Yes--I've done it sporadically for several years. I've covered ecological lawn and garden care (basically, leave things alone), the virtues of a little messiness (don't rake everything away), planting natives, why invasives are bad for the environment, what my garden looks like at various seasons, why fertilizing lawns is harmful to the environment, what to plant to attract birds and butterflies. People like it, but for the most part they still don't get it. I often hear things like, "But if I don't fertilize the lawn company will bill me anyway," or "Of course pesticides are bad, but I can't let grubs damage my lawn." Maybe I'm being too negative. There have been some positive developments--a couple of garden clubs have come to see my garden, and the town's environmental commission has put out guidelines for eco-friendly lawn care.

What a great idea! I have frequently talked neighbors into keeping things they thought were weeds--native highbush cranberry, current, roses, elderberry, etc.--but never thought of writing articles to reach others. We live in what was rural, but is quickly becoming suburban. In our subdivision, it is against the covenants to clearcut your lot, so most of the older homes have native cover on at least part of their lot (and the lots are all at least an acre). But newer homeowners are clearing the entire lot before building. Nothing is said because a)it happens so fast, no one knows it is happening until they come home from work one day and find a cleared lot, and b)this is an area of over-mature forest. Even those of us who didn't have a clearcut yard either do now, or wish we did. Our forest growth isn't especially long-lived, and poses hazards in windstorms. The lot next door to us is unbuilt and totally natural. Even though it is over an acre and a half, a tree falling in the middle of it almost caused roof damage to us--domino effect. One night one tree going down knocked down 3 others, the last one of which missed our roof by inches.
Well, I guess I got off on a tangent, but my point was that I love native plants, and most people aren't aware of what can be of great use in the yard. I keep a highbush cranberry hedge. And a willow stand separates the yard from the road (which attracts moose--good and bad)

I don't, but I wish I could reach more people to help them know what they have and to teach them what they SHOULD get rid of.

Here in the south, I have a theory that the reason people think natural vegetation is ugly is because what they usually see is NOT native stuff. The rural roadsides here are choked with privet and honeysuckle. It looks like a rats nest! Add to that the abundance of non-native weeds that infest any cleared areas (like the road shoulders) and is it any wonder that people think it looks bad. And that, my theory is, is what people consider "native vegetation".

So, double whammy: they falsely perceive non-native vegetation is native (one) and therefore they clear out what good stuff they may have and replace it with shrubs and trees from the big box stores (two). Unfortunately, the big box stores, while they do carry some natives for those of us that know how to recognize them, mostly push large volumes of non-native plants.

Then, there is the vicious circle: because everyone else is buying non-natives (burning bush, loropetalum, nandina, waxleaf ligustrum, etc.), the next round of shoppers go out and buy it as well. The copy cat mentality in full force.

I told one person they should plant natives just because it is more of a challenge!

Many people don't care about gardening. It is just one of the chores of homeownership that must be handled and "please just tell me what works with the least amount of effort on my part". They'd rather be shopping, watching TV or some other mindless act of consumerism.

Hi Elaine,
I'm in Monmouth County. What paper do you write for? I know I would pay more attention to a paper that would focus on natives and/or general gardening.

Sheila

i'm going to suggest to the local editor of the newspaper to have a native plant column. i'm not going to suggest that i write it, but i would if he insisted ;)

I have been writing articles for years for our nature center quarterly. I wrote for our local paper years back and I have written for our Adirondack chapter of NARGS.I am hoping to publish these and other articles.