VOA健康报道2022--Choose Native Plants for Your Garden

Choose Native Plants for Your Garden

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

Jessica Damiano moved into a new home in the spring of 2005. At the time, the only plants growing in the garden were a rhododendron bush, a few daffodil flowers, and some ferns.

A month later, she was delighted to see a flowering plant start to grow. She did not know the name of the beautiful purple plant. But that did not matter to her. She loved it!

Two years later, Damiano graduated from Cornell University's master gardener program. She worked as a gardening writer for a local newspaper.

That is when she found out the truth.

She discovered that her favorite plant was called purple loosestrife and that it was considered "invasive" in her home state of New York.

However, she told herself that the plant was not spreading on the property and that it was not out of control.

Then she learned more.

Some plants known to be invasive are what Damiano calls "wolves in sheep's clothing." This means they may seem harmless and well-contained in the garden but become harmful in other places.

Birds eat the seeds of invasive plants and spread them to other places. Those seeds grow into new plants that outgrow¹ native plants. Damiano said this is because invasive plants often are not eaten by local wildlife, which would otherwise keep them under control.

If not controlled, invasive plants grow larger and push out native plants that provide food and shelter for birds, insects, and small animals. This harms the local environment.

Many state environmental agencies ban the sale and use of plants found to be harmful to human or ecological² health. But some invasive plants are not officially considered invasive. Others may be listed as invasive in one area but not another. And some invasive plants continue to be sold in stores.

So, what is a gardener to do?

Damiano says to avoid any plants sold as "vigorous³," "fast-spreading," "quick-climbing," or a "rapid self-sower." She warns that these are all sellers' code words for invasive plants.

Next, learn about your local area: Which plants are invasive? And which plants are native? Ask government agencies, universities and colleges, and environmental groups. You can also do your own research at libraries or online.

In the end, Damiano says she pulled the purple loosestrife from her garden. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns that the plant "clogs⁵ rivers and lakes." It also grows "...so thick that boats and swimmers can't get through." It also destroys food and habitat for fish and water birds.

She replaced that plant with the native and equally beautiful blazing⁶ star plant. This plant has been growing happily without problems in her garden for the past 15 years.

Words in This Story

garden –n. an area where plants are grown

bush –n. a usually low shrub⁷ with many branches

graduate –v. to finish a course of study : become a graduate

wolves in sheep's clothing -idiom person or thing that seems harmless (like a sheep) but is actually very harmful (like a wolf)

ecological –adj. related to the science of understanding the relationship between groups of living things and their environments

vigorous -–adj. healthy and strong; with energy

rapid –adj. fast

self-sower –n. a plant that spreads its seeds by itself without the help of animals such as birds

code word –n. a word or phrase that has a secret meaning or that is used instead of another word or phrase to avoid speaking directly

clog⁴ –v. to block a narrow passage such as a pipe or street

1 outgrow   

vt.长大得使…不再适用；成长得不再要

参考例句：

• The little girl will outgrow her fear of pet animals.小女孩慢慢长大后就不会在怕宠物了。
• Children who walk in their sleep usually outgrow the habit.梦游的孩子通常在长大后这个习惯自然消失。

2 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

3 vigorous   

adj.有力的，用力的，精力充沛的

参考例句：

• The old man is still vigorous and lively.那老人依然精力充沛。
• She had a vigorous opponent.她遇到一个劲敌。

4 clog   

vt.塞满，阻塞；n.[常pl.]木屐

参考例句：

• In cotton and wool processing,short length fibers may clog sewers.在棉毛生产中，短纤维可能堵塞下水管道。
• These streets often clog during the rush hour.这几条大街在交通高峰时间常常发生交通堵塞。

5 clogs   

木屐； 木底鞋，木屐( clog的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Clogs are part of the Netherlands national costume. 木屐是荷兰民族服装的一部分。
• Clogs are part of the Dutch traditional costume. 木屐是荷兰传统装束的一部分。

6 blazing   

a.强烈的，燃烧的，炫目的

参考例句：

• A huge fire was blazing in the fireplace. 壁炉中火烧得正旺。
• a blazing hot day 大热天

7 shrub   

n.灌木，灌木丛

参考例句：

• There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。
• Moving a shrub is best done in early spring.移植灌木最好是在初春的时候。