With all of the clear benefits — to humans, to wildlife and to the environment — of wildscaping, why doesn’t everyone adopt these practices? Well, there are plenty of obstacles that stand in the way. One of the purposes of this site i`s to talk frankly about those challenges and provide resources for meeting and beating them.
I’ll start by naming some of the things that keep people from going this route with their properties, and, over time, I’ll detail what I’ve discovered to help allay these concerns.
Why not Wildscape?
- Fire hazards. How can you leave leaves and fallen branches while abiding by best practices for preventing wildfires? Are Ashe Junipers (aka Cedars) hazardous to keep around?
- Homeowners/Property Owners’ Associations’ restrictions. It may not be the case in other states, but in Texas, HOAs and POAs are incredibly powerful. What do you do if your neighborhood requires you to maintain a park-like lawn and use water-hogging plants?
- “It just isn’t as pretty….” If your idea of a beautiful landscape has been formed entirely by lawns in England or by what’s in the aisles at your local big box store garden center, you may think a native garden less than aesthetically pleasing. Thankfully, native landscapes can be gorgeous!
- Pest control. Leaving leaves where they fall gives insects a place to live, and putting out food for birds can attract rodents. How do you reconcile this with a desire for a native landscape?