tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662118368553266438.post7427441476674125968..comments2024-03-22T20:11:44.673-04:00Comments on Saratoga woods and waterways: A Backyard AmbleJacqueline Donnellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13390548854179921303noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662118368553266438.post-2143085499413214662009-11-07T12:55:36.683-05:002009-11-07T12:55:36.683-05:00"Benign neglect" can be such a hard conc..."Benign neglect" can be such a hard concept to get across, can't it? I often find myself having to defend the stick pile at the bottom of the garden and the "weeds" I allow to cover the soil at this time of year. People always mistake it for laziness or genuine neglect but to me a garden has to have some wildness or it will just be a pretty desert. I hope the native plants you included in your garden pick up and thrive - once they get established they look after themselves.Birdhttp://www.thebirdsinthemeadow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662118368553266438.post-31049651520400493052009-11-05T00:04:03.154-05:002009-11-05T00:04:03.154-05:00Hi Ellen and Carolyn, thanks for your comments. T...Hi Ellen and Carolyn, thanks for your comments. To be certified as a NWF Wildlife Habitat you are asked to provide food, water, shelter, and nesting spots for wildlife; use no chemical fertilizers or pesticides; and plant native species of flowers and shrubs that serve as food sources for birds, mammals, and insects (including butterflies). Check out the National Wildlife Federation's website for particulars.<br /><br />As for municipal restrictions, I know of none. Maybe the city could fine me for never mowing the area between the sidewalk and the street (a safety issue?), but I don't know. They certainly can't tell me how to manage the plantings in my back yard. I would hate to live in such a neighborhood, but I know they exist (shudder!).Jacqueline Donnellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13390548854179921303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662118368553266438.post-20009436791663807132009-11-04T12:10:42.128-05:002009-11-04T12:10:42.128-05:00Does having a certified wildlife habitat in your b...Does having a certified wildlife habitat in your backyard mean that you can ignore the regulations that restrict so many homeowners in what they can grow or how high things can grow there? Of course, I don't have to worry about any of that at the cabin, but I know a lot of people who tell me they can't plant such-and-such because of local regulations. Thanks!<br /><br />Carolyn h.Carolyn Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03179182853082650546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662118368553266438.post-72160129834054178382009-11-04T10:28:32.773-05:002009-11-04T10:28:32.773-05:00Monkshood is one of my favorites. I've had it...Monkshood is one of my favorites. I've had it bloom here after frost and snow have graced the gardens. It's an amazingly hardy plant!Ellen Rathbonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17684750034177425795noreply@blogger.com