Saturday, February 21, 2015
THE BENEFITS OF WILDFLOWERS
As I sit here today listening to the steady sound of freezing rain hitting against my windows, my mind wanders to the warm days of spring and to gardening.
Coming from a long line of florists, my extended family owns the oldest florist and greenhouse here in Lexington, I have always been taught the value of wildflowers.
My mom says that during the depression her family would go out into the country and pick wildflowers to supplement the flowers they grew and sold.
At one time all flowers were wild. and although we have cultivated them so that we can grow and sell them in areas where they do not naturally grow, it is important to maintain them in the wild. To maintain the natural habitats.
Yes, we enjoy the beauty of wildflowers, but just what is it that they do so freely for our planet? An article from Mother Earth News which can be read here lists some of the things wildflowers do.
• Attracting and sustaining beneficial wildlife (the pollinators and other creatures essential to keeping the plant and animal kingdom – and us – going)
• Creating extensive recycling, composting, land repurposing and self-regulating water filtration systems
• Mastering extreme weather survival
• Developing a continent-wide erosion control program
• Nurturing the expansion of a wide range of living organisms
• Doing all of this practical work while giving us the great gift of their beauty
• Creating extensive recycling, composting, land repurposing and self-regulating water filtration systems
• Mastering extreme weather survival
• Developing a continent-wide erosion control program
• Nurturing the expansion of a wide range of living organisms
• Doing all of this practical work while giving us the great gift of their beauty
Due to the increasing loss of our natural wildlife habitats, we have steadily been losing our honey bee colonies, monarch butterfly populations, and many of our native birds.
All of these losses have a direct impact on the pollination of our food crops. These losses are a direct result of humans taking over natural habitats through urbanization and through the use of pesticides.
So what can we do to bring back these dwindling populations of wildlife?
It is simple. Plant wildflowers. You don't have to have a large yard to plant wildflowers, they can be planted anywhere, and if you do have a yard, instead of giving your entire space to manicured grass, devote a portion of it to native wildflowers.
The environment will thank you and you will reap the rewards of a beautiful outdoor space.
It is all about sustainability while enjoying a simple and serene life.
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