Our Symbiotic Relationship With Nature

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It is natural for rabbits to come along and chomp on my plant leaves, as it is a component of our symbiotic relationship with nature.

Some other critter is eating the petunias. Certainly I want creatures to find the food they need, but I also want pretty flowers. Sometimes one act cancels out the other. But not in a long lasting relationship.

This is simply the way of nature. You have to reach your hand out and take nature’s hand when you garden. It will take what it needs from you. And then it gives you beautiful landscapes and blooms in exchange.

It is a symbiotic relationship. Which is similar to what I mean when I say that gardening is investing in the future.

A sunflower that sprouts up out of nowhere is a good example. A bird must have dropped a seed here. Or a squirrel.

Because the sunflower seems to have come out of nowhere and was placed there indiscriminately. Yet it grew and now has given us this beautiful healthy flower to gaze at.

Whereas we plant seeds and nursery plants in our containers and gardens, sometimes the seed does not germinate. Or the plant dies. We wonder: the seeds, okay, I understand that not all of them will germinate.

But the plants we purchase from the nurseries had a good start and were beautiful when purchased. And yet they did not thrive and instead died.

So why does this happen?

Plants Grown In Greenhouses:

For one thing, the plants grown in greenhouses are grown in optimal conditions. There is plenty of light, humidity, and temperature to coax the plants to bloom and thrive.

But once the plants are out of those conditions, they may struggle. There are environmental stressors. Insect stressors. Just-not-going-to-make-it-whatever-you-do stressors.

We water and pamper them. Even talk to them. And sometimes they just wilt and crumple to the ground anyway.

Sometimes it’s this way with COVID.

Some people, for instance, got the COVID-19 virus and died, despite being treated. Others contracted the virus and lived. We don’t know why.

Some might have had underlying conditions that weakened the immune system. Some were heavily exposed to the virus, but for some reason never got it.

Then there is what is referred to as “the super dodgers.” These people contracted COVID, but never got sick. This may be due to genetics. Research helps to solve the mystery of why some people can be infected without ever getting sick from COVID-19.

I managed to not get sick until January 2024. Then I became very sick. I never went to my doctor or to the hospital. My physician ordered medication to be sent to the pharmacy and my daughter picked it up.

Even with the medication, I was sick for weeks. I became weak and lost about 7 pounds. Everyone wants to lose extra weight. But I assure you not by this method.

Yet a neighbor had COVID-19 at the same time. She had symptoms for just a few days and then was fine.

An Analogy With Plants And Nature:

You can use this analogy with plants and nature. Gardening according to what we see doing well in our own neighborhood is called native landscaping. This is similar to prairie or wildflower planting.

Those plant communities occur there because they are adapted to the specific climate, landscape, and soil conditions. If we plant these same plants in our yard, it may take awhile for those plants to establish strong roots. But then they adapt and have a better chance than plants we purchase from other regions.

If you want to uproot your front yard to plant a garden, consider planting native plants that will more often thrive there.

We just can’t expect tropical plants to do well in our little garden in the Midwest.

Tropical Plants:

There are hardier tropical plants that tend to adjust well. For instance, hibiscus, which is thriving in Ron and Pat’s yard.

There are also Canna lilies and Elephant Ear plants. Mandevilla flowered vines are another type of tropical plant that can do well right in our own gardens.

But it’s hard to replicate the conditions of a rain forest. Even tropical plants will die if the soil is saturated with too much water.

But I have gotten sidetracked by my love of gardening.

Why a sunflower might be planted by a bird and thrive is sort of a mystery. And on the other hand, you might have purchased plants that have originated in a greenhouse and yet they die.

Many birds love to eat sunflowers, and they knock seeds from the flower heads as they eat. According to One Earth, this is how birds shape the landscape. Birds do what is natural for birds. And in so doing, they plant seeds.

So we join hands with nature, to coin a phrase. We do our part, and nature does its part. This is part of our symbiotic relationship with nature. It is just how the world works.