The Rural Voice, 2000-01, Page 41Gardening
Create your own millennium garden project
By Rhea Hamilton -Seeger
A new century, a new millennium!
Do you make resolutions? If you
don't, are you going to make an
exception this year?
I have been wondering if the
resolutions for this year will be any
different from, the ones we make any
other year? There seems to be a lot of
pressure to do something different,
something memorable to mark the
beginning of a new century and a
new millennium. Personal resolutions
to improve our health or improve our
lifestyle are a good start but in the
long run will it make any difference
50 or 100 years from now?
As gardeners we should be
looking for projects with more impact
on our future. Start with a look at our
environment. There is no question
that we need to learn more about it.
We need to understand that we are a
part of the environment not separate.
We cannot stand to one side and •
observe like we are watching a video
or TV program.
Over the last two years I have
been reading about the loss of habitat,
loss of species, and changes to our
overall environment from less snow
to warmer temperatures. As an
individual it can be pretty daunting
and too easy to throw up our hands
and claim a single person cannot
make a difference. But those who
garden have a perfect opportunity to
make a difference. With us it starts
with the planting of that one seed or
that one sapling. There is no question
that we need to plant more trees,
offer more vegetation for the
creatures that share our yards and
eliminate harmful chemicals from our
lives. We don't need to work harder,
we need to work smarter.
Where to start? During these
wonderfully quiet winter months take
up a little reading. A good start
would be with Lorraine Johnson's
The Ontario Naturalized Garden.
Once inspired you can seek out •
Lorraine's suggestions for further
reading. Take a look for Bioplanning
A North Temperate Garden by Diana
Beresford-Kroeger. Both authors are
writing in Ontario of environmental
issues that involve not only our
particular corner of Canada but can
be applied to other parts of the' world
as well. With that done, you will be
inspired to take a hard look at how
you garden and how you can change
it for the better.
If you need a bit more of a push to
take on a millennium garden project
the Huron Stewardship Council has a
competition just for you. They are
offering Millennium Landscape
Naturalization Awards in an effort to
both recognize landowners'
endeavors to preserve or encourage
naturalization and to encourage
others to become inspired to try their
own hand at naturalization.
The Huron Stewardship Council is
a group of dedicated individuals with
a variety of talents working together
to raise public awareness of
responsible stewardship of the land
and to assist the community in
tapping into resource management
assistance. Members include farmers,
ecologists, educators, and
businessmen and women; people just
like you and me, possibly a
neighbour. Their work plan
objectives includes some great
projects like workshops on woodlot
management naturalization and
watercourse health; playing a role
with the Farm Hiker Tours of this
past fall; and bringing different
groups together to work on common
concerns.
The Naturalization Awards are a
natural progression from public
awareness through workshops to •
encouragement of applying new ideas
to our own yards and fields. No
project is too great or too small.
Efforts should be directed at
providing wildlife habitat for small
birds, butterflies, and animals,
conserving water, reducing
dependence on chemical pest control,
or restoring marginal or degraded
lands back to their natural state.
The categories are very broad and
both urban and rural landowners in
Huron are eligible as well as schools,
businesses and institutions. The
categories are so broad there should
be a spot for everyone to get
involved. The categories are
residential yard; nonresidential under
Live acres; nonresidential yard over
five acres; aquatic habitat project;
naturalization plan by a landscape
firm; children's project; and water
efficient garden.
The criteria is to replicate a
functioning sustainable plant
community; the approach being a
working ecosystem which fosters
plant and animal biodiversity; aim to
reduce inputs including water,
pesticides, fertilizers and labour. This
all sounds very complex but take a
moment to consider the simplicity of
the plan. Any wildlife you want to
attract will require food, water,
shelter and space. Once you fill those
basic needs the creatures will come
and take up residence. When you
offer native species you offer just
what the menu calls for. Native
species are better suited to our
climate, soil conditions and are more
resistant to the diseases and pests that
abound.
So how do you enter'? You can
pick up an application from Steve
Bowers, Stewardship Coordinator at
Ministry of Natural Resources at 100
Don Street in Clinton or phone him at
482-3428 and yes he has e-mail at
steve.bowers@mnr.gov.on.ca.
Another bonus is that if you have a
neighbour or fellow gardener that you
would like to see entered, then
nominate them. You check off the
category and jot down a few brief
points to describe the project. Entries
should be submitted by May 15,
2000. Judging will take place during
July.
If you want to take your
millennium commitment one step
farther you could enquire about how
to get involved with the Huron
Stewardship Council. Same phone
number. I am sure that your
involvement will make a difference,
maybe not immediately but certainly
for the future.0
Rhea Hamilton -Seeger and her
husband raise two children at their
home near Auburn. She is a skilled
cook and gardener.
JANUARY 2000 37