I do think there’s value in deadheading during the growing season, provided there’s some time left for another flowering to occur and the trimmings are left to break down whole - this can provide additional harborage and spread seed to new potential garden areas while also providing a new food source. If either of those conditions can’t be met then leave them standing.
We definitely got some pushback on our “unkempt” gardens when we first bought our house and began redoing the landscaping, but talking about “winter interest” in landscaping and sharing articles from gardening publications and resources in our area really helped to bridge the gap of understanding with our neighbors. I encourage folks to find resources from their areas like botanical gardens or horticultural departments of universities if they’re concerned about the possible social cost of implementing this in their spaces.
Great article, thanks for sharing it!
I do think there’s value in deadheading during the growing season, provided there’s some time left for another flowering to occur and the trimmings are left to break down whole - this can provide additional harborage and spread seed to new potential garden areas while also providing a new food source. If either of those conditions can’t be met then leave them standing.
We definitely got some pushback on our “unkempt” gardens when we first bought our house and began redoing the landscaping, but talking about “winter interest” in landscaping and sharing articles from gardening publications and resources in our area really helped to bridge the gap of understanding with our neighbors. I encourage folks to find resources from their areas like botanical gardens or horticultural departments of universities if they’re concerned about the possible social cost of implementing this in their spaces.