TED Talks Daily Let your garden grow wild | Rebecca McMackin
116 snips
May 26, 2025 
Rebecca McMackin, an ecological horticulturist, advocates for letting gardens grow wild to enhance biodiversity. She shares her experiences transforming urban spaces like Brooklyn Bridge Park into havens for wildlife. Discover the crucial relationship between plants and pollinators, including how red flowers attract hummingbirds. McMackin emphasizes the importance of embracing natural ecosystems in gardening, highlighting the benefits of allowing pests and predators to thrive, ultimately promoting a healthier environment for all.
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Gardens as Ecological Deserts
- Most gardens today act as ecological deserts due to harmful chemicals used in maintenance.
- Beautiful gardens don't require insecticides and can support local wildlife if designed thoughtfully.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Wildlife Revival
- Brooklyn Bridge Park was built on concrete and transformed into a lush wildlife habitat.
- Birds, rare insects, and butterflies now thrive there, surprising many visitors.
Biodiversity Crisis Threatens Food
- The world faces a biodiversity crisis with insect populations nearly halved since childhood.
- This decline threatens food systems because insects pollinate one-third of the food we consume.