A series of articles reprinted from The Capital Gardener

            
Summer 2007 issue:
            Native plants and native wildlife have evolved together and are mutually de­pendent. The following articles will describe some of these remarkable interactions. All life needs four essentials: food, water, shelter and a safe place to raise young or a way to disperse seeds.

Food: Plants are the foundation of the food chain. They absorb the energy of the sun, water and nutrients from the soil and produce carbohydrates which feed wild­life. Mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects are consumers which cannot produce these carbohydrates for themselves. Therefore some eat plants and others eat animals that have eaten plants.

Plants have developed many ways to attract animals and insects for their own survival - bright colors and sweet smells of sap and nectar. The plants bloom, berry and produce seeds and nuts in a rhythm that follows the wildlife needs of that season. In our region one of the first berry producers is serviceberry (or shadbush - because it blooms when the shad migrate upstream) followed by elderberry, blueberry, blackberry, the drupes of the fringe tree, viburnum and on to fall productions of dogwood, holly and eastern red cedar. Bluebirds, catbirds, mockingbirds, cedar waxwings, orioles and car­dinals are among those feeding on berries and spreading those seeds.

In the breeding season many birds switch to a diet of insects rich in protein to feed their young.   They may eat the butterflies that laid eggs on your host plants and then the caterpillars.  Warblers will be flitting in trees and shrubs gleaning sap and in­sects. Goldfinches will eat the conefiower seeds after the insects have taken the nectar and pollinated the seed producers. Wind and water will spread the seeds as well.

Hawks and bullfrogs will eat birds, foxes eat mice who ate seeds, big fish eat little fish and all will eventually be returned to the soil as nutrients for our plants. The next article will feature water.

By planting native species, we are helping to:

—>Preserve biodiversity, allowing natives to thrive and not be overrun by invasive species.

—>Provide habitat for local wildlife, including birds and butterflies.

—>Reduce and potentially eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

—>lmprove water quality.

—>Educate gardeners on the beauty and ease of native gardening