LANDSCAPING & GARDENING

The Journey to ReWilding

by Alex Morrison

Landscaping with locally native plants has been growing in popularity, and for good reason! Putting native species back where they belong promotes biodiversity, supports stormwater management, and improves soil health. Even longrunning initiatives like “leaving the leaves” and “No Mow May” have been on the rise. And to keep the neighbors happy, customizable lawn signs like these from No Mow May | Xerces Society — let everyone know what you're doing!

Fortunately, the more mainstream this information becomes, the more urgency that responsible neighbors feel about restoring and rewilding our spaces. Because as it turns out, it took a long time for once-untouched landscapes to become urbanized and invaded, and despite what some blogs would have you think, it will take an equally long time to turn back the clock. A minimum of seven years is required for new meadows to stabilize and become self-sufficient! Clearly, rewilding our spaces is a priceless commitment, so here are a few things to remember when restoring your backyard to its natural habitat:

Save money!

It can be tempting to go “all in” once the native bug bites us, but a much more sustainable way is to do sections at a time. Choose a single area on your property to start with, and spend time removing weeds, selecting just the right species, and keeping the herbivores at a distance while the plants establish. The land will tell you what plants are working and where, and that will keep your costs with trial and error down.

Be lazy!

Why should you do all the work when the plants can do it for you? When correct native species are sited properly, they'll do the heavy lifting. If you need help reclaiming a grassy or weedy area, go for rhizomatous or stoloniferous species. These types of plants will spread underground to stabilize the soil and increase the footprint of your native landscape over time. Try species like Packeraaurea (Golden ragwort) or Pycnanthemumincanum (Hoary mountain mint) and watch them take over

Enjoy the journey!

Rewilding your property is not about asserting dominance over the landscape, it's about listening to your piece of the planet and helping it on its way back to optimal health.

So, take the time to rehabilitate sections at a time, watch what your plants are doing (or not doing) in their new homes, and grow your landscape sustainably for good!

Along the way, you can rely on tried and true resources, like the Native Plant Trust and Go Botany for species information, the USDA's PLANTS database for native ranges and habitat information, and Soil Web from the NRCS and UC Davis for soil data.

See you on the links!

The Golf Tour of Greater Philadelphia (GTGP) is a locallyoperated golf league for amateur golfers. Our classification as a nonprofit helps keep costs down, and our club organization ensures all members have input in club operations. The result is competitive golf in a collegial atmosphere at a great price! GTGP is also an associate club of the Golf Association of Philadelphia. Members are eligible to play in GAP Member Play Days at private clubs in the area.

*PT, DPT, CSCS stand for Physical Therapist, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

And for everything else, there's WildLawn, an ecological restoration company! For more information, and to learn how you can restore beauty and ecological function in your landscape, reach out to ecologists at WildLawn wildlawn.com, (844)326-7334, or contact@wildlawn.com