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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I understand the biodiversity and habitat arguments. I really do.

I also don't [i]want[/i] a yard full of bees, and I don't care for the look of native gardens. I want a place for my kids to play and I like to grow vegetables. I am in a constant battle against my neighbors' ivy and creeper, which a yard full of native plants would just make it harder to keep in check.

So I get it ... but I don't do it. [/quote]

Then you don't actually understand the arguments.  A loss of bees and other pollinators would be catastrophic for everyone.  Where do you think your food comes from?  LOTS of food crops rely on pollinators, and the entire ecosystem relies on the food chain of insects and birds.  You don't do it because it's not pretty and you don't like bees.  You don't get it at all.  [/quote]

Do you only plant "native" vegetables too?[/quote]
That’s kind of a red herring in that when people decide to have a vegetable garden, they’re not usually displacing a lot of habitat, whereas the people who like their big, sterile monoculture lawns make the decision to have only plants like petunias and begonias similar. Things that offer absolutely zero nutrition or habitat to native birds, bees and other insects. And what’s more they argue about this, that it doesn’t matter that there’s no habitat, that it doesn’t matter that we’ve lost 70% of our birds, that none of this matters and no actions anyone takes will have an effect.

Also, in my experience, your average vegetable gardener is usually happy to plant native flowers in their yard since they understand that we’re part of a big web. Or at least not to ignorantly argue that there’s no value to it.[/quote]

Just pointing out that a lot of what we grow and eat is NOT native, so the native plant purists are generally being hypocritical about it.  And you're making a lot of generalizations here- I used to work at a garden center and there were plenty of people who bought a whole mix of everything- annuals, veggies, perennials, shrubs.  Sadly, the proliferation of Round-up in agriculture destroyed a whole lot more habitat than the home gardeners who only plant petunias.

And I say this as someone who has a veg garden, berries, many native plants, and some non-natives (caladium! the horror!).  Simply trying to shame people to convert their yard to a meadow is not helping your cause.[/quote]

I'm not sure the point you're making. Yes, a lot is not native but food plants are a bit different, imo. But, some are native, as you point out. (Big Agriculture/monofarming is a different story altogether).

I'm a big natives proponent. And, yes, I recognize that some folks are pretty militant but most people will agree you dont have to have 100% natives in your yard. I think even Tallamy says that you aim for 75% (I don't have the info in front of me but I'm in the ballpark, I believe). Though there is debate about that it's not like there is currently a hard scientific rule.

And I dont know any purist, however you're defining that, that uses round-up and the like. I know that we do not and, happily, if you plan your gardens right, we found you don't NEED it. Or any herbicides. We haven't used either in several years.

In short, what you characterize is hypocritical is really a subject of debate. But even if they're hypocrites, as you say, they can still be that and be right.[/quote]

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