Lois de Vries' Garden Views

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Showing posts from October, 2020

What IS The Sustainable Gardening Library? Part 5 of 5

October 19, 2020

Why is the EcoRegions app important? Most homeowners who’ve dabbled in gardening have heard of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, which tell us the average minimum temperature range for where we live. There are a total of 26 zones and sub-zones; 12 of them generally appear on plant labels to help us determine whether a plant we want to buy can survive the winter in our zone. But plant hardiness is only one of multiple factors that determine whether a plant will thrive in any particular garden. Others include soil type, climate, terrain, natural vegetation, and how rivers, streams, and similar water features flow through the landscape. The Environmental Protection Agency has codified this information, gathered from several different Federal agencies, into nearly 200 categories called Ecoregions. What Is the Sustainable Gardening Library EcoRegions app? The EcoRegions app is a an online tool that combines the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map with the EPA North American Ecoregions Map into a

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About Me

WELCOME. As Executive Director of the Sustainable Gardening Institute and SGI's Sustainable Gardening Library, I'm focused on helping you change the way you garden or farm, because our survival depends on it.

I enjoyed visiting other people's gardens as a field editor and location scout for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazines; blogging on Garden Views and The Christian Science Monitor; speaking at garden clubs, libraries, environmental organizations, national and international conferences, and working in my own garden.

I served on my local environmental commission for nine years, on the planning board, and on the open space committee. I chaired the Garden Writers Association (now GardenComm International) Sustainability Committee and am a recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Presidential Award for nearly a decade of service in environmental advocacy. I’m honored to have also received Garden Comm's Green Medal for Sustainability, the New Jersey SBDC’s Small Business Success Award and the NJAWBO Publications Award.

Come with me now on a journey that explores the world through our mutual love of plants. Build a holistic bond with your land and Planet Earth, while creating a stress-free sanctuary for your soul.