“We’re very intelectua-alllll,” one Seattle woman spat into the TV news reporter’s microphone. The brouhaha brewed in the Puget Sound region ten years ago after Pulitzer Prize author Annie Dillard spoke at a Michigan writing conference. In her talk, she called Pacific Northwest women intellectually dull. She made her observation while living in Bellingham and the San Juan Islands in the 70s. In the same lecture, she asserted Northwest women liked to wield chain saws, can things and breastfeed. Two Northwest professors called her comments sexist, regionalist and inaccurate. Local TV journalists raced for reaction, stopping women on the street. One newspaper devoted entire pages to “Dear Ms. Dillard” commentary (pro and con). One writer simply wrote: “Hush Annie. I’m listening to the rain.” Dillard later clarified that her remarks were meant in humor and her audience found them “screamingly funny.” Many Pacific Northwest women weren’t laughing. “I use my chain saw!” one woman said defiantly as she eyed the news camera with a look seeming to express, ‘Any east coast writers out there want to challenge me to a chain saw duel?’

I’m not sure if Annie Dillard’s book sales plummeted in Washington state that year. But I’m certain a number of her literary works ended up in the “free” box at garage sales. I think a few women held BYOCS parties (bring your own chain saw). And there might have been some “Annie book-burnings” with women dancing around a blazing fire while breast-feeding.

It’s possible that Dillard just plain misunderstood us.

But we’re not the only misunderstood group on the planet. The plant world has had its own misunderstood population—Pacific Northwest native plants. A native plant is basically a plant that was here before European settlers. With such a rich history, you’d think they would get a little respect. It turns out; natives have spent too much time playing second-fiddle to gaudy ornamentals. Foreign floozies and hedonistic hybrids have basked in the glow of attention way too long. But no more. Gardeners now recognize the amazing value of natives. Even better, a local nursery near Paradise Lake devotes its entire business to these special plants.

Tadpole Haven Native Plants, a “by-appointment-only” nursery, features natural wonders in greenery and blooms that transport the senses to a hike in the woods. Owner Shirley Doolittle-Egerdahl has a passionate drive for environmental stewardship and explains the renewed focus on natives. “Native plants are gaining more respect because there’s a trend in woodland gardens and a whole natural landscaping movement.”

As journalist-turned-horticulturist, Shirley runs her nursery with the philosophy that her plants contribute something positive to the environment. “A lot of my native plants go in yards and plant projects,” she says. “And so I grow them organically. I don’t use herbicides.”

Tadpole Haven sits on the edge of a tranquil forest replete with giant firs that soar endlessly upward. The wholesale/retail nursery opened in 1998 and derives its name from a 1930s business once situated on neighboring property. “It was named Tadpole Haven and the owners raised bullfrogs to sell to restaurants,” Shirley explains. “I like the name and it fits because tree frogs lay their eggs in the kiddy pools I keep my wetland plants in.”

As we wander through the nursery’s paths set next to neat rows of potted natives, I begin to understand their diverse value: less care and less prone to disease; aesthetic appeal of natural beauty; food and cover for wildlife; water conservation; proven performance in marginal sites; adaptable to the Pacific Northwest climate; and regional landscape identity.

“People are just beginning to learn the ecological value of native plants,” Shirley tells me as we walk past platoons of potted plants.

Shirley points to the elegant deer fern with soft, jade fronds and explains that it’s a popular seller. “The deer fern is an evergreen and likes a shady, not-too-dry environment,” she says. “The vine maple goes well with it and can grow in full sun. You can tell a deer fern from a sword fern because it has rounded fronds. The red flowering currant is also popular. It grows in full shade to full sun in well-drained soil. And people love the red columbine, which blooms in June.” She notes that she’ll pot 4,000 plants this spring, which will add to her vast collection of natives ranging from the dainty pink flowers of Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) and the tiny star-like white flowers of Foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata) to the papery bark of Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) and the deep red branches of Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea).

When asked about the importance of preserving wildlife habitat in the garden, Shirley says, “Let’s start by preserving the smallest wildlife, the biota in your soil and the insects in your garden. Every living thing depends on other living things. Either they are lower on the food chain and support their diet, or the other ‘wildlife’ helps create conditions favorable for their survival. For example, plants grow better when naturally occurring mychorrhizal fungi are present in the soil. One way this symbiosis works: the mychorrizae enables the roots to take up more water. We can foster good conditions for birds and other small animals knowing that we are supporting wildlife higher on the food chain. And we can make our gardens hospitable to wildlife so we have a chance to observe, enjoy and learn about these creatures. These are good motives. But we should always remember: We like to think of ourselves as different somehow than all this wildlife—but the fact is, we ourselves are dependent on healthy conditions for our own lives.”

To learn more, go to www.tadpolehaven.com. Or to make an appointment, contact Shirley at (425) 788-6100 or e-mail tadpole.haven@verizon.net. If you’d like to pick up a good book for further study of natives, Shirley recommends Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. She also suggests Native Plants in the Coastal Garden by April Pettinger for gardeners wanting to incorporate natives into their landscape. And for fun—Washington’s Native Plant Appreciation Week April 30-May 6, 2006 will celebrate the state’s native floral abundance with local talks, walks, hikes and tours. Check out http://www.wnpss.org for information.