Suzy Askew
By Kim Halyak
This is the fourth in a series of interviews on designing with native plants for our urban gardens, perfect for getting ready for this year’s garden walk, whose theme is “Cooper Young Goes Native.”
This month’s expert is Suzy Askew. She is recently retired from the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, where she was Gardens Education and Volunteer Coordinator, and is the current President of the Memphis Horticultural Society.
Tell us a little bit about your occupation and background.
I am a teacher and a gardener. I taught for about 10 years, and, in the meantime, I joined the Kennedy View Garden Club here in Memphis. I started taking flower show judges classes, thinking I would learn more about gardening. Wrong. That would be gardening schools or the conservation schools offered by National Garden Clubs, Inc. But I learned a lot about flower arranging, in the meantime. I also took every class offered and went to a lot of the native plant conferences and became a member of Tennessee Native Plant Society.
I’ve always loved plants but was curious about design. So, in my 40s I went back to graduate school and got a degree in landscape architecture. I worked with neighborhood design and both public and private gardens. After 9/11, I stopped traveling and got a part time job at Lichterman Nature Center as the plants activity coordinator, growing native plants with volunteers. In the afternoon, I taught 12-year-old boys to garden at Grizzlies Prep. Later, I took a full-time job at Dixon Gallery and Gardens as the garden’s education and volunteer coordinator. I retired January 31. I am the 2018 President of Memphis Horticulture Society.
When and why did you become interested in native plants?
I grew up going out to the woods and creeks with my parents. We would wander around looking at plants. They both grew up in Houston County, TN, way out in the country, so they loved getting back to their childhood places. I grew up in Corinth, MS.
What is your definition of native plants?
Any plant growing in the U.S. before 1492, when Christopher Columbus landed. I used to tell my students, as ole’ Chris steeped off the Santa Maria, everything in front of him was native to U.S., and everything in his pockets or behind him was introduced or non-native. You can usually find the date most non-natives were brought in.
How strict are you on the term native plants?
Native plants are non-hybridized species, naturally occurring in a particular place due to soils and weather. Also, certain plants that have colonized like Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) and are considered naturalized natives. (It all seems to sound like our immigration policy, now, doesn’t it?) I’m not quite that strict; just don’t think hybrids contribute to the insect pollination needs.
Why should homeowners include native plants in their gardens?
Natives give a sense of place. They belong here. They offer pollinators food and habitat. They are just as beautiful and interesting as hybrids. They reflect the seasonality of an area.
How do you feel about mixing both natives and showy, non-native ornamentals in a garden?
As much as I love plants, I mix. I try to find a substitute for non-native when possible. Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) for boxwood (Buxusi). But I still love Buxus!
What particular native plants stand out as must haves for the Mid-South region?
Deciduous shrubs, perennials, small trees.
What native plants are not recommended for small urban gardens and why?
Many of the large trees. I don’t like sticker plants that cut and scratch.
So many people want to grow natives but don’t know where to buy them. What do you recommend?
Most local nurseries have natives mixed in. Just ask once you know what you want. Mail order the rarer items.
Is there anything else you would like to say about native plants?
A garden is designed, green and enclosed. Start with a plan then start deciding which natives can go into your plan. You’ll be surprised how many choices there are once you have a plan. A garden without a plan is a hot mess. And people who buy plants without a place to put them are plant collectors. Trust me. I understand. I, too, collect plants and have lots of dead ones to prove my point.
What else would you like our readers to know?
The Memphis Horticultural Society will be co-hosting a Native Plant Conference in October.For 10 years I have been editing a book with volunteers for Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs that is about native plant lists for Tennessee. We are going to try to finish it this summer. There are about 150 lists and 150 landscape worthy natives categorized, with categories like small trees for containers, bloom red, deep shade, fragrant, bulletproof, and great for kids.
If you would like to contact Suzy, you can email her siaskew@comcast.net.
