Earth Day ... Lots of Smart People Out There

Earth Day image - courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art
(they just rock!)

If you get a bunch of gardeners and landscape designers in a single forum - and it happens to be "Earth Day", you are going to have a LOT of people weigh in on "do" and "don't" ideas.  There might not be a more passionate group of folks.  Not only do they believe in recycling, reducing landfills and not polluting - but they re-introduce "green plant matter" back into the environment.  They reduce lawns - and plant bigger gardens.  They restore natural habitat - like woodland areas, native prairies and plan xeriscapes.

IL Native Prairie - local Forest Preserve

I posted quite a diatribe in my last post, about "Sustainable Gardening", because the more I learn - the more important I feel it is.  Two key elements for me, in my gardens - as I am re-establishing them in the last 3 years - are (1) planting more Illinois Native Plants, and (2) not planting 'invasive plants' for my Cold Zone.   Just today I was reading an excellent post on the Gardens Eye View, "Innocent or Invader".  The author is also participating in an "Earth Day blog project", hosted by Sage Butterfly:  Earth Day Reading Project.  Jean, at Jean's Garden participated in the project as well - one of my favorite resources included in her post was Local Harvest / Farmers Market. The website includes a map of the US - that lists all the local produce businesses in your area.

Thanks to Garden Walk Garden Talk, I found a new garden blog that really caught my eye.  You may or may not be familiar with This Garden is Illegal, but I really appreciate the perspective of her Earth Day post.  I also just read a post from Patio Patch - she had some profound thoughts and great resources on the subject.  All these posts have many links to other garden bloggers and green initiatives.  Check it out!

Often, we don't look into the every day areas around us - Garden Talk Garden Walk put this recent post up:  Street Trees - How Sad.  Dakota Garden planned to change as much of her yard to garden as possible - you can check out her progress from the humble beginnings:  Making a Garden from a Yard.  Deep Middle always has compelling information about eco-issues and sustainable gardening:  Exhibit A-Z for Not Having a Lawn.  Here are a few other links with garden bloggers with something on their minds:  Fairegarden: Earth Day Rant, Wall Flower Studio Seeds: Happy Earth Day, Garden Daze: Earth Day Week - In Praise of Native Plants, and Mr. McGregor's Daughter: Save the Earth by Saving Open Space.

Garden Images at "The Bunnies Buffet" on a rainy "Earth Day 2011"

So on this rainy day in April - Earth Day 2011, Carpe diem.  The animals in my yard certainly are - Robins, Cardinals, to name a few, are in wet weather Heaven - pulling 'Scooby snacks' from the dirt.  One of the resident bunnies is hanging out under the bench - grooming itself as it begins to rain.  So, for a little ray of sunshine - let me post a quick shot or two of a blooming Hibiscus, an indoor plant that I just adore.