As we enter May, we welcome National Public Gardens Week!
National Public Gardens Week, an American Public Gardens Association initiative, began in 2009 as a single day to encourage visits to these vital community green spaces. Historically, the focus of the “day” had been squarely on showcasing horticultural excellence and highlighting gardens as accessible places for recreation, inspiration, and local pride.
Over time, it has blossomed into a full week, and the focus has broadened significantly to also champion the critical roles public gardens play in education, plant conservation, promoting well-being, and increasingly, demonstrating sustainable practices - principles highly aligned with our ethos here at Upcycle.
From historic botanical gardens to commercial properties with shared green space to innovative urban parks, these spaces speak to the talents of the professionals who maintain them. But have you ever wondered what truly makes these gardens thrive, especially under both the increasing demands of the public and the push for more sustainable approaches to maintenance?
Increasingly, that secret lies beneath the surface. A powerful movement, driven by regenerative practices and innovative technology, is providing a new foundation for rejuvenating these green spaces and providing new mechanisms for landscape professionals to meet their high bar for excellence.
Regenerative Roots: Practices with Purpose
At its heart, regenerative practices are about working with nature, not against it. They focus on practices that:
- Improve soil health: This means increasing organic matter, enhancing microbial life, and improving soil structure.
- Increase biodiversity: From the microorganisms in the soil to local pollinators, diverse ecosystems mean strong ecosystems.
- Sequester or mitigate carbon release: Healthy soils can draw down and store atmospheric carbon, playing a role in climate change mitigation.
- Reduce reliance on synthetic inputs: By fostering natural sources of nutrition, the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides can be reduced.
What does it all mean for National Public Gardens Week?
- More Vibrant, Resilient Plants: Healthy soil, rich in microbial life, makes nutrients more bioavailable to plants. This means stronger root systems, lusher foliage, more abundant blooms, and greater resilience with regard to pests and diseases.
- Water Conscious Landscapes: Soil with high organic matter acts like a sponge, absorbing and retaining moisture, reducing the need for heightened irrigation.
- Enhanced Biodiversity: Regenerative practices encourage a thriving ecosystem, attracting beneficial insects, pollinators, and other species, adding new layers of life to the garden.
- Sustainable Aesthetics: Gardens managed regeneratively aren't just beautiful, they're exemplary of responsible land stewardship.
Upcycle and Company: Powering Regenerative Practices with Upcycle Active Technology
At Upcycle, we seek to merge technology with conventional wisdom. We transform traditional waste material into high-performance, "active" technology that supports your local green spaces without making significant changes to your own, native best practices.
With Upcycle Active, we’re creating a solution that builds soil health naturally through a number of mechanisms:
- Improving Root Growth and Function: Upcycle Active liquid and dry granular formulations stimulate root development, leading to a more extensive root system, taking advantage of more soil volume for water. They can also enhance the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake.
- Activate Plant Genetics: Specific formulations can also upregulate the plant's natural genetic pathways in as little as 24 hours. This creates a more responsive, resilient, and productive plant that optimizes nutrient uptake and bolsters the plant's natural defense mechanisms.
- Harness the Power of Bacteria and Microorganisms: Our technology promotes plant growth and resilience through these native microbial communities. We are your boots on the ground solution for turbocharged growth, ironclad defense, and resilient plants.
A Study in Regenerative Excellence - Partnering with Dinsmore Landscape
To see how regenerative practices and modern technologies elevate public spaces, consider the stunning examples where our technology is already applied. Our partner, Dinsmore Landscape Company, actively embraces these principles. Dedicated to 'keeping the earth green,' Dinsmore excels in expert landscape installation, management, and maintenance, making them an ideal collaborator for creating and enhancing these vital areas. Their impressive portfolio, where they develop spaces for both innovation and enjoyment, aligns perfectly with the vision of sustainable public green spaces. Here are some highlights of our work together:
Application Details:
Upcycle’s Active Fertilizer technology is applied on the above properties twice annually via drop spreader and belly grinder. More recently, Dinsmore has tried the liquid app at the 2:1 ratio suggested and is beginning to see new growth in plant material that was previously stunted.
Creating and maintaining a diverse and thriving ecosystem in challenging public environments requires innovative thinking and top-tier results. This is where the synergy between Dinsmore's landscape expertise and Upcycle's advanced technology can truly shine, helping them meet the challenge of sustainability “head on”.
Why this partnership is a game-changer:
Enhanced Plant Resilience & Soil Vitality:
Dinsmore’s expertly designed and installed landscapes benefit from Upcycle Active fertilizer. Upcycle’s Active Landscape product builds more resilient plants and fosters a balanced soil ecosystem. This technology boosts a plant's natural ability to manage stress, crucial for public spaces that often face heavy use, including people, pets, and other challenging conditions. It enables the use of more recycled water while managing the damage caused by high salt levels in recycled water.
Improved Nutrient Efficiency:
Upcycle Active helps plants utilize applied N and P fertilizers more effectively and can reduce salt uptake. For Dinsmore, this means creating healthier, more vibrant landscapes with potentially fewer inputs, aligning with regenerative landscape management practices.
Support for Regenerative Goals:
Upcycle's mission to "help nature work in harmony" is the essence of regenerative practices. By incorporating Upcycle Landscape products, Dinsmore can further its commitment to sustainability, leading to public gardens that require less water and fewer overall products, and contribute to better soil health and more robust plant growth. This partnership underscores a shared dedication to creating public spaces that are not only beautiful but also ecologically sound.
Celebrating Green Spaces and Visioning for the Future
As we celebrate National Public Gardens Week, let's look beyond the immediate beauty of the landscapes we enjoy and appreciate the deep interconnected systems at play, maintaining that underlying beauty. Regenerative practices, supercharged by innovative technologies like Upcycle's Active fertilizer, are paving the way for public gardens that are not only breathtaking but also healthier, more sustainable, and genuinely regenerative for generations to come.
The collaboration between a forward-thinking company like Dinsmore Landscape and the pioneering technology of Upcycle and Company provides a clear pathway to achieving this vision for public green spaces, showing that environmental responsibility and economic scalability can truly go hand in hand.
Next time you stroll through a magnificent public space, remember the unsung microbe heroes beneath your feet and the thoughtful collaborations that bring such regenerative beauty to life.
And if you're a landscape professional looking for sustainable ways to enhance your fantastic work, consider how Upcycle Active technology and Upcycle Landscape products can support your future endeavors.
