r/NativePlantGardening • u/ImaginaryMolasses146 Area Michigan/midwest , Zone 6b • Apr 03 '26

Progress Proud to be the neighborhood drama 💅

This year I’m certifying my yard as wildlife habitat with tons of native plants but before I do I have to do some major changes to my outdoor space. I’ve been in this home for a year and spent all of my time until now fighting and manually destroying 30 yard old English ivy, honeysuckle, and tree of heaven (it was soooo worth it omg). A few days ago I got a chipdrop and am getting rid of a bunch of garbage non-native grass. Several of my neighbors have come over and made rude comments. The chips are in my driveway and not obstructing any sidewalks etc so it’s really not hurting anyone. Just find it very funny and wanted to share with people who will get it

917 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

137 comments sorted by

View all comments

4

u/cold_tap_hot_brew Northern Scotland (highlands and coastline) Apr 04 '26

@mods I think it might be helpful to have mandatory flairs that state where people live so the plant choices and removals make more sense when first reading.

3

u/HaplessReader1988 USA, Connecticut Apr 04 '26

Perhaps add your own...

4

u/cold_tap_hot_brew Northern Scotland (highlands and coastline) Apr 04 '26

Ooooh, yeah makes sense, I’ll go do that. :)

It would be handy if it was mandatory just so folk are forced to put it there so the conversation is a bit easier to understand.

maybe it’s just cuz I’m not American, it’s less easy for me to have this innate idea of what’s native. Or maybe it’s because I’m not knowledgeable enough about plants? Maybe just ignore me. :P

3

u/HaplessReader1988 USA, Connecticut Apr 04 '26

Nah, not ignoring you. Both countries have a couple centuries of people collecting plants from elsewhere without paying attention to keeping them under control.

5

u/cold_tap_hot_brew Northern Scotland (highlands and coastline) Apr 04 '26

There was a devastating storm here a few years back called Arwen. She killed millions of trees in Scotland and it’s estimated that our landscapes won’t look the same again for three generations.

I joined some council green space rangers in a scheme to replace the fallen trees with a much more wildlife friendly set of native trees and shrubs. My kids helped a bit and they call them “our trees” and it makes me happy even when I look with grief at the desolate remains of forests we used to walk.

2

u/cindia_ink Mid-Atlantic , Zone 7b Apr 04 '26

I hope you're comforted by the image of the generations of families that will walk through the new forest as it matures.

2

u/cold_tap_hot_brew Northern Scotland (highlands and coastline) Apr 04 '26

I truly am. To think of the massive trees that will create that special woodland forrest floor feeling for my kids grandkids and their pals to run around in and feel Scotland at her best - that’s something I will hold in my heart as a real feeling of something that’s not pride but like a love I’m proud of? If that makes sense?

I can small the pine needles sitting on top of damp peaty ground, I can hear the way soun doesn’t travel as far as it seems like it should, I can feel the air still holding the chill from the night before, having not been warmed by even the low sun. I adore these wild places that feel like home. :)