“Green” has traditionally been used to symbolize nature and its embodied attributes, namely those of life, fertility, and rebirth. It is often used to describe foliage and has, of late, become a symbol of environmentalism. The spring world is now painting that picture of green: Fresh green shoots and blooms coloring our world anew after months of dormancy. Just in time for Earth Day!
Today, April 22, is Earth Day and the 40th anniversary of the US Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. In the spring of 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to “force this issue onto the national agenda.” 20 million Americans demonstrated in different US cities and it has become an annual celebration. To learn more about Earth Day and the EPA, visit the EPA website. Celebrate by planting a garden, pledging to leave your car at home two days a week, or click here to learn about other Earth Day activities in your area. It’s easy to make a difference.
Many see the garden and landscape industry as green, and it is, for the most part. Planting trees, shrubs and other garden staples has its benefits. The American Forestry Association has estimated the economic and environment benefits of one tree at $57,000 over its lifetime. The American Nursery and Landscape Association says that, over a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air-pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil control.
It is possible to get even “greener” in this green industry. Many larger retail outlets ship their plant materials in from all over the North American continent. The shipping, whether by air or truck, adds a decidedly ungreen aspect to the outdoor beautification process. To combat this, we at Ideas in Bloom buy the overwhelming majority of our plants locally.
Our favorite perennial wholesaler, Van Berkum Nursery, is located in Deerfield, NH. The van Berkum family has been growing native perennials since 1987 and they propagate 75% of all the plants they grow through extensive work with cuttings, seed, division and root cuttings. They have a well equipped propagation facility that produces starter plants for them 10 months of the year.
Our preferred annual distributer is Pleasant View Gardens in Pembroke and Loudon, NH. Also a family operation, the Huntington family moved from their five-generation family farm in Connecticut to New Hampshire in 1976 with the goal of revolutionizing a wholesale floriculture operation in New England. They recently have eliminated more than 1/3 of their oil consumption and remain focused on maintaining a sustainable operation.
Ideas in Bloom remains committed to buying locally and from sustainable growers. We will always be looking for new ways to make our operations more eco-friendly. What will your commitment be this Earth Day?
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