Preventing the Next Stinky bob

In one of my favorite design books, Naturalistic Gardening by Ann Lovejoy, she writes: “A surprising number of perennials from peonies to Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), produce reliably fine autumn foliage color that lasts for weeks.” I was a bit shocked to read this positive review of “Stinky Bob” because at Gabriel Park in SW Portland I observed Herb Robert totally smothering extensive swaths of ground in the forested area, with little native vegetation to been seen. The book was published in 1998 so I thought the author may have just been unaware of the invasive potential of Stinky Bob? However, later in the book Lovejoy writes “…herb Robert manages to block all challengers. This smothering ability is a good habit in a ground cover, but when the ground cover gets away and starts infiltrating the woods, we have a problem. Herb Robert spreads in all the usual ways, but the most serious is human.”

I’m not sure what to make of Lovejoy’s contradictory sentiments about Stinky Bob, however I’m glad later in the book she acknowledged its invasive potential. How did we get to this place where plants that are valued for their aesthetic qualities take a heavy toll on the environment with enormous ecological and economic consequences? This entry is my attempt to explore this question, and see how we might prevent the next Stinky Bob. I will post my findings in this blog. Thanks for reading and I look forward to digging into this important topic and sharing what I learn!