The mix of shrubs and flowers Mr. Rushing planted instead of a traditional lawn is an example of his “Slow Gardening” approach. The term takes its name and inspiration from the Slow Food movement, whose adherents believe in using local ingredients harvested in an environmentally responsible way. Mr. Rushing says that he didn’t coin the term, but that he has “appropriated” it.
A busy lecturer on the horticulture society circuit and a born proselytizer, Mr. Rushing, 56, has long advocated a reliance on perennials and an acceptance of a little disorder, and expressed a rebellious affection for lawn ornaments that might in some circles be called trashy (pink flamingoes, for example).
Lately, he’s been preaching slow gardening.
Simply put, the doctrine calls for gardeners to relax, take their time and follow seasonal rhythms, instead of doing everything at once...
Rushing hosts a weekly radio show with podcasts and has a blog.
