springcolor said:Meredith,
You have some very valid points and I too am not sure about some of the new plants coming out. You sure do paint a bleak picture of our environment although much of it may be true or not. Many things contribute to the decline of bees and birds. We could get in a debate about many of your concerns. However, my intention in writing this article was not to start a debate on environmental issues just showing a new plant on the market. All of this is my own time consuming observations and pictures.
I did say will we love it or not so I guess your vote is a not. Yes, it does look like a Gaillardia as do the other flowers in the asteraceace family with over 20,000 species within that family.
Well I'm not a huge fan of the colors so yes I guess my vote is a no. I am not saying anyone shouldn't have plants like this, or that it's the reason for bee decline. I honestly think the use of insecticides, herbicides and GMOs are the biggest problem for our bees and butterflies and even birds, but like you I don't want to start a debate. Just hoping to plant the seed into peoples minds that haven't weighed the benefits of having plants that benefit wildlife, and that it benefits the wildlife if the sterile hybrids aren't the bulk of our gardens. I think hybrids are great specifically in a case where the seeding could be excessive like with say Rose of Sharon. I've always wanted one but I am worried I will have a million seedlings to contend with. In that case a sterile hybrid would be awesome. Or another one is sterile butterfly bushes, so people that live in areas where they are invasive can still have them. In this case replacing Coneflowers and Rubeckias, that is kind of a big deal for birds since they love the coneflower seeds.
I notice you are in Washington State, I'm sure you have much more undisturbed areas than we do here in the crowded northeast. In the last 10 years I've lived in my town, I've watched acres upon acres being cleared to put up shopping centers with huge parking lots or large housing complexes that have barely any plants aside from grass. Meanwhile I see signs like 38+ acres available all over the place. When all this land us sold I am afraid of what my town will be like. A lot of these areas I used to drive by and admire how they were like large meadows full of different plants and milkweeds. I also notice people send in thumbs down comments to newspapers saying that the town leaving highway medians un-mowed is awful and how it should be kept mowed. I believe the opposite. I was upset when I saw them mowing down all the milkweeds and other wildflowers. I haven't had a northward bound Monarch in my Monarch weigh station in 2 years! If we keep everything neat and mowed how will wildlife continue to survive, if all we allow to grow are sterile trees and mowed lawns. I'm sorry to be a downer, I just like to get people thinking about issues I find important. Hope they will find them important too.
