Ecologist helping North American growers use their yards to help fight the climate crisis đ»
Bluegrass isnât even from Kentucky
Hi friend,
When I first started studying the ecological impacts of lawns and non-native plants, one of the most surprising facts I found was that âKentucky bluegrassâ (Poa pratensis) isnât even native to anywhere in North America - itâs from Europe and Asia.
Iâve lived in Kentucky my entire life, but for some reason, I had to go to graduate school to learn this. And whenever I tell fellow Kentuckians about this, theyâre equally shocked.
Bluegrass is actually even on KYâs official list of invasive plants
Like many other folks Iâve spoken to, I was taught in public school that when Daniel Boone explored the rolling hills of KY, he saw fields of little blue flowers and named it âKentucky bluegrass.â
But there are a few problems with this narrative.
The first, of course, being that Boone wouldnât have seen any bluegrass in a pre-colonized Kentucky.
The second is that bluegrass doesnât even make blue flowers. Its flowers are more of a pinkish purple. The grass itself has a bluish tint.
But there ARE native grasses that make little blue flowers, the Sisyrinchium genus (often called blue-eyed grass), with a handful of species native to KY.
Left: Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) Right: Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) Somehow through the Eurocentric curriculum of American public schools, the story got twisted, like so many other stories of the colonization of North America.
It took me way more effort than it shouldâve to figure out how in the world a grass from Eurasia thatâs invasive to KY became so heavily associated with my state.
The reason? Bluegrass is often used for horse pastures, and Kentucky is the horse capital of the world.
So remember that so many of the stories weâve been told about the history, ecology, etc. of the US are just not true. Question things and do your own research.
Ready to restore the land you live on to help protect biodiversity and fight climate change?
âCheck out the Eco-Garden Workbook
This 30-page digital workbook is your ultimate guide to planning and creating a thriving, sustainable garden that you can be proud of. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, The Eco-Garden Workbook provides you with the tools you need to succeed.
|
Native Yardening
Ecologist helping North American growers use their yards to help fight the climate crisis đ»
Hi friend, I get asked a lot about how to figure out what species are native to your area. So I wanted to share resources for folks in the USA and Canada. I've updated this list to include more resources, as well as some Canada-specific resources for Canadian gardeners. đ» đșđž đšđŠ The National Wildlife Federation has an excellent tool called the Native Plant Finder. It shows you what native species support the most wildlife in your zip code - these are called âkeystoneâ species. đ» đșđž The NWF has...
Hi friend, Itâs a common misconception that you need to spend a lot of money to grow a native garden (or my preferred term, an eco-garden). In reality, itâs much cheaper than a traditional garden. Eco-gardening means applying sustainable and regenerative practices to your yard. This can look like using materials already on site, making your own compost, and relying on natural processes to do a lot of the work. Itâs been a little over three years since I started transforming my yard. My front...
Hi friend, As I post more on social media about the problems caused by invasive plants, I realize how much misunderstanding there is around these issues. I always get a little discouraged when I see firsthand how misinformed the general public is about how nature works. But I also understand that it's a systemic issue. We aren't taught about these things. I recently made this post on Facebook and Instagram, showing a handful of common invasive species in North America. For some reason, people...