NATURALLY SPEAKING
A NAME, ANYTHING FOR A NAME
I never realized how hard it was to set up and run a business! I have
completely come to a dead end for a name. It should be a keyword such as
natural, trees, forest, native or integrated. All winter we have been
bantering and pondering. As fast as I think of a good name ¨C everyone votes
it down.
Desperation has set in. I saw on television on PBS during brain week that to
unleash your creative side of your brain you are your creative best just after
a cat nap or after doing brain games. So I have taken to short naps and brain
games ¨C but to no use. Still no nursery name.
We have totally envisioned what the nursery will be like. If I had listened
to my friends eons ago, it would have been so much easier. They have always
suggested that I need to explain and show the wildlife value of our trees and
shrubs. To go for an integrated, natural approach.
Well, they are right. Our whole property is a huge, living, teaching
classroom. For example, we have planted many hop and prickly ash trees,
thanks to Harry, and now we have the endangered giant swallowtail reproducing
and living here. And there are so many more interconnected life cycles we
purposely encouraged and have truly enjoyed watching them grow and prosper.
Elm and eastern cottonwoods are a link to northern orioles, spicebush is for
the spicebush swallowtail butterfly, pipevine for the pipevine swallowtail
butterfly, mulberries attract eastern bluebirds and the cherries encourage
northern cardinals.
Here is where the integrated natural approach for our nursery comes into play.
Just because you hang out a “Welcome” sign for wildlife because you plant
beneficial trees and shrubs does not mean they will stay and call your place
home. You must nurture and sustain these creatures by supplying suitable
housing and supplemental food. Again, the property sports housing and feeders
that work.
So along with planting materials, we will offer only tested and beneficial
items such as bluebird boxes, wood duck boxes, butterfly feeder plants and
larval (caterpillar) plants, bird feeders and food.
The public will be able to see these items in action and know how that product
works. To me, my life journey has brought me to the place where I am
encouraging people to walk as softly as possible on this Earth. No one should
discount their backyard or property as having no wildlife appeal or value. We
can all give nature and wildlife a helping hand by creating inviting habitat
for local/migratory creatures and birds.
Well, I thought by the end of this article my creative juices would be flowing
and a nursery name would have come to me. NOTHING.
Till next time.
MARION ROBERTSON