The book may be purchased at Milda Vaivada’s H.O.M.E. gift shop in the Sperryville Marketplace, online at store.bookbaby.com, or Amazon.com. Copies are also available at the Rappahannock County Public Library.
According to Edwards, the trend in gardening today is to plant native species, which support the native wildlife that relies on these plants for food, nectar, nesting and shelter. Native plants are acclimated to the local soil and climate and are more authentic to the region. Kudzu and other invasive species that were imported can choke out the native plants by aggressive spreading via their root systems, prolific reseeding, offshoots near the parent plant, or seeds spread by wildlife, resulting in more invasive plants overwhelming natives.
Kudzu has earned a spot on the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Virginia Invasive Plant Species List.
“There are many plants on the invasive list keeping kudzu company, including favorite garden vines such as Japanese and Amur honeysuckle, English ivy, periwinkle, Oriental bittersweet, and Japanese wisteria. If you do find invasives on your property, research how to eradicate these plants or how to control their prolific tendencies,” Edwards advised. “Before you decide to plant an ‘introduced’ plant, first be sure to check if it is on the invasive list, as it is regularly updated. If you are adding noninvasive imported plants, aim to add balance to the landscape by incorporating more natives as well.”
Edwards began writing poetry as a child, and after receiving a B.A. in journalism spent her career doing editorial work. An experienced gardener, she studied horticulture in college classes and completed two Master Gardener programs. She has been a frequent guest speaker at the Rappahannock County Garden Club, the Culpeper Garden Club and Calfee Garden Club in Culpeper.
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