The Four Ecologically Crucial Things You Should Do in Your Garden

Each time I’m asked a question about some aspect of ecological horticulture, I hear another question triggered in my head:

What would Doug do?

My answer-formulating thought process starts by pondering that.

“Doug” is Douglas W. Tallamy, the entomologist and University of Delaware professor who is co-founder of Homegrown National Park, an educational nonprofit. Perhaps no other contemporary figure has done more to introduce gardeners to the intimate connections between plants and animals imperiled by the biodiversity crisis, and propose actions we can take. Dr. Tallamy’s core exhortation, starting with “Bringing Nature Home,” his 2007 breakthrough book: Add native plants, and remove invasive ones.