Could lakescaping be the new standard of beauty? Martha Ferguson, Riverview Nursery, Spencerville, believes it will be. Ferguson presented the program in the season’s first Lake Talk and Eats hosted by the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation. The program was also in partnership with the Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation.

Ferguson presented a variety of information on native plants and lakescapes to improve water quality, protect shoreline erosion, creating fish and wildlife habitats, enhance the natural beauty and value of lakefront homes, provide privacy, free time for recreation and discourage nuisance geese.

Ferguson challenged those at the program to a new standard of beauty asking “what should our status symbol be? Acres of perfect turf grass that supports nothing, that the water runs right over picking up pollutants and taking it right in the lake, or should the status symbol be how many birds are on your land?”

Martha Ferguson talks about lakescapes and native plants at WACF’s Lake Talk and Eats

Ferguson asked when taking a walk around the lake front neighborhoods, are birds seen eating the native seeds or feeding insects to their young? “Ninety-seven percent of the birds feed insects to their young. Where do the insects get their foods? Plants are the base of the whole food web,” she stated.

“Do you see the pollinators?” she asked. “You know Indiana has 416 native bees with very few stinging humans.” She noted the honey bee is not a native bee, it is a European bee, brought to America. She stated pollinators play an important role keeping plant life going.

Another question was about the sight of butterflies and caterpillars. “There are a lot of plants that are native to northeast Indiana that are butterfly magnets that thrive in wet, saturated soils. The sight of turtles, frogs, toads was another question, referring to the need for habitats, which lakescapes can provide.

She explained lakescapes or buffer strips capture water runoff from roads, roofs, patios, parking lots, driveways carrying oils, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and other pollutants and filters that water in its roots and infiltrates it into the ground before going into the lake. “In natural areas, 50 percent of the rain water will infiltrate into the ground, developed areas, only 15 percent infiltrates due to the lack of plant material.”

Her presentation included photographs of various lakescapes, pointing out the area can be designed to meet individual needs, without obscuring views and enjoyment of the lakes.

Turning her presentation to native plants, Ferguson stated the words “native plants” is a broad term. She stressed knowing the genetic of the seeds is important. “Native plants may not be native to the area,” she pointed out. “Think about the difference in the rainfall in different areas, how warm the winters are,” she stated. There are also native plants that can only grow in certain areas, even within the state.

“Select local genotype native plants or plants within your eco-region.”

She also explained the simplicity of caring for native plants beyond the first year.

There was an opportunity to make milkweed seed bombs (for monarch butterflies) help create a rain garden, butterfly garden and do shoreline planting on the WACF property, as well as purchase native plants from Ferguson, Mark Myers Nursery and Cordno-JFNew.

The next Lake Talks and Eats will be at 9 a.m. July 4, with the popular Bug Catch event, to learn about the health of the lake.