The Quaker perspective of “caretaker, not owner, of property” is the foundation for this small book. The local author is a founder of the Plants of CARE plant recognition program, which recommends those that are ecologically sustainable and can create a legacy of healthy communities. The community of Laurel, a historical district in Henrico County, VA, is explored with photographs and verbal descriptions. Love for a rural community and celebration of its legacy is maintained here through visionary planning and historical designation.
Caretaking continues into the family: The author chronicles the histories of three local estates from their arrivals originally from England and Germany, passing through the Civil War, and ending with herself in the present day. By dedications to the memories of several family members and other individuals, a commitment called, “Eco Caretaker for Generational Property” is defined. Mentoring groups or individuals opens doors of opportunity for others to be exposed to professional communities that have Eco Legacy as their consciousness and vitality. Family heirlooms should always be sorted through to identify which can become generational heirlooms. Finally, being a caretaker for an elderly parent requires strategies for identifying community services and for support within the family and oneself, and engaging in stress-reduction activities for oneself.
Browsing through family history will let nostalgia for places creep into the experience. Reminiscing about Grandmother’s garden will bring memories of favorite blooming flowers. Family/community heirlooms segue into plants as generational heirlooms. A legacy of plant renewal—Eco legacy—will create a legacy of healthy communities.
Landscape gardening with CARE — conservation, accountability, recovery, eco-efficiency — takes the next step beyond the xeriscape of several decades ago. Conservation means go native (the CARE landscape pertains in this book to Virginia), using Virginia-native canopy trees, under-story trees, and shrubs. Accountability means planting lawn substitutes, limiting the size of turf areas. Recovery emphasizes placement of areas requiring higher use of water near the house and drought-tolerant plants further away. Eco-efficiency involves watering at the optimal time of day and insulating with mulch and compost. Finally, after carefully arranging the yard according to CARE principles, maintain it properly to withstand drought, freezing, and pests.
Reprinted from Washington Gardener reviewer Camilla Clocker is on the board of directors of Friends of Green Spring Gardens and of Del Ray Artisans, teaches using imagination in creative writing at a senior center in Fairfax County, and writes indexes for books and periodicals. To read other reviews or tips/strategies, link to Washington Gardener - www.washingtongardener.com. To review details or order a copy of Wright's book, link to web site http://www.lulu.com/shop/sylvia-hoehns-wright/eco-legacy-a-millennium-wo...
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