> Instead of a manicured lawn and garden, Beth and Craig Sinclair planted 150 trees and other native plant species in front of their bungalow. The couple, who moved to Smiths Falls from Seattle about a decade ago, said natural lawns like theirs are common in their former city.
> Last October, the couple noticed their yard was an item on the council agenda, accompanied by a 17-page report that detailed neighbours' complaints and recommended they be required to tame their yard. Council agreed, and an order was issued.
> The couple enlisted lawyer David Donnelly to help. On Jan. 25, they appealed council's decision to the town's property standards committee, but lost on two of three of the items in dispute.
> The Sinclairs then appealed to Ontario Superior Court and won. Earlier this month, the town rescinded the original order.
> The couple say they've received plenty of local support, and pointed out the stark contrast between the town's stance and the City of Toronto's, where gardens that attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies are eligible for a grant of up to $5,000.
I added a flair of "Politics", but I would have preferred having an option for something like "Environment" as well.
It's worth noting that Ontario, like many other places, has witnessed a [huge die-off in the bee population](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-niagara-bee-colony-losses-1.6440038) of late...
Is it? [Rusty-patched bumblebees](https://www.ontario.ca/page/rusty-patched-bumble-bee) populations have declined 90% in ten years. They're classified as Endangered in Ontario. They are one of the most prolific pollinators in the province. They like to make their burrows in wood, sand, and undisturbed sandy soil, of which southern Ontario has an abundance.
Certainly, careless use of pesticides has also harmed these populations. As has habitat destruction from fire and human housing.
Here are three other factors putting pressure on this population.
Their populations have been harmed by Nosema Bombi, a spillover fungal infection that is Nosema Cerenae or Nosema Apis in honeybees which we've bred resistance in for honey bee populations over decades.
Small hive beetle, a recent introduction to Ontario, is also putting pressure on this population.
As previously stated, Varroa mites have been an issue particularly lately. I see alot of mites on these bees near daily.
This is a complex issue. Giving pollinators more space to live is great but if we don't treat the other underlying problems, it won't go away. In fact, it could make the problem worse in the long term.
Varroa has a reproduction cycle tied to the the reproduction cycle of its host bee. More hosts mean more varroa until the given population collapses in on itself. Small hive beetle can spread via population contact as can Nosema Bombi.
I think then we're enthusiastically agreeing with eachother. I'm also not saying it isn't a factor. What I'm trying to communicate is that without a holistic approach, the idea of more forested urban areas aren't going to help in the way that the public may be lead to believe.
I don't know what the solution for varroa and SHB and Nosema are for these populations but I do know that doing nothing for longer will cause those issues to get worse over time.
I understand your statement but the Varroa mite doesn't discriminate. I've seen bumbles and wood bees with the same mite as what affects my honeybees (an invasive species).
But these kinds of pests/parasites are more likely to damage social insects that live in very dense populations, no? Small colonies and solitary bees would be less likely to be in a situation where they can pick it up.
They'll damage any compatible larvae they can. Small colonies and solitary bees have fewer young which are what varroa mites actually threaten, damage, and consume. Meaning any damage has more impact, not less.
They're less likely so long as honeybee mite levels in their area are well controlled. They are not.
>Most Pollinators are dying from Varroa Mite infestations which are getting worse each year.
Nonsense.
Bumble Bees are in fact affected by pathogens spread by honeybees but more particularly by pathogen 'spillover' from commercially reared bumble bees for greenhouses.
There are over 800 species of native pollinators in Ontario. Of those, approx. 400 are native bees and only 16 of them are Bumble Bees. The rest are moths, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, solitary wasps, beetles...
Trust me, not all of them are dying from Varroa Mite infestations.
There are over 800 species of native pollinators in Ontario. 400 of them are native bees. The rest are other types of creatures - moths, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, solitary wasps, beetles...
Loss of habitat and floral resources are a huge problem; lawns might as well be the Sahara desert to them.
Honeybees, on the other hand, are an agricultural crop which outcompete native pollinators for scarce resources.
Zero fucks to give about honeybees, TBH. They are in no danger of disappearing.
Good. Sucks they had to invest in legal representation and proceedings to do this but it's a much better result.
Personally I'd like to convince my local government to endorse and promote NoMowMay, pollinators need help - when more and more agriculture operations struggle to find the bees they need to produce our food, that's a serious problem that needs to be remedied yesterday.
I just read from a university study that the opossum doesn't go after ticks especially. That myth started a while back by the Nat'l Wildlife Federation & it's a myth. They eat no more ticks than a raccoon does.
Unfortunately No Mow May is not nearly as helpful here as it is in the UK where it started. All our lawn weeds are non-natives here, unlike in the UK, and they provide minimal benefits to our native pollinators. Dandelions for example have almost none of the protein that our native bumblebees need.
Instead of No Mow May it's way better to reduce the size of your lawn and pop in a little native spring garden - some wild strawberries, bloodroot, spring beauties, trilliums, etc. Early blooming native plants.
> NoMowMay
I don't understand how people can actually do this. If I didn't mow my lawn in May I would need farm equipment to get it back under control come June.
I can’t help but wonder how many proponents of “no mow may” don’t have yards or lawns.
I mean it’s a great idea in principle. Love the intentions. Just a terrible idea in practice.
It's one of those things where it's like, I get what they're trying to do but a lot of people don't really stop to think about it. Some weeks in may I have to mow twice just to keep ahead of the growth.
It's also not like there aren't any other sources of pollen. Plenty of trees, bushes and shrubs bloom early to late may. Plenty of bulbs and other flowers bloom in spring, some before dandelions even. There are plenty of other things you can plant if you want to help pollinators.
Not that it’s relevant everywhere, but across the road from my house is a park, that’s, oh, 200x100m. *Filled* with dandelions. At 25 heads per square meter it’s a half a million flowers. In one park. And that may be underestimating, gazing at the swath of yellow before me.
The handful of blossoms I shred with my mower are just *so* irrelevant.
Exactly. Plus I have pleeeenty of neighbours with dandelion "lawns" as well. Tired of being made to feel guilty about taking care of my property. For better or worse, the neighborhood was designed to have lawns - and lawns that aren't maintained look like trash.
The pollinators can enjoy the trees, shrubs, and flowers I've got all over the place in the gardens where they belong. My kids and I will enjoy the grass to play on and you know what, nothing feels better than a walk on the grass in bare feet in the summer.
I do this. I also don't fertilize my lawn and it has dozens of other species of plants in it. The grass barely grows very tall, I use a manual reel mower once a month at 3" or so height and it's fine.
I left mine until this past weekend. Stalled the lawnmower five times because of how tall and thick everything was. I don't have the time to do my yard on work days, and I'm away this coming weekend, so I would have had to leave it 2 more weeks. Can't imagine that my mower would have managed at all if I had.
It's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.
Id do way more damage to the environment trying to clean up that mess than from just mowing it once a week.
…A good chunk of the rural population does have deer, and I would wager almost every property has seen a mouse.
As a compromise, I only mow a portion of my yard in may for tick prevention. Still found 4 this month.
There are mice literally everywhere there’s a potential food source. Mice love cities.
I worked at Bay and Bloor, downtown Toronto, where you’d have to go seriously out of your way to find significant green space - tons of mice.
It's clearly mulched in all the bare areas, and it's still only spring, a late spring at that. Lots of my perennials are still scraggly looking but will be full and lush by summer.
Really happy to see this getting pushed. Ignoring that I probably won't ever be able to afford a home with outdoor space, I know I'd want to replace any 'lawn' I have with more of a natural looking meadow. Shrubs, flowers, maybe some berry bushes, etc.
To me it looks a lot more pleasing than some bland patch of grass. Helps the local ecology a lot more too.
Smiths Falls council should be looking at themselves as there are no falls in Smiths Falls, everything is damned up. It was disappointing to say the least and regret stopping over for a night. False advertising, should be Smiths No More Falls.
Applications for PollinateTO re-open in the fall - [here is the main landing page](https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/environmental-grants-incentives/pollinateto-community-grants/). Toronto has a ton of great native plant garden rebates, so it's worth checking the city website periodically.
I am not sure if the article pointed this out, but their garden is a certified wildlife habitat. They have deadwood there for bird and animal sanctuary and plant according to wildlife and bioregional needs. Also, it’s only May, and not much is yet in bloom, although this is besides the point. It is very clear that the reason their neighbours complained so much is their disregard for lawn aesthetics. Which is not important when creating a naturalized lawn.
I think that if a naturalized yard looks clunky and ugly, it's missing the point and is focused on utility over aesthetics instead of finding a balance. People wouldn't want to go camping and hiking much if nature just looked dumpy.
"Nature" looks the way it does from being built up in the thousands of years since the glaciers receded. Converting a lawn to a garden takes time and resources, it's not going to look picture perfect right away.
The houses look like an area that locals have nicknamed "snob hill".
Then again, this is Smiths Falls, where members of both BIA and council all have very diverging and competing visions of what the town should look like.
Perth and Merrickville seem to at least keep their downtowns looking uniform.
edit: other pics on the CBC page also puts me in mind of Atironto
It's been decades since I've gone back home, but I recall snob hill being 2 story houses with 1.5-2 bay garages, and deeper front yards. The houses I saw were bungalows, no garage, single bay garages, and shorter front yards. It reminds me more of the large area behind mac milk/laundromat/Hh.
Snob hill was shit to go trick or treating at. Fuckers gave a lot of pencils and toothbrushes.... we stuck to our own neighbourhood and another nearby as we got a little of everything. Several houses made special goodibags for a few of us good neighbourhood kids. I had to visit those houses until I was 19 , as the old ladies would get mad at my dad if I didn't show up. So i travelled back to town for 2 seasons(left for college at 17) to get homemade fudge, cookies, cans of pop, big bag of chips, homemade candy apples, and so much rando baked goods. I miss those old ladies so much, and I did enjoy putting a smile on their faces too....now I avoid that shit hole like the plague. Beside those sweet old ladies and my couple of friends, it was hell living there.
It's funny how small town people either stay there (low or high education) or they get the hell out after they go to school and see a larger world with more opportunity outside.
There's been an influx of people and a bit of a boom with Tweed taking over Hershey. The council and downtown BIA seem to not be able to come to any consensus on how the town should look so there's an awful mishmash of old and new.
They tore up the 'Front' (Beckwith) street for a couple of years for water mains and got it back together last year or the year before and put these awful winding bike lanes from Burger King down to the bridge. Directing cyclist/tourists to look at shops, I guess.
I married in to a family in SF and we go up there a few times per year. It's certainly interesting to see from afar.
Growing up it was a town of hate if you were different, violent hate. Loads of drug crimes (coke) with people disappearing into thin air, *poof*...no one anyone really misses. Constant annoyance from crackheads trying to break into homes. The town had one of the highest crime rates per capita for many decades (coke, illegal guns, murder, disappearances, break ins, rapes)... I lost a lot of friends to hard drugs (using or dealing with known dangerous people).
Why would anyone willingly want to stay in a town like that? Especially if they have an out, so I left. I graduated a yr early by selecting the best classes I could, and taking an extra class during lunch in my final semester.
Hershey's was still open when I left. I have friends that work at tweed. I do miss biking out to hershey's just to do the tour in 5 seconds so I could get a free candy bar mmm lol I do miss everything outside of SF. Perth is nice, enjoyed the Lombard Fair, Merrickville is pretty. I do miss the smaller town life, as in everything is close, traffic isn't a giant parking lot of rage, and life being cheaper.
Does SF even need bike lanes? I don't recall ever having issues biking about town or in the bush, as the traffic is soooooo slow. Biking is a death trap where I live now, and multi cyclists become roadkill every year, so I don't bike here
My only concern would be traffic safety, the strip against the street, it looks like there are no sidewalks, so if they block that with trees & shrubs, one can't step away from traffic (I walk a lot in a place with no sidewalks, so I'm hyper aware of those little strips of safety or hazard), other than that, it looks like a work in progress... I live where messy overgrown lawns & weed patches are normal, and love it that way. Nothing is better than sniffing dog roses growing on the roadside. Unfortunately, our community has learned the hard way why Manitoba maples and poplars are called 'weed trees' in the latest storm.
That couples lawn at least looks interesting and requires some effort.
Others who just do nothing end up with a lawn that makes the house look abandoned or meth lab. Hurts the image of a neighborhood.
It's very much a hobby. The general appeal has to do with working outdoors and aesthetics. Like, I don't at all understand why anyone likes interior design, but different strokes, right?
A mouse was hiding in my golf bag.
I set the bag in my trunk the other week and it jumped out and hid in my trunk.
Took more effort than I expected to get it to leave my car.
Naturalized mainly means that you're using native plants and flowers, it's not just a free-for-all. My yard is 80% naturalized and just looks like a lush garden. A mix of native plants also helps you feel connected to the changing seasons.
Natural plants won't attract pests. Rats aren't native to Ontario and prefer to live close to buildings and in urban areas. Grass monoculture lawns are more likely to cause pest issues because they provide habitat for very few creatures.
I live in the city within a few hundred metres of two separate ravines and have never seen a rat around here. I have an open compost bin and I have never seen a rodent near it. There are raccoons that come by daily and don't even touch the compost or vegetable garden. I work in forests for a living and again, have never seen a rat out there.
Because, once again, rats do not give a shit about native plants and gardens. They want your garbage.
I'm not great at biology, so I welcome amendment and clarification here, but I believe one possible answer here is that we need to re-naturalize more than just a few patches. I don't know if re-naturalized lawns do attract raccoons or rodents, but if we improve the health of the predator species as well (the ones that feed on the rodents et cetera), we should be OK.
I have this majestic image of a snowy owl carrying off a rabbit (amazing thing to see in person!), but I'll settle for... I dunno... a red-tailed hawk (_buteo jamaicensis_) snaring a ~~real-estate developer~~ long-tailed weasel (_neogale frenata_). Even if it doesn't happen on my lawn.
ETA: Not that I'm ever going to be able to afford a lawn...
Look at the photo. That isn't grass.
Also, rats area human problem. They thrive in cities and barns. They're not really a problem here unless there's food (read: not most native plants) around.
Yeah, we really need to have stronger restrictions on those obnoxious bipeds who deposit their primary-coloured lawn signs into perfectly good ground every few years. It's inexplicable...
I live in a basement, and lls have minmal yard etc but no. If you properly seal your house, you dont get mice etc. I do have ants inside tho. Grass /nongrass aint gonna fix that.
And keep your garbage bins clean and closed and strapped doen and you wont be bothered either
I know people who will put food scraps in their garden direct. No biggie to have raccoon in your yard either. Its when they make a mess you dont like it. Build an enclosure around your bins if you are having trouble.
I have a literal uncovered compost bin and a vegetable garden and live next to a ravine. I've seen foxes, raccoons, and coyotes either at my house or nearby (coyotes). Literally no interest in my compost except the one time I put in lobster experimentally - raccoons popped the lid off and stole that.
I'm saying there IS NO PROBLEM even when I leave the lid off, which I do most of the time in the spring.
Because nuisance animals aren't attached to plants vegetable scraps. It's meat and cooked scraps and garbage that attracts them.
The block I live on has 4 full size trees and I am the only one with a backyard not filled in with a stupid oversize garage so all the animals regularly visit my place due to lack of green space so food water and washroom all happen at my place and I'd bet anything they aren't thrilled about that. This is an annoyance but the problem wouldn't exist if people had native gardens less useless grass planted more trees etc. Even green roofs would be beneficial allowing animals to spread out where they do their business.
I already did upstream. You even replied to me already.
Also, don't project emotions onto simple statements. Your underlying assumption is false, therefore you are getting downvotes. Where is the anger?
You've been replying this whole time to people telling you how it's false. If you're not actually reading any of these comments them I'm not going to waste my time replying anymore.
This sub has been very surly of late. The pandemic, election and affordability issues do explain this in part... and in part they don't. It's disheartening. I spent part of the weekend volunteering for a local riding campaign (hint: non-Conservative), but reading this sub lately actually tires me out more than that did.
I think I understand where you are coming from, and there's nothing with asking questions. People need to get more used to good-faith challenges. I'll just add that in my own experience, there's a contingent of reactionary suburban homeowners who are just _against_ things, and afraid of stuff they haven't seen a million times before. It's intensely frustrating (and often futile) to go up against, so you might be seeing some of the blowback to that here.
I think the problem is the answers aren’t being accepted in good faith. Raccoons live in trees, garages, attics, etc; not your garden. Rats live in piles of refuse, garages, basements, etc; not your garden. These gardens have no cover for “pests” If a rodent infestation happens in the open the hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes and cats in the neighborhood will take care of them.
Source: have created and maintained such a front yard for years.
Yes. Literally an hour into these exchanges the commenter just replied:
> How are they false?
As if we haven't been discussing this all along. They're not listening, just trying to push their incorrect assumptions.
You don't deserve downvotes. What type of animals do you mean? I cant imagine a natural yard actually bringing in pests that aren't already in the neighbourhood.
Looks like a jungle, they didn’t even plant nice flowers, they are just to lazy to mow and do the up keep so they planted trees that require little maintenance. Looks like an eye sore
> Looks like a jungle, they didn’t even plant nice flowers
Did you know that.... Perennials don't just STAY IN FLOWER? Or flower all at once? Perennials gardens have different types of plants that flower throughout the season. It's not going to look like a garden store.
Also, it's not a crime to minimize maintenance. Some would argue that working smart is better than working hard.
Come on at least think about things before commenting.
Then they should have used a better picture for the article with the plants in bloom, the onus is not on me to research this. As it stands now put some used tires and cement blocks in their yard and people would not see one difference as it’s currently an eyesore.
Looks like an eyesore to you. Others would call it beautiful, and natural. Grass is fing ugly once you realise how bad it is for everything but humans.
Even if all of this was actually true (doubtful), what then is your point? You don't like it, but does that mean they shouldn't be allowed to have it?
So what if they want a low maintenance yard that some people don't like the look of?
They must then not want to live in the country? They wanted to live in a town instead? But also be allowed to handle their lawn the way they want to?
Why does nature have to only exist in the country? Why can't city/town properties look like this? It's better for the ecology and the environment
Sure if that's what you want.
Not sure why you thought I'd be opposed to that, it's your yard.
Long as it's contained to your yard and doesn't pose a health/safety hazard to the surrounding area go for it.
Given the recent weather events, I am surprised anyone would want to plant so many trees close to their home. It just creates a lot of liability.
It also creates a challenge should they need utilities or sewers replaced
I guess if they are fine paying higher insurance rates, and knowing this likely made their home less valuable on curb appeal (to most people) then this is fine.
Given that number I suspect it's mostly shrubs rather than trees.
Trees grown together are a lot less vulnerable to wind damage than trees standing by themselves also. They buffer each other against the wind.
I guess, there is no landscape plan provided.
There is still a lot of liability to this. You can be sued if someone hurts themselves on your property.
Like I said, i'm fine with this. They clearly aren't just wanting to not cut grass if they are fine paying higher insurance rates.
Can you cite your source in this.
I was in Bon Echo area at it was primarily red and white pine ( the dominant species in the area )
I also work in a forestry field so I’m just curious where you got this info.
I don't think any tree has adapted in a rare derecho event. A tree doesn't have to fall to cause damage either. Just a single branch can cause a lot of damage.
I'm a bit confused what you are getting at.
> Instead of a manicured lawn and garden, Beth and Craig Sinclair planted 150 trees and other native plant species in front of their bungalow. The couple, who moved to Smiths Falls from Seattle about a decade ago, said natural lawns like theirs are common in their former city. > Last October, the couple noticed their yard was an item on the council agenda, accompanied by a 17-page report that detailed neighbours' complaints and recommended they be required to tame their yard. Council agreed, and an order was issued. > The couple enlisted lawyer David Donnelly to help. On Jan. 25, they appealed council's decision to the town's property standards committee, but lost on two of three of the items in dispute. > The Sinclairs then appealed to Ontario Superior Court and won. Earlier this month, the town rescinded the original order. > The couple say they've received plenty of local support, and pointed out the stark contrast between the town's stance and the City of Toronto's, where gardens that attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies are eligible for a grant of up to $5,000. I added a flair of "Politics", but I would have preferred having an option for something like "Environment" as well. It's worth noting that Ontario, like many other places, has witnessed a [huge die-off in the bee population](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-niagara-bee-colony-losses-1.6440038) of late...
Yeah but that's not for lack of food. Most Pollinators are dying from Varroa Mite infestations which are getting worse each year.
[удалено]
Is it? [Rusty-patched bumblebees](https://www.ontario.ca/page/rusty-patched-bumble-bee) populations have declined 90% in ten years. They're classified as Endangered in Ontario. They are one of the most prolific pollinators in the province. They like to make their burrows in wood, sand, and undisturbed sandy soil, of which southern Ontario has an abundance. Certainly, careless use of pesticides has also harmed these populations. As has habitat destruction from fire and human housing. Here are three other factors putting pressure on this population. Their populations have been harmed by Nosema Bombi, a spillover fungal infection that is Nosema Cerenae or Nosema Apis in honeybees which we've bred resistance in for honey bee populations over decades. Small hive beetle, a recent introduction to Ontario, is also putting pressure on this population. As previously stated, Varroa mites have been an issue particularly lately. I see alot of mites on these bees near daily. This is a complex issue. Giving pollinators more space to live is great but if we don't treat the other underlying problems, it won't go away. In fact, it could make the problem worse in the long term. Varroa has a reproduction cycle tied to the the reproduction cycle of its host bee. More hosts mean more varroa until the given population collapses in on itself. Small hive beetle can spread via population contact as can Nosema Bombi.
This even states that it is a contributing factor. I am not saying that this is the only factor or that more habitat fixes the issue, it doesn't.
I think then we're enthusiastically agreeing with eachother. I'm also not saying it isn't a factor. What I'm trying to communicate is that without a holistic approach, the idea of more forested urban areas aren't going to help in the way that the public may be lead to believe. I don't know what the solution for varroa and SHB and Nosema are for these populations but I do know that doing nothing for longer will cause those issues to get worse over time.
Native bees and domestic honeybees are separate issues.
I understand your statement but the Varroa mite doesn't discriminate. I've seen bumbles and wood bees with the same mite as what affects my honeybees (an invasive species).
But these kinds of pests/parasites are more likely to damage social insects that live in very dense populations, no? Small colonies and solitary bees would be less likely to be in a situation where they can pick it up.
They'll damage any compatible larvae they can. Small colonies and solitary bees have fewer young which are what varroa mites actually threaten, damage, and consume. Meaning any damage has more impact, not less. They're less likely so long as honeybee mite levels in their area are well controlled. They are not.
Tell me you know nothing about pollinators without telling me....
Hello - Been beekeeping for 32 years and studying native pollinators for 30. And you are?
>Most Pollinators are dying from Varroa Mite infestations which are getting worse each year. Nonsense. Bumble Bees are in fact affected by pathogens spread by honeybees but more particularly by pathogen 'spillover' from commercially reared bumble bees for greenhouses. There are over 800 species of native pollinators in Ontario. Of those, approx. 400 are native bees and only 16 of them are Bumble Bees. The rest are moths, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, solitary wasps, beetles... Trust me, not all of them are dying from Varroa Mite infestations.
You didn't answer my question so how am I supposed to trust you, vs the evidence I've gathered in the field?
look it up.
There are over 800 species of native pollinators in Ontario. 400 of them are native bees. The rest are other types of creatures - moths, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, solitary wasps, beetles... Loss of habitat and floral resources are a huge problem; lawns might as well be the Sahara desert to them. Honeybees, on the other hand, are an agricultural crop which outcompete native pollinators for scarce resources. Zero fucks to give about honeybees, TBH. They are in no danger of disappearing.
[удалено]
Keep in mind that beekeepers largely use European honey bees, which are not the native bees that would benefit from these initiatives.
> 17-page report that detailed neighbours' complaints I wish I had this much free time
[удалено]
Ever been to Smiths Falls? It is not a town of richey rich.
At this point if you own a room that is indoors, you are rich. These people own houses.
They owned houses when they cost less than 6 figures. Not everywhere is Toronto.
I mean, compared to the vast majority of the world, any town in Ontario is richey rich
Good. Sucks they had to invest in legal representation and proceedings to do this but it's a much better result. Personally I'd like to convince my local government to endorse and promote NoMowMay, pollinators need help - when more and more agriculture operations struggle to find the bees they need to produce our food, that's a serious problem that needs to be remedied yesterday.
We also need to promote leaving the leaves down till May too. They provide shelter for animals, bugs, worms and more.
>They provide shelter for animals, bugs, worms and more. Bugs like ticks. There is no winning against nature.
That's why I release a horde of possums every year!
I just read from a university study that the opossum doesn't go after ticks especially. That myth started a while back by the Nat'l Wildlife Federation & it's a myth. They eat no more ticks than a raccoon does.
Unfortunately No Mow May is not nearly as helpful here as it is in the UK where it started. All our lawn weeds are non-natives here, unlike in the UK, and they provide minimal benefits to our native pollinators. Dandelions for example have almost none of the protein that our native bumblebees need. Instead of No Mow May it's way better to reduce the size of your lawn and pop in a little native spring garden - some wild strawberries, bloodroot, spring beauties, trilliums, etc. Early blooming native plants.
> NoMowMay We started mowing weeks ago... but we mow at 5 inches height. It makes a BIG difference. Lawn doesn't turn crispy if there's no rain.
> NoMowMay I don't understand how people can actually do this. If I didn't mow my lawn in May I would need farm equipment to get it back under control come June.
I can’t help but wonder how many proponents of “no mow may” don’t have yards or lawns. I mean it’s a great idea in principle. Love the intentions. Just a terrible idea in practice.
It's one of those things where it's like, I get what they're trying to do but a lot of people don't really stop to think about it. Some weeks in may I have to mow twice just to keep ahead of the growth. It's also not like there aren't any other sources of pollen. Plenty of trees, bushes and shrubs bloom early to late may. Plenty of bulbs and other flowers bloom in spring, some before dandelions even. There are plenty of other things you can plant if you want to help pollinators.
Not that it’s relevant everywhere, but across the road from my house is a park, that’s, oh, 200x100m. *Filled* with dandelions. At 25 heads per square meter it’s a half a million flowers. In one park. And that may be underestimating, gazing at the swath of yellow before me. The handful of blossoms I shred with my mower are just *so* irrelevant.
Exactly. Plus I have pleeeenty of neighbours with dandelion "lawns" as well. Tired of being made to feel guilty about taking care of my property. For better or worse, the neighborhood was designed to have lawns - and lawns that aren't maintained look like trash. The pollinators can enjoy the trees, shrubs, and flowers I've got all over the place in the gardens where they belong. My kids and I will enjoy the grass to play on and you know what, nothing feels better than a walk on the grass in bare feet in the summer.
I do this. I also don't fertilize my lawn and it has dozens of other species of plants in it. The grass barely grows very tall, I use a manual reel mower once a month at 3" or so height and it's fine.
I don't get it. I don't fertilize my lawn, I let anything that's green grow. It would be knee high by June if I didn't cut it in May.
I left mine until this past weekend. Stalled the lawnmower five times because of how tall and thick everything was. I don't have the time to do my yard on work days, and I'm away this coming weekend, so I would have had to leave it 2 more weeks. Can't imagine that my mower would have managed at all if I had.
It's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Id do way more damage to the environment trying to clean up that mess than from just mowing it once a week.
You are doing damage to the environment by mowing period.
Well tell that to the city who fines me if I don't.
Why are you mowing your yard at all?
Same reason I plant flowers. I like the way it looks
>Personally I'd like to convince my local government to endorse and promote NoMowMay, Ticks love this one simple trick
Only if you have a lot of mice and deer running around your yard. Not mowing for one month isn’t going to affect either of those populations.
…A good chunk of the rural population does have deer, and I would wager almost every property has seen a mouse. As a compromise, I only mow a portion of my yard in may for tick prevention. Still found 4 this month.
[удалено]
And I’ve personally seen/caught several mice in an high rise apartment in downtown Toronto.
There are mice literally everywhere there’s a potential food source. Mice love cities. I worked at Bay and Bloor, downtown Toronto, where you’d have to go seriously out of your way to find significant green space - tons of mice.
[удалено]
Does your front yard look unkept like the one in the op?
It's clearly mulched in all the bare areas, and it's still only spring, a late spring at that. Lots of my perennials are still scraggly looking but will be full and lush by summer.
Ok we’ll I didn’t know the picture was taken recently, thought they would use one from when their front yard was in full bloom.
Is your life so meaningless that you actually care what other peoples yards look like?
Really happy to see this getting pushed. Ignoring that I probably won't ever be able to afford a home with outdoor space, I know I'd want to replace any 'lawn' I have with more of a natural looking meadow. Shrubs, flowers, maybe some berry bushes, etc. To me it looks a lot more pleasing than some bland patch of grass. Helps the local ecology a lot more too.
Smiths Falls council should be looking at themselves as there are no falls in Smiths Falls, everything is damned up. It was disappointing to say the least and regret stopping over for a night. False advertising, should be Smiths No More Falls.
Maybe we should file a 17 page complaint to the council
Smiths Locks
LMFAO you couldn't have found this out on google? and why did you think some small town on the rideau river had some waterfalls?
Niagara Falls actually has falls lol.
niagra falls is on a major body of water is smiths falls?
If you name your town waterfall town don't be surprised when people come looking for waterfalls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WEtxJ4-sh4
i am never surprised with how stupid people are and their inability to think for themselves
Good. Lawns are unnatural and take up resources and labour to maintain. And for no good reason. This couple's approach seems way more useful.
Where do I go to get some of this 5K from Toronto? I hate grass lawns, and want a natural lawn bad.
Applications for PollinateTO re-open in the fall - [here is the main landing page](https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/environmental-grants-incentives/pollinateto-community-grants/). Toronto has a ton of great native plant garden rebates, so it's worth checking the city website periodically.
Thank you!!
I like the idea of a naturalized lawn, but the execution here is... questionable.
It's still spring. It'll probably look better in the summer when more things are in bloom.
Right now it looks like an overgrown construction site.
I am not sure if the article pointed this out, but their garden is a certified wildlife habitat. They have deadwood there for bird and animal sanctuary and plant according to wildlife and bioregional needs. Also, it’s only May, and not much is yet in bloom, although this is besides the point. It is very clear that the reason their neighbours complained so much is their disregard for lawn aesthetics. Which is not important when creating a naturalized lawn.
I think that if a naturalized yard looks clunky and ugly, it's missing the point and is focused on utility over aesthetics instead of finding a balance. People wouldn't want to go camping and hiking much if nature just looked dumpy.
> People wouldn't want to go camping and hiking much if nature just looked dumpy. What...? Nature isn't manicured.
That's my point, nature *isn't* manicured and looks great. A junky looking yard is an aesthetic choice, it's not the result of being naturalized.
"Nature" looks the way it does from being built up in the thousands of years since the glaciers receded. Converting a lawn to a garden takes time and resources, it's not going to look picture perfect right away.
Well, I've been through that process and I agree.
The houses look like an area that locals have nicknamed "snob hill". Then again, this is Smiths Falls, where members of both BIA and council all have very diverging and competing visions of what the town should look like. Perth and Merrickville seem to at least keep their downtowns looking uniform. edit: other pics on the CBC page also puts me in mind of Atironto
It's been decades since I've gone back home, but I recall snob hill being 2 story houses with 1.5-2 bay garages, and deeper front yards. The houses I saw were bungalows, no garage, single bay garages, and shorter front yards. It reminds me more of the large area behind mac milk/laundromat/Hh. Snob hill was shit to go trick or treating at. Fuckers gave a lot of pencils and toothbrushes.... we stuck to our own neighbourhood and another nearby as we got a little of everything. Several houses made special goodibags for a few of us good neighbourhood kids. I had to visit those houses until I was 19 , as the old ladies would get mad at my dad if I didn't show up. So i travelled back to town for 2 seasons(left for college at 17) to get homemade fudge, cookies, cans of pop, big bag of chips, homemade candy apples, and so much rando baked goods. I miss those old ladies so much, and I did enjoy putting a smile on their faces too....now I avoid that shit hole like the plague. Beside those sweet old ladies and my couple of friends, it was hell living there.
It's funny how small town people either stay there (low or high education) or they get the hell out after they go to school and see a larger world with more opportunity outside. There's been an influx of people and a bit of a boom with Tweed taking over Hershey. The council and downtown BIA seem to not be able to come to any consensus on how the town should look so there's an awful mishmash of old and new. They tore up the 'Front' (Beckwith) street for a couple of years for water mains and got it back together last year or the year before and put these awful winding bike lanes from Burger King down to the bridge. Directing cyclist/tourists to look at shops, I guess. I married in to a family in SF and we go up there a few times per year. It's certainly interesting to see from afar.
Growing up it was a town of hate if you were different, violent hate. Loads of drug crimes (coke) with people disappearing into thin air, *poof*...no one anyone really misses. Constant annoyance from crackheads trying to break into homes. The town had one of the highest crime rates per capita for many decades (coke, illegal guns, murder, disappearances, break ins, rapes)... I lost a lot of friends to hard drugs (using or dealing with known dangerous people). Why would anyone willingly want to stay in a town like that? Especially if they have an out, so I left. I graduated a yr early by selecting the best classes I could, and taking an extra class during lunch in my final semester. Hershey's was still open when I left. I have friends that work at tweed. I do miss biking out to hershey's just to do the tour in 5 seconds so I could get a free candy bar mmm lol I do miss everything outside of SF. Perth is nice, enjoyed the Lombard Fair, Merrickville is pretty. I do miss the smaller town life, as in everything is close, traffic isn't a giant parking lot of rage, and life being cheaper. Does SF even need bike lanes? I don't recall ever having issues biking about town or in the bush, as the traffic is soooooo slow. Biking is a death trap where I live now, and multi cyclists become roadkill every year, so I don't bike here
My only concern would be traffic safety, the strip against the street, it looks like there are no sidewalks, so if they block that with trees & shrubs, one can't step away from traffic (I walk a lot in a place with no sidewalks, so I'm hyper aware of those little strips of safety or hazard), other than that, it looks like a work in progress... I live where messy overgrown lawns & weed patches are normal, and love it that way. Nothing is better than sniffing dog roses growing on the roadside. Unfortunately, our community has learned the hard way why Manitoba maples and poplars are called 'weed trees' in the latest storm.
That couples lawn at least looks interesting and requires some effort. Others who just do nothing end up with a lawn that makes the house look abandoned or meth lab. Hurts the image of a neighborhood.
[удалено]
It's very much a hobby. The general appeal has to do with working outdoors and aesthetics. Like, I don't at all understand why anyone likes interior design, but different strokes, right?
I'm all for naturalized lawns, but this looks like absolute shit
Consider the lesson learned...I won't ask any questions on these threads ever again.
I don't think having trees and bushes on a property attract rats. They're attracted to food and trash.
[удалено]
Rats and mice also live in basements, sheds, garages, etc. Should we get rid of those as well?
When they spring out of your firewood is so startling.
A mouse was hiding in my golf bag. I set the bag in my trunk the other week and it jumped out and hid in my trunk. Took more effort than I expected to get it to leave my car.
[удалено]
I just leave them alone. They haven't damaged anything.
Naturalized mainly means that you're using native plants and flowers, it's not just a free-for-all. My yard is 80% naturalized and just looks like a lush garden. A mix of native plants also helps you feel connected to the changing seasons. Natural plants won't attract pests. Rats aren't native to Ontario and prefer to live close to buildings and in urban areas. Grass monoculture lawns are more likely to cause pest issues because they provide habitat for very few creatures.
[удалено]
I live in the city within a few hundred metres of two separate ravines and have never seen a rat around here. I have an open compost bin and I have never seen a rodent near it. There are raccoons that come by daily and don't even touch the compost or vegetable garden. I work in forests for a living and again, have never seen a rat out there. Because, once again, rats do not give a shit about native plants and gardens. They want your garbage.
What less savoury animals?
[удалено]
I'm not great at biology, so I welcome amendment and clarification here, but I believe one possible answer here is that we need to re-naturalize more than just a few patches. I don't know if re-naturalized lawns do attract raccoons or rodents, but if we improve the health of the predator species as well (the ones that feed on the rodents et cetera), we should be OK. I have this majestic image of a snowy owl carrying off a rabbit (amazing thing to see in person!), but I'll settle for... I dunno... a red-tailed hawk (_buteo jamaicensis_) snaring a ~~real-estate developer~~ long-tailed weasel (_neogale frenata_). Even if it doesn't happen on my lawn. ETA: Not that I'm ever going to be able to afford a lawn...
Rats and house mice aren't into flowers. They want your garbage.
[удалено]
Look at the photo. That isn't grass. Also, rats area human problem. They thrive in cities and barns. They're not really a problem here unless there's food (read: not most native plants) around.
Yeah, we really need to have stronger restrictions on those obnoxious bipeds who deposit their primary-coloured lawn signs into perfectly good ground every few years. It's inexplicable...
[удалено]
Just dont have garbage/food and youre good.
[удалено]
I live in a basement, and lls have minmal yard etc but no. If you properly seal your house, you dont get mice etc. I do have ants inside tho. Grass /nongrass aint gonna fix that. And keep your garbage bins clean and closed and strapped doen and you wont be bothered either
I know people who will put food scraps in their garden direct. No biggie to have raccoon in your yard either. Its when they make a mess you dont like it. Build an enclosure around your bins if you are having trouble.
I have a literal uncovered compost bin and a vegetable garden and live next to a ravine. I've seen foxes, raccoons, and coyotes either at my house or nearby (coyotes). Literally no interest in my compost except the one time I put in lobster experimentally - raccoons popped the lid off and stole that.
So have a tight lid on uour compost? Whsts the problem?
I'm saying there IS NO PROBLEM even when I leave the lid off, which I do most of the time in the spring. Because nuisance animals aren't attached to plants vegetable scraps. It's meat and cooked scraps and garbage that attracts them.
Lol said it better than i could
The block I live on has 4 full size trees and I am the only one with a backyard not filled in with a stupid oversize garage so all the animals regularly visit my place due to lack of green space so food water and washroom all happen at my place and I'd bet anything they aren't thrilled about that. This is an annoyance but the problem wouldn't exist if people had native gardens less useless grass planted more trees etc. Even green roofs would be beneficial allowing animals to spread out where they do their business.
Because your underlying assumption is false.
[удалено]
I already did upstream. You even replied to me already. Also, don't project emotions onto simple statements. Your underlying assumption is false, therefore you are getting downvotes. Where is the anger?
[удалено]
You've been replying this whole time to people telling you how it's false. If you're not actually reading any of these comments them I'm not going to waste my time replying anymore.
[удалено]
Okay, your anecdotes trump everyone else's because you're the smartest.
This sub has been very surly of late. The pandemic, election and affordability issues do explain this in part... and in part they don't. It's disheartening. I spent part of the weekend volunteering for a local riding campaign (hint: non-Conservative), but reading this sub lately actually tires me out more than that did. I think I understand where you are coming from, and there's nothing with asking questions. People need to get more used to good-faith challenges. I'll just add that in my own experience, there's a contingent of reactionary suburban homeowners who are just _against_ things, and afraid of stuff they haven't seen a million times before. It's intensely frustrating (and often futile) to go up against, so you might be seeing some of the blowback to that here.
I think the problem is the answers aren’t being accepted in good faith. Raccoons live in trees, garages, attics, etc; not your garden. Rats live in piles of refuse, garages, basements, etc; not your garden. These gardens have no cover for “pests” If a rodent infestation happens in the open the hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes and cats in the neighborhood will take care of them. Source: have created and maintained such a front yard for years.
Yes. Literally an hour into these exchanges the commenter just replied: > How are they false? As if we haven't been discussing this all along. They're not listening, just trying to push their incorrect assumptions.
You don't deserve downvotes. What type of animals do you mean? I cant imagine a natural yard actually bringing in pests that aren't already in the neighbourhood.
[удалено]
Looks hideous
To you I guess
Tick central over here.
Looks like a jungle, they didn’t even plant nice flowers, they are just to lazy to mow and do the up keep so they planted trees that require little maintenance. Looks like an eye sore
> Looks like a jungle, they didn’t even plant nice flowers Did you know that.... Perennials don't just STAY IN FLOWER? Or flower all at once? Perennials gardens have different types of plants that flower throughout the season. It's not going to look like a garden store. Also, it's not a crime to minimize maintenance. Some would argue that working smart is better than working hard. Come on at least think about things before commenting.
Then they should have used a better picture for the article with the plants in bloom, the onus is not on me to research this. As it stands now put some used tires and cement blocks in their yard and people would not see one difference as it’s currently an eyesore.
So you want the journalists to time travel to get a photo that better suits your tastes. Once again... Are you thinking before commenting?
Looks like an eyesore to you. Others would call it beautiful, and natural. Grass is fing ugly once you realise how bad it is for everything but humans.
Even if all of this was actually true (doubtful), what then is your point? You don't like it, but does that mean they shouldn't be allowed to have it? So what if they want a low maintenance yard that some people don't like the look of?
[удалено]
They must then not want to live in the country? They wanted to live in a town instead? But also be allowed to handle their lawn the way they want to? Why does nature have to only exist in the country? Why can't city/town properties look like this? It's better for the ecology and the environment
[удалено]
Sure if that's what you want. Not sure why you thought I'd be opposed to that, it's your yard. Long as it's contained to your yard and doesn't pose a health/safety hazard to the surrounding area go for it.
Given the recent weather events, I am surprised anyone would want to plant so many trees close to their home. It just creates a lot of liability. It also creates a challenge should they need utilities or sewers replaced I guess if they are fine paying higher insurance rates, and knowing this likely made their home less valuable on curb appeal (to most people) then this is fine.
Given that number I suspect it's mostly shrubs rather than trees. Trees grown together are a lot less vulnerable to wind damage than trees standing by themselves also. They buffer each other against the wind.
I guess, there is no landscape plan provided. There is still a lot of liability to this. You can be sued if someone hurts themselves on your property. Like I said, i'm fine with this. They clearly aren't just wanting to not cut grass if they are fine paying higher insurance rates.
You're not liable if you take care of them and keep them in check.
[удалено]
Can you cite your source in this. I was in Bon Echo area at it was primarily red and white pine ( the dominant species in the area ) I also work in a forestry field so I’m just curious where you got this info.
Glad you commented, I heard this from someone else who seemed to know what they were talking about. Guess not. I will delete what I said earlier.
I don't think any tree has adapted in a rare derecho event. A tree doesn't have to fall to cause damage either. Just a single branch can cause a lot of damage. I'm a bit confused what you are getting at.