Comments on Ecological Gardening: We Need More Native Plants in Our Parks

Hi Gloria, Thanks for bringing up Washington Park...

2011-04-28T13:17:34.851-07:00

Hi Gloria,

Thanks for bringing up Washington Park. They have a strong organization and are indeed doing an admirable job. I think each park needs a dedicated group of people to take responsibility and to care for it. Park districts alone can't do the job.

Adrian are you familiar with Washington Park on th...

2011-04-27T15:18:18.479-07:00

Adrian are you familiar with Washington Park on the south side of Chicago?
It is a city Park that is making a real effort to introduce nature to the city. I am impressed with the ambition.They have a blog and a facebook page documenting the effort.

Hi Garden Girl, I've been to some of the fores...

2011-04-23T07:25:24.510-07:00

Hi Garden Girl,
I've been to some of the forest preserves you mention and they are good areas.

The idea, which you definitely get, is that there shouldn't be a sharp divide--urban and suburban parks can be part of a biodiversity continuum.

There is some conversation going on.

We have similar issues with parks in the south ...

2011-04-22T16:53:43.253-07:00

We have similar issues with parks in the south 'burbs Adrian. Fortunately we do have vast areas of forest preserve, some of which include some pretty ambitious prairie restoration areas, and a number of wonderful places like Lake Katherine, Sand Ridge, Izaac Walton, some Nature Conservancy sites, and other restored and preserve areas, both public and private.

We gardeners can do

Hi Swamp Thing, Do your parks have any conservati...

2011-04-21T14:27:21.044-07:00

Hi Swamp Thing,

Do your parks have any conservation groups interested in them with names like "Friends of the Parks?" Is the Nature Conservancy active in your area? These kinds of volunteer groups can work wonders--I've seen it happen.

Wild Ones will have an information table at Trails...

2011-04-21T12:47:07.190-07:00

Wild Ones will have an information table at Trailside Museum's (in River Forest)"Birds and Blooms Celebration" on May 7th, from 10:30 to 3:00. I am sure they will be delighted to answer questions and discuss gardening with you!

You are speaking my language. I feel a rant coming...

2011-04-20T20:46:06.957-07:00

You are speaking my language. I feel a rant coming on.

Our parks are overrun with invasive species. Also keep in mind I live in an area (mid-atlantic) that was totally deforested by 1775, again by 1910, and paved over from 1945 to 1965. Quite a legacy of disturbance.

Another issue is that since there is no money to manage, improve, or police many parks, they are closed to

Hi Anonymous, That is an excellent question--and ...

2011-04-15T08:02:01.086-07:00

Hi Anonymous,

That is an excellent question--and I'm not sure I have an answer. I'll have to go looking.

Wild Ones is a native plant landscaping society that has chapters in Illinois, though none in Oak Park. Their informative website is at

http://www.for-wild.org/

There's an idea: someone could start a local group.

I de-sodded my entire lot in Oak Park and put in n...

2011-04-15T05:52:46.388-07:00

I de-sodded my entire lot in Oak Park and put in native plants, but it's been hard to make it look like it isn't just an untended yard. The Oak Park Conservatory nor the Garden Club seem to have much interest at present in natives. It would be great in the Park District would take the lead on this, but that could take some time. In the interim, is there any organization in Oak Park

Hi Heather, You make good comments about contract...

2011-04-14T06:48:24.778-07:00

Hi Heather,

You make good comments about contracting out plantings.

Sometimes the designer will specify certain species and then by the time all the committees have had a go, the list looks very different.

It would be wonderful if municipalities would understand you don't have to put in giant, expensive plants--you can start things a little smaller for less

Well said, Adrian; I hope it has some impact on th...

2011-04-13T10:43:48.593-07:00

Well said, Adrian; I hope it has some impact on the policy-makers and park planners. -Jean

Hi Adrian, Great article. I can't agree more. ...

2011-04-13T08:27:24.609-07:00

Hi Adrian,
Great article. I can't agree more. I find when municipalities contract out plantings to the lowest bidder you get the worst outcomes. Only exotic species are planted - some are considered invasive in the State and do not support any kind of wildlife or biodiversity.

I find the more urban you are, the less bio-diversity and more grass, the exception being the