I don’t know if I should name names (I don’t want to give him business), but if you’re from the South-Eastern suburbs of Victoria near Edithvale, there’s a new small business converting grassy nature strips into native and indigenous plantings to promote biodiversity and support pollinators… or so the business owner claims. Let’s look into why I’m suspicious of his integrity, and frankly because I’m a little offended of being BLOCKED by my honest questioning.
I love his business concept, and he does fantastic work for his community and wildlife. Great plantings with a wonderful selection of native and indigenous plants – well, most of the time.
In his latest post the business owner claimed that, “[the] nature strip has been transformed using a stunning mix of local, indigenous plants”.
I usually love looking through his posts and seeing what plants he’s decided to use. It’s very inspiring and makes me happy to see action towards ecological revegetation. This time I noticed that he included kniphofia and dietes grandiflora. Very well then, it’s a common plant used in public street plantings. Even my local council uses this. But why claim, “local, indigenous plants” when these are exotics? My comment has since been deleted because the owner blocked me, but if I recall correctly I wrote something along the lines of, ‘Great work, but I was curious why you decided to plant kniphofia and dietes when you claim that you are using indigenous plants? These originate from South Africa.’
Much time had passed and I was curious if he replied. Couldn’t find his page. I looked through my Facebook Activity Log to find my comment. Unable to access post. And I discover his page had blocked me.
Oh so you’re LYING to people, charging hundreds to clients, claiming “native and indigenous” plantings, and are too sensitive to answer questions honestly on your work integrity so you block the fair criticism without explanation?
What does that mean? Are you really on a mission to help our threatened Victorian ecosystems, our indigenous flora and fauna, and care for Bunorong country? You have an Acknowledgment Of Country on your website which includes, “As we work to protect biodiversity and support native habitats, we are reminded that caring for Country is a practice that has been upheld by the Bunurong people for countless generations. Their stories, knowledge systems, and deep custodianship are at the heart of this living landscape—from coastlines to grasslands, from waterways to woodlands.
In walking this path, we commit to listening, learning, and acting in partnership. May we honour the strength and resilience of First Nations peoples and strive towards a future of reconciliation, shared stewardship, and respect for all living things.” – and I asked you, why do you claim ‘local, indigenous plants’ when dietes and knifophia are EXOTICS. I’ve been honoured to learn about the indigenous plants of Victoria through reputable institutions and leaders as a plant lover and citizen ecologist. But much of this information is readily available online. And besides, it’s not a crime to use exotics on the nature strip, provided they aren’t prohibited noxious environmental weeds. But don’t call it, ‘indigenous’. I also found another planting he did where he claimed, “native species”. I hope my plant ID isn’t rusty, but echinacea is native… to the Americas. Convolvulus sabatius? Native to the Mediterranean.
So do you really live by what you say, or is it all a marketing hook for you to make some cash from your small business? Do you not have any integrity and respect while you financially benefit from Aboriginal people and land, or is this another case of exploitation? In Australia, the term ‘indigenous’ holds deep, deep cultural and historical significance. It’s not just a marketing buzzword you lie to people to take their money.
Do better J.D! You’re a teacher by training and gardener by trade. You’ve got a really great business. If you’re going to charge people hundreds for a job, you should know better than to lie.
Let’s hold people accountable.
by vnttj
6 Comments
As someone in the trade, I instinctively distrust anyone waving their nativism around. It’s usually pure marketing. The more ra ra about it, the more important they say it is, the more you know its pure marketing BS.
Mind you, the local wildlife often does better with the exotics, but its about 50 downvotes in here if that’s ever mentioned.
I recommend reading ”Invasion Biology’: Critique of a pseudoscience’, if you can find a copy. Out of print now it seems.
If this were me posting, I would not have blacked out the company names here.
Though hardy and (unfortunately) suitable for our climate, none of these plants are native to Australia.
Maybe chill out a bit?
That’s disappointing. The success of this business in the long term is doubtful. Also just fyi but Eucy mulch may not be a great choice. Unless it’s graded and managed properly it often becomes hydrophobic as it ages.
Most councils won’t allow this
Awful but lawful I’m afraid. He hasn’t said it was “exclusively” local, indigenous plants. Dick move and sounds like a grub of a bloke but 🤷🏻whatcha gonna do.