New garden project update

[@erinr8994]

Love your meadow garden. Stick with it. Your neighbors and wife need to get with the program 😊

[@Jem544]

Thanks for the comment. I appreciate the kind words 😊

[@cdecesarenisky]

Nice work. I hope you keep the one your neighbor complained about. You could compare and contrast the two areas you showed us in future videos. I would really appreciate such a comparison. Thanks for your videos 👍

[@Jem544]

Thanks for the kind words 🙂

[@felinespirits]

When we were moving a few years back, into what would be our retirement home, #1 on my list was "NO HOA". Ended up in a rural area with neighbors who wouldn't even think of telling me what to do on my property. I let my back basically grow wild for a few years just to see what would come up, lol. So many natives, makes my heart sing.

[@Jem544]

That sounds great. I'd ultimately like to move further out into the country.

[@awildapproach]

Can’t wait to see the new bed once you’ve filled it in. It’s going to be beautiful with that redbud as a centerpiece.☺️

[@Jem544]

I'm excited too! Thanks for the comment

[@awildapproach]

I love the meadow garden. They need to see the butterflies and then they’ll see why the meadow is vital.

[@Jem544]

Thank you. Unfortunately, it's not easy to get people to change...

[@kristopherfante9646]

I think if you would have removed the lawn and planted a bunch of Little Bluestem and Prairie Dropseed grasses it would have looked a little more tidy. But it still looks pretty good. The heck with the neighbors! 😁👍🏻

[@Jem544]

You're probably right....

[@briangay8315]

I like the meadow portion of your yard - I’ve encouraged my parents to do the same at their home in a suburban neighborhood outside of Boston. Ordinances like the one you described can be a problem for these projects but I’m glad the township official was understanding. Your neighbors might just need more education on why the yard looks like that - as you said, it’s not neglect it’s intentional for ecological purposes. It would be great if all suburban yards left one section wild for wildlife. Maybe you could host a garden tour/party and use it as an opportunity to provide education? The idea might take off. While it’s considerate of you to reconsider having it, in the end it’s your property - although I’m not advising you go against your wife’s wishes; that could be more trouble than it’s worth!

[@Jem544]

Thanks for the comment and the feedback / suggestions I appreciate it.

[@kadams9738]

If you fence your pocket prairie maybe your neighbours will see that it is intentional and it will look tidier from their point of view.

[@Jem544]

We thought about that.

[@kadams9738]

Fencing and otherwise marking off my planting beds helps my dog and other family members understand they are not to walk and/or play in those areas. A few accidents - like breaking off a newly planted purple flowering raspberry shrub that grew back the next year - but it helps. So far no complaints from neighbours.

[@wild-rainbows]

Really love your channel. Thank you for providing such wonderful information and content on gardening with native plants! I had a question about whether you use any organic interventions at all when it comes to invasive and nonnative insects. Currently Japanese beetles are wreaking havoc on my purple coneflowers (eating both foliage and flower petals). We are obviously against the use of pesticides, but wondering if there are other measures we can take to minimize damage. Thanks in advance!

[@Jem544]

Thanks for the comment. I don't use anything other than using soapy water to drown the Japanese beetles in

[@camerondillon8518]

I just found your channel and I’m interested in Eastern Red Cedars, so I was wondering if you could give an update on how yours have done this year? Keep up the good work!

[@Jem544]

I will thanks

[@the_ghost_of_teddy_perkins]

Good luck with the new garden. Can't wait to see an update on it in the future. Do you use or have any recommendations on plant id apps for phones?

[@Jem544]

Thanks. I've seen the app plantsnap but I've never used it. I mainly use books still. I might give it a try though.

[@the_ghost_of_teddy_perkins]

@@Jem544 Thanks! Any book recommendations then? Lol

[@Jem544]

@@the_ghost_of_teddy_perkins I would recommend a good field guide like Audobon. Also there's a good one by Roger Tory Peterson.

[@marky3131]

Sorry to hear you were going to eliminate the prairie area. I get that the wife and some neighbors didn’t like it. Wife is the biggest consideration but hate to see the neighbors win. Keep in mind we listen too much to the noisy minority (not ur wife!)

[@Jem544]

Thanks... sadly, I think you're right.

[@marky3131]

@@Jem544 not criticizing your decision by the way. No doubt it was difficult. My wife is from Italy so she loves formal. It’s always a compromise as I move my gardens toward native plants. I remind her the design is what makes a garden formal not the plants. I enjoy your channel.

[@Jem544]

@@marky3131 Thanks. I was in italy a couple of years ago. Their gardens are amazing like everything else...