What we covered in 2025 and what is ahead in 2026.
We discovered some great plant people in 2025
Carol Decker of West Newbury Wild and Native (WN2) described how WN2 encourages people to cultivate ecological landscapes. https://www.wnwildnative.org
Dianne Plantamura and The Master Gardeners who created the Miyawaki forest in Groveland at Veasy Park and her vision and work for rewilding Veasy Park.
https://www.grovelandma.com/town-tree-project
Matthew Martin of Restoration Horticulture and his dedication to his arborculture students at EssexTech in Danvers. They established the Maplewood Arboretum on campus which is a noteworthy achievement for a public education institution.
Katie Banks Hone (aka, The Monarch Gardener) in Topsfield and how she is inspired by Jane Goodall to make the world a bit better by growing and selling native plants for pollinators.
http://www.themonarchgardener.com/
Rijk and Maura of Anything Grows Organic Farm in Salisbury. Their farm stand is complete at 30 Elmwood St. Salisbury, MA and they are hiring for the 2026 season. Their tulip shares begin in late January. There will be 8 weeks of tulips featuring 16 varieties at 6 pickup locations. Check their website for details. https://www.anythinggrows-farm.com/
In 2026, Plant Matters will continue to feature plant people and focus on problematic introduced plants that need to be removed from your landscapes and recommend plants that can planted. We will delve into ideas for reducing lawns, organic management of lawns and lawn substitutes. We will discuss how and why many native plants are under siege and what may help. Finally, we will cover some unusual topics including Woonerf, Hugelkutur, and Hibernaculum.
If you would like to be featured in a column or want a topic covered, please contact Ida.
“Small actions by individuals can make the world a better place.”
– Dr. Jane Goodall
Ida Wye is the principal of Ida Wye Designs, offering landscape design, consultation, implementation, and restoration. Ida was green long before it was fashionable. She is committed to creating gardens that heal our planet, one landscape at a time. Ida graduated from U. Mass. Amherst with a B. S. in Plant and Soil Sciences before working for the U.S. D. A. and teaching Horticulture. After studying Landscape Design at Radcliffe, she began working independently. She later studied Urban Forestry and Wetland Science. www.idawyelandscapes.com
