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Beth Brandvain is one who has
profited from Levine's "out with
the new, in with the old" philoso-
phy. She adopted a large swath
of vinca that he wanted out of
his yard that is now happily a
ground cover in hers.
"Ari (her husband) and I have
this vision of someday living in
this urban kibbutz',' says Brandvain,
who lives nearby. "Robert is definitely
in it. When the president of the sub-
division asked homeowners for sugges-
tions, Robert came up with a community
tool shed (that didn't get a lot of support).
That's just the kind of guy he is."
Neighbor Bob Berman applauds another of Levine's
suggestions, which also didn't pass, that the subdivision use
natural plantings in its common areas.
"I believe what he does is the right way to have a garden:' says Berman who
aspires to do something similar. "It's a wonderful thing to do."

You can visit Levine's Web site at www.michiganplants.wikispaces.com .

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that are larval host plants for butterflies), wildflowers, trees, shrubs and woody vines are avail-
able at the Oakland Land Conservancy's eighth annual Spring Native Plant Sale.
It's set from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 3, at the Betty Stodgill Pancake Pavilion, Pike
and Mill streets in Pontiac.
The non-profit conservancy also offers Bird and Butterfly Gardens, which must be pre-
ordered. Call (248) 601-2816 for an order form or go to www.oaklandlandcon-
servancy.org for more detailed information and to order online.
The Michigan Native Nursery Producers Association (MNNPA) has
an online list of nurseries throughout the state that specialize in
Michigan native plants — species that occurred prior to European
settlement and that are genetically adapted to the particular
climate and soils in which they have evolved.
Closest to Metro Detroit are: Sorus Plants in the Ann Arbor
area, (734) 678-6685, www.sorusplants.com and Wildtype
Nursery in the Lansing area, (517) 244-1140, www.wildtype-
plants.com . Wildtype Nursery provides the plants offered at
the Oakland Land Conservancy sale.
The Farmington Hills Nature Center features a prototype
of a backyard habitat. You can call Joe Derek at (248) 477-
1135 to schedule a tour.
Farmington Hills, Southfield and the Michigan Department
of Transportation chose to beautify the Northwestern Highway
median with native grasses and flowers when it was redone in
2005.
An added benefit of a native garden is little or no grass mowing — at
least in Farmington Hills. "If you can show you're gardening for nature, you
can be exempt from the mowing ordinance," Derek says.

31205 Grand River
(248) 476-0730

Commerce Twp.
2891 Haggerty Rd.
(248) 624-2288
Southfield
24055 W. 10 Mile Rd.

(248) 353-1500

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1230440

March 22 • 2007

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