state of the native-plant movement, with rebecca mcmackin

MAYBE MORE than any other topic, the use of native plants has consistently figured among the top garden trends in recent years. Just how popular is the movement toward a more ecological focus in the way we design and care for our landscapes?

And how does that effort keep moving forward and growing among those of us who are home gardeners when there can be obstacles, like how hard it can be to find locally appropriate plants at the garden center?

I talked about that and more with Rebecca McMackin, an ecological horticulturist who creates and manages dynamic landscapes, including a new garden she recently made for the Brooklyn Museum. Rebecca is currently the arboretum curator at historic Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, and was a Harvard Loeb fellow in 2023, studying ecological design and the history of native-plant movements. For a decade before that, she was director of horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Read along as you listen to the Feb. 19, 2024 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

the native movement, with rebecca mcmackin

Margaret Roach: Before we get started, I have to ask you, is your dog’s name really Winterberry?

Rebecca McMackin: Yes [laughter]. Yes, it is.

Margaret: It’s like my favorite plant, the native Ilex verticillata.

Rebecca: He’s my favorite dog, so that works well.

Margaret: O.K Yeah, Winterberry. Hello, Winterberry [laughter]. And I also want to say you publish and you doa newsletter that people subscribe to, which I always love. You have lots of links and ideas about native plant-related, ecological horticulture-related topics. Do you do that