
A British Horticultural Ecologist Challenges the U.S. Consensus
From Growing Greener by Tom Christopher
March 4, 2026 · 29 min · Episode 352
About this episode
James Hitchmough discusses the role of native versus exotic plants in supporting insect diversity in gardens.
Citing European studies, British horticultural ecologist James Hitchmough, a leader of the ecological gardening movement in his country, rejects the intrinsic superiority of native plants over exotic garden imports for supporting insect diversity in the garden.
People in this episode
Host: Tom Christopher
Guest: James Hitchmough
Topics covered
- horticulture
- ecological gardening
- native plants
- exotic plants
- insect diversity
Keywords
- horticultural ecologist
- native plants
- exotic garden imports
- insect diversity
- European studies
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ecological gardening movement
Places: Britain, U.S.
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