Susan Culler Soden
Lee Hurd in her garden
Lee Hurd is small in stature but a giant in determination, and after reading a book last year by entomologist Douglas Tallamy urging homeowners to transform their yards into more wildlife-friendly habitats, she acted quickly.
First, at her tree-shaded Seabrook Island home along a lagoon, a yard crew removed what she now realizes was an infestation of invasive plants. A tractor hauled away large plants like the dense, bushy Elaeagnus, a fast-spreading shrub introduced in this country from Asia. Elaeagnus, which is quite common in the region and reaches up to 25-feet high, shades out native vegetation. By eliminating the invasives, Lee created space for native plants, which in general provide more benefits to caterpillars and other insects, the tiny creatures that are essential to all life as pollinators and a main source of food for birds and other animals, according to Tallamy and other scientists.
She “jumped right in,” planting natives in early 2022, although in retrospect, she said, she should have been more deliberate. Her initial efforts produced “varied” results -- the deer ate some of the new plants, forcing her to narrow the selection. “It’s a learning process. I wasted a lot of money on things that didn't do well here. But you know, you have to try it to learn.”
Susan Culler Soden
Appalachian Mountain Mint
Lee and her husband Doug have lived at Seabrook for 33 years, and twice a year they host at their property the Seabrook Lakes Yacht Club Regatta party. Friends and neighbors who attend have donated plants, money and help in the garden, which Lee appreciates. “At 88,” she said, “I can only do so much.” When the “regatta” is held this fall, participants will see a changed landscape – yes, there will still be traditional garden plants, but now mixed in are thriving natives, including mountain mint, flowering plants in the Pycnanthemum genus that attract insects; spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) with white flowers; Georgia savory (Clinopodium georgianum), a small shrub which is “a perfect shade plant,” Lee says, and Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium), delicate plants with small blue flowers that border the Hurd’s garden pathways.
Lee welcomes visitors to her garden at 2116 Loblolly Lane and she hopes more homeowners will “think outside the box,” realizing that native plants can be good substitutes for non-natives. Scientists say insects and birds are facing global declines because of climate change, habitat loss, and other forces, and that motivates Lee. “I can't do much, but this is something I can do or at least try, you know.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about growing your native landscape from internationally acclaimed author, inspirational speaker, and founder of the global movement We are the Ark, Mary Reynolds. Mark your calendar and register now for Designing in Nature with Mary Reynolds on October 19, 2023 at 11 am in the West Beach Conference Center. (kiawahconservancy.org/designing-in-nature-with-mary-reynolds). During this event, hosted by the Kiawah Conservancy, guests will enjoy a gourmet luncheon and a virtual visit with Mary Reynolds as she joins us remotely from her home in Ireland to discuss the importance of native plants, her career, and how we can be better stewards of the land. Also included will be a vendor showcase where you can meet with local landscape professionals, native plant experts, and native plant nurseries to have your landscape, gardening, and native plant questions answered.
As an extension of the Designing in Nature with Mary Reynolds event, join the Kiawah Conservancy and the Seabrook Green Space Conservancy for a Native Plant Sale on November 3, 2023 at 3 pm on the green at Freshfields Village. Enjoy refreshments and live music as you chat with local experts about natives to plant in your yard. This event is open to the public and there is no need to register. Pre-sale plant packages will be available to purchase during the Designing in Nature with Mary Reynolds event.