One of the great garden wonders about the United States of America is the eclectic mix of styles we can see throughout the 50 states and the District of Columbia. If you include the several territories we possess in the Caribbean and Pacific, the range of diversity is even greater.
When I talk about garden styles, I’m not describing the vast and wonderful natural areas (such as seen in our National Parks). I’m referring to the things humans have introduced from their native lands.
Few of us can search our genealogical background and find we are descended from Native American linage. For the rest of us when our ancestors emigrated here, most brought seeds from home and that style of gardening.
Coupled with ancestral garden styles was the immediate need to establish gardens and crops to sustain the pilgrims through the first harsh years. Successful pioneers made sure that among their few possessions was a cache of seeds. Some even carried a few flower seeds tucked in a handkerchief or fold of paper.
This is why America has such a diverse mix of beautiful garden plants and styles. Once an area was settled, importers would start bringing seeds and occasionally plants from the far corners of the world. Seldom were these embraced until there was a measure of affluence in the society.
For the rest of Diane Gibson's column, see the March 12 Galva News.
