Presentation by Laurie Taylor-Mitchell. In her talk based on personal experiences, Laurie will focus on the environmental and aesthetic benefits brought about by transforming a suburban yard into an area filled with native trees, shrubs, and perennials where deer are a continuous problem. Progressing through the seasons, she will show how areas replanted with native species attract numerous birds and insects and can provide a brilliant “show” throughout the year. She will also discuss how aggressive invasives plants are affecting the understory and tree canopies, the seasons in which they may be controlled, and the histories behind some of the worst invasives. Kudzu, “the plant that ate the South,” was introduced into the US in 1876 as what was at the time thought to be a beautiful ornamental vine. Laurie will share electronic resources on native plants for one’s backyard and a handbook on invasive plants and their native alternatives.
On Friday morning July 25, she will lead a walk around the lake, pointing out native and invasive plants.

About Laurie Taylor-Mitchell

Laurie Taylor-Mitchell and her family have vacationed in Eagles Mere during the summer for the last 30 years. Laurie began gardening with native plants after moving to Towson, Maryland, in 2000 and has spent over 20 years replacing lawn grass with deer-resistant native trees, shrubs, and perennials. In 2024, her yard was a finalist in the Towson Native Plant Gardening Contest. In 2015, she restarted the Weed Warriors Program at a local park near Towson. The volunteer group focuses on removing invasive plants from the tree canopy and reseeding areas with native plants. She also does research on the history of some invasive plants and the social and economic “politics” underlying their presence and attempts (or not) to control them.