Neighbor Brings Nature to the Village
What are you called to do when it feels like the world is coming apart?
Crown Hill neighbor Elizabeth felt down about the state of the planet and found herself asking this question. She wanted to live in a wild place and was grieving her city life. Then the WA Native Plant Society’s newsletter introduced her to Douglas Tallamy’s book Nature’s Best Hope.
Participating in nature is healing.
Nature’s Best Hope is for us all to believe that we are a part of nature. We are designed to be immersed in nature – nature isn’t something that belongs “over there” in the city park or state park or national park. We humans are nature.
Tallamy encourages us city-dwellers to invite nature to come to us. The book gave Elizabeth something to DO. In her state of despair, she found something constructive to help her deal with her worries. She answered the call to be a steward of this planet. “Anyone, everyone, can do this, even in the city” Elizabeth said. “Inviting nature into our cityscapes is a way of building a better world even as some parts of our world seem to be falling apart.” She encourages us all to nurture what is life-giving because that “nourishes our souls and grows hope for the beautiful tomorrow that will surely come as fully as we believe in it.”
We belong to nature and it belongs to all of us,
Right here in our homes and yards.
Elizabeth started planting native species in her own yard – watching with excitement as she observed new insects and birds visiting her garden.
An important practical step was learning where to buy plants. Elizabeth discovered the two best sources: King County Conservation District annual plant sale and WA Native Plant Society (WNPS) plant sales. She learned that WNPS in Mt. Vernon is usually the most robust sale.
She is called to share this inspiration with the community.
Learn more on Monday night at the garden meeting!
- Sign up for a book club to read Nature’s Best Hope.
- Discuss where to buy plants.
- Create a plan to share seeds and cutting.
- Share information about the how and why to plant native species
- Plan work parties to plant in strips of right of way next to roadways and in front of each others houses.
- Go on bird walks.