• Ask Mark
    • Search the Library
    • Mark’s Blog
    • eNewsletter / Subscribe
    • Books
    • Links
  • Home Hardware Mark’s Choice
    • New Products
    • Hand Tools
    • Cutting Tools
    • Boots and Gloves
    • Hose and Watering Accessories
    • Bird Feeders and Bird Seed
    • Container Gardening
    • Seeds and Bulbs
    • Plant Supports
    • Gardening Accessories
  • CIL Iron Plus
    • C-I-L Iron Plus Lawn Fertilizers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Gardening Communities
  • About Mark
    • Mark and Ben’s Bio
    • Book Mark as a Speaker
    • Mark in the Media
    • Contact Us
July 20, 2016

Gardening for Biodiversity

Excerpted from The New Canadian Garden, $19.99, 2016, Mark Cullen. All rights reserved. Published by Dundurn Press.

Chapter 2: Gardening for Biodiversity

I was taught differently. The idea of a great-looking garden in the view of father, a professional gardener in his own right, had little to do with my vision of a dream garden. My wife, Mary, and I were discussing the possibilities of moving to the country when I made the commend that creating my dream garden would be reason enough for me to make the move. “Well, it is a field of soy beans, so go nuts,” she responded, in reference to the country escape just a few kilometres up the road from our suburban property, the place where we raised our four children.

My father had a rather traditional view of beauty, where garden were concerned: trimmed hedges, tamed evergreens (sometimes in the shape of animals), and a lot of 2,4D herbicide on the lawn to control dandelions. Indeed, we live in a different time now, but over the years I have embraced the changes of this moving target that is a “beautiful” garden.

When I was planning my 10-acre garden in 2005, I made it a priority to seek out plants that would attract hummingbirds, songbirds, and butterflies.  Other pollinators would simply follow, as my criteria for plant selection did not exclude the bees or myriad other pollinating insects.  I mix native and non-native species in my garden with the hopes of attracting a wide variety of creatures.  There’s room for both.

Read more in The New Canada Garden, available at book stores and Home Hardware.

July20_blog

← Previous post
From Seed to Table

Next post →
The Community Garden

Search

Recent Posts

  • Around the Acres This Week February 2, 2021
  • Around the Acres This Week January 11, 2021
  • Around the Acres This Week December 9, 2020
  • Around the Acres this Week November 2, 2020

Mark’s Blog by Month

Ask Mark

  • eNewsletter
  • Radio/Podcast
  • Magazine article
  • Newspaper column
  • TV

Recent Tweets

Mark CullenFollow

Mark Cullen
1 Mar

The March issue of Gardening with Mark and Ben is available now. https://conta.cc/3b1Bcn2

Reply on Twitter 1366391953886240768Retweet on Twitter 13663919538862407682Like on Twitter 136639195388624076812
25 Feb

Make sure you check out Toronto's Virtual Seedy Saturday coming up this weekend, complete with a very impressive roster of events http://seedysaturday.ca/toronto/ #seedysaturday

Reply on Twitter 1365024629199433728Retweet on Twitter 13650246291994337283Like on Twitter 13650246291994337288
24 Feb

This week we're talking front yard gardening, and a review of @thatTaraNolan 's new book on the topic https://www.thestar.com/life/homes/2021/02/23/heres-how-to-grow-your-front-yard-garden.html

Reply on Twitter 1364412643856031747Retweet on Twitter 136441264385603174711Like on Twitter 136441264385603174721
20 Feb

Thanks so much, Niki. We are enjoying podcasts more and more all the time - honoured that Green File made the list. Great stuff here.

Reply on Twitter 1362954664359133185Retweet on Twitter 1362954664359133185Like on Twitter 13629546643591331857

Comments are closed.

About Mark and Ben


Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author & broadcaster and holds the Order of Canada. His son Ben is a fourth-generation urban gardener and graduate of Guelph and Dalhousie University.
More

Find Mark On

Sponsored Links

Highway of Heroes cullensfoods Share Agriculture Foundation Harrowsmith
© Mark Cullen. Go to top ↑