turtles love colonies of May apples.
- To attract the Zebra Swallowtail, grow Paw Paw, but only if you have room for them to spread.
- To attract Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (in photo), grow the native columbine. It's a good groundcover in partial shade, reseeding freely.
- Neither toadhouses nor butterfly houses work.  Bat houses work once they're discovered by the bats, which may take a while.
- Leaving dead wood to decay in place is great for the critters, and looks good, too.  A standing dead tree will attract even more woodpeckers if you drill some one-inch starter holes along it.
- Gardening with successions of petunias and zinnias isn't gardening; it's yard decorating.
- Butterfly bushes are like "McDonald's drive-throughs."
- Recommends National Wildlife Federation's Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation of Land, Chesapeake Bay Watershed Edison.
- Recommends The Wild Ones at www.for-wild.org.

Can you tell I was won over? Yeah, I want frogs and some more woodpeckers, just for starters.  I'll try to remember that Jim also suggested going slow and not expecting overnight results.

Last but never least, thanks to Kathy Jentz for bringing Jim to the club.

This just in - a photo of the our Jim Gallion.  Ah, that's better.

Comments

[djinn]

Habitat:

Toads, frogs, snakes, and other critters appreciate cover - plants supply some of that, but if you want them to live in your yard, plant on having a bit of decorative deadwood, a stack of 'firewood', or an untended pile of last year's leaves.

If you can incorporate these things into your garden, or approximate them with similar materials, the wildlife will come.

[Alice]

Sounds like a great talk, making a lot of sense and giving plenty of scope to please all (most) tastes. Had to laugh about the planting of 'continuous petunias and zinnias' .. so true.

I like the new Profile Photo although I miss seeing your lovely garden around you.

[Kasmira]

I feel the SAME way about annuals being used as "decorating" instead of "gardening." I thought I was just a big snob, but I guess I'm in good company.

[Nelumbo]

I'm glad you found someone with an more inspiring view of gardening for wildlife! The talk you went to with the hippie native plant guy with the gravel Zen garden was kinda irritating.

[Sylvana]

I can back up that columbine tip. Our hummers LOVE them!!

I never have a problem attracting toads. Half burying a clay pot on its side in the dirt make a great hiding place for them, but they find their own places to hide otherwise.

[OldRoses]

Great talk! Thanks so much for sharing. I have high hopes for the wild columbines I grew from seed last year. I'm putting in a hummingbird garden this year close by, hoping they will work together. I'm disappointed about the toad houses. They're really cute and I want a toad in my garden very badly. There are virtually no reptiles or amphibians here in polluted NJ.

[Pam J]

Thanks for the very interesting posting about Jim G. Especially useful info for those of us who like to attract wildlife to our yards. Because I have zero self-control I must note, however, that fully 33 percent of those who responded to your posting did so merely to add their voices to the chorus of zinnia and petunia haters. But compared to my reaction to this subject in Oct 2005 (http://takomagardener.typepad.com/tg/2005/10/snobbery_in_the.html), I'm now much more serene. And armed with my new serenity and self-confidence I am here to report to the entire TakomaGardener reading world that this spring I will plant acres and acres of zinnias and I'll be proud of them and love them and enjoy every plebeian petal they produce!

[Meredith]

What does he mean by comparing Butterfly Bushes with McDonalds Drive Throughs? Are they unhealthy for bees and butterflies? My Buddleia is covered with flutterbys and bees in the summer. Is it harming them?

[Heather]

I've heard somewhere else that butterfly bushes are sort of junk food. I don't think they're BAD for them, but just not as nutritous as other things? I'm not sure. I guess the answer is to provide a variety of nectar sources in your butterfly garden. Plenty of beautiful choices, so why not?

Good for you, Pam! I'm sure your swath of zinnias will be beautiful! Probably far prettier than my scattered perennials. I'm getting over my annual snobbery. Except for impatiens. I still hate impatiens. Even in grand swaths.

[Takoma Gardener]

Pam, I knew that would get you riled up! So a hearty you-go-girl, whatever-you get-off-on, go-for-it, screw fashion, and all that. And hey, I grow petunias myself. Love ya! Susan

[Jim Gallion]

Thank you all so much for the kinds words and I'm very happy to see that my talk has created lots of interesting discussion! My goodness you yard decorators! It's good to have you around... It keeps the nursery business economy on track! :) A note about the butterfly bush.... Yes, it does attract lots of butterflies.. The problem is that they are becoming invasive and (seed dispersal) into areas that it shouldn't be. They also don't really provide the diversity for a butterfly garden to be complete.. The best thing you can do is to plant "host" plants for the caterpillars as well as some good native nectar sources. Why use a butterfly bush when there are so many native choices that do the same thing in beauty and nectar. Oh, and by the way....I do grow petunias in hanging baskets!!

[Judith]

What a talk! It is inspirational. Wish I had been in the audience. Lots of helpful links you have given us. I won't worry about my butterflies stopping at MacDonald's, as I have seen them dining on the healthfood plants just as often--I think they know how to balance their diet?

[michael jones]

Very good post. 'Yes, I'm happy to report that someone is achieving the ideal of combining the love of nature with a love of beauty'- i have to say that i am glad to hear that too. Landscaping is something incredible!