The Grapevine was a column in the Wild Ones Journal written by Maryann Whitman between 2002 and 2015.
Maryann refers to her bachelor of arts degree and her graduate work in psychology as her misspent youth. When she came to her senses, she went back to read biology, botany, chemistry, physics, and ecology and has not yet stopped. She discovered Wild Ones in 1995 and was the founding president of the Oakland Chapter (MI) of Wild Ones in 1999.
Something to think about: Benefits of a messy yard Winter is months away, but since we may not be able to afford a November/December issue of the Journal, this seems like a good time to mention some fall caretaking strategies for our native plantings. Here are some things to think about: Remember that what you […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (Sept 2005)"
Protests of Roadside Spraying Marilyn Logue, president of the Columbus (OH) Chapter tells us that residents of Ohio are writing letters to the Ohio Department of Transportation requesting that ODOT consider using brush cutters along state routes to control brush growth for highway safety. ODOT has been using a herbicide containing triethylamine to control brush […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (July 2005)"
Imagine Imagine all the most searing yellows from Van Gogh’s sunflowers, the most sumptuously gorgeous reds and oranges of O’Keefe’s poppies, and the smoky blues and magentas made familiar by Monet’s water lilies. Spread these colors over a landscape as far as the eye can see. Hold tight to that image in your mind while […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (May 2005)"
Water You Gonna Do About It? In 1917, during World War I, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill which reads, in part, “… all waters within the state belong to the public, and any right thereto, or to the use thereof, shall be hereafter acquired only by appropriation for a beneficial use and in […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (Mar 2005)"
Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Functioning In a study that mimicked the natural order of species loss in a grassland ecosystem, researchers found that declining biodiversity greatly reduced resistance to invasive species, and that the presence of even small numbers of rare species had profound functional effects. The results have important implications for understanding the biodiversity […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (Jan 2005)"
Something Extraordinary This following simple recipe for killing weeds is being presented in prose form because I’d like you to read the entire text to make sure you get the rest of the story. This recipe goes as follows: 1 gallon white vinegar; 1 pound table salt; 1 tablespoon liquid dish-washing soap. Mix together and […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (Nov 2004)"
Some twenty years or more ago, I was touring the Ann Arbor (MI) Flower Show, which, at the time, was like the State Fair of Horticulture. My feet were tired, and I needed to sit down, when I saw a board advertising the three o’clock talk “on wildflowers.” The speakers were a husband and wife […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (July 2004)"
We Are Not Alone “The field of landscape design is changing, becoming more sensitive to the environment. The traditional American lawn – just ‘mow, blow and go,’ using chemical fertilizers and lots of water to keep it green – is being gobbled up by plantings of ornamental grasses; native plants are replacing bulbous shrubs.” This […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (May 2004)"
