NEWS OFF THE CUFF
Planting Gardens wiłh a Conscience OFF THE CUFF WITH “PLANT-A-HOLIC” MARGARETE HARVEY
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BY VIRGINIA SMALL
argarete and David Harvey’s garden will be one of four gardens open for self-guided tours during The Garden Conservancy's Open Days program, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., August 28 and 29. Milwaukee Art Museum Garden Club volunteers are helping to coordinate and staff the tours. A retired landscape architect, Harvey has gardened for 27 years on 5.5 acres in Bayside. She is equally enthusiastic about public gardens and encouraging opportunities for young people to learn about plants and ecology.
HOW HAVE YOU APPROACHED YOUR GARDEN'S DESIGN? The only overall plan was to follow ecologist and author Aldo Leopold’s motto: “The oldest task in human history is to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.” We live on an exceptional piece of land with level ground above a wooded bluff leading to a large “meadow” overlooking Lake Michigan. So, I am greatly concerned about our environment and all the life forms supported by our little spot on Earth. I understand the “eco-anxiety” many children feel today as I observe events right outside my kitchen window, such as decreases in birds and insects. Or when I see clear-cutting of trees, which invites invasive species to take over, or practices that harm Lake Michigan.
WHAT ARE SOME SUSTAINABLE GARDENING PRACTICES YOU USE? All rainwater that falls on our property stays here, through collection and infiltration. We compost all leaves and brush or otherwise recycle it on site. We bring in lots of cow manure and compost every year to keep building healthy soil. We use chemicals minimally and only on hardscaped areas. I also focus on attracting and protecting native wildlife, for maximum plant and habitat diversity. We have a frog pond, bat 16 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS
boxes, bird feeders and houses, plants for pollinators and butterflies, insect boxes, and a brush pile for habitat. In summer, I raise Monarch butterflies from eggs found in the prairie.
WHAT WILL VISITORS SEE IN YOUR GARDEN? My ornamental garden has evolved on the level ground surrounding our midcentury modern home designed by Fitzhugh Scott. Apart from one somewhat formal space (with an Oval Garden and two waterlily fishponds), I have carved out island beds wherever a tree had succumbed to age, lightning or disease. The lawn shrinks every year and is “full of weeds,” because dandelions, creeping Charlie and clover produce valuable nectar for insects. I am a “plant-a-holic,” so there are plant collections in pots, such as tropicals, orchids and succulents. Most unusual perennials and woody plants will be labeled. We've mostly kept the wooded bluff intact and reintroduced many native plants. This is my place for “forest bathing,” where I listen to the birds. We added two stone staircases totaling 143 steps—my daily workout. The “meadow,” part of the ancient Nipissing Terrace, was overrun by invasive plants and needed the most attention. I've created prairie beds there, replaced many black locusts with various native trees, and installed woodland walks to observe understory plants. I also experiment with no-mow grasses and we have a rustic gathering place overlooking the lake.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO HELP LAUNCH LANDSCAPE-RELATED COMMUNITY EFFORTS HERE? My father and great-grandfather were mayors of their respective tiny communities in northern Germany, so maybe it's hereditary. I also had gotten involved in volunteer
Photography by Virginia Small.
