What’s in a Name? Bombus Ecoscapes
A company name is important for many reasons. It is often the first chance to make an impression on a prospective client, the first handshake if you will. When done successfully, a company’s brand - that is their name, logo and overall feel - can help to target an intended audience, convey a core set of values and give a sense of services offered. A brand can spark conversation and make a lasting memory for those that have come across it.
So given the importance of branding, why did we land on Bombus Ecoscapes? Let’s dissect;
Bombus is latin for ‘buzz’. Naturally, buzz is what we’re trying to create when we talk about the emerging importance of native plant use in our developed landscapes.
Bombus is also the family name of the bumblebee, our company’s ‘mascot’. The bee was assigned this epithet because of the distinct buzzing sound it makes from vibrating its flight muscles. In fact, the sound serves an important purpose in the pollination process, for when the bumblebee lands on a flower, its buzz helps to release pollen from hard to reach areas of the flower. Geum trifolorum (Prairie Smoke) is one floral example where this technique is effectively used. This technique may also be referred to as ‘sonication’.
We found the bumblebee to be a good mascot for our company for a couple of reasons. One, it is a highly recognizable figure in our landscape, and a pleasant one to see because of its chunky figure, memorable yellow banding, and peaceful attitude (it will not sting you). Second, along with other types of life, it plays a highly important role in pollinating plants in our local ecosystem. We will dive into the significance of pollinators in future posts. Third, it opens the door to many play on words. The founder, Brendan McKee, has caught the nickname B, so relating his name to an important pollinator seemed like a good connection to make. You may also notice that our blog space is referred to as the ‘B Hive’ - a play on the eusocial (colony) living habits of bumblebees.
A rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis) - our company’s mascot - seen here pollinating a native purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).
On to the next word, Ecoscapes. Ecoscapes references the ecological landscapes that we wish to create. Ecoscapes are multilayered, biodiverse, and healthy. These types of landscapes are the best equipped at providing the important ecosystem services needed for the mutual wellness of community and environment.
We employ the term ‘ecoscape’ to relate, but also distinguish, it from the general term of ‘landscaping’ for a couple of reasons. One, right off the bat, we want our clients to know that we operate with ecological sensitivity in mind. Not all plants used in the landscape are created equally, in terms of ecological function, maintenance requirements or even aesthetic value, and so we wish to apply our knowledge to ensure that what you put in your landscape provides you with optimum value. Two, many landscape companies offer versions of ‘sustainability’ that don’t fit the definition. This is a long topic that we will elaborate on in a future post. Three, we believe our services lie outside the ‘norm’ and so we wished to use a term that fits this vision. Wildscaping, naturescaping, re-wilding, naturalistic planting and a bevvy of other terms may be used synonymously with ecoscaping.
Ecoscaping draws inspiration from wild systems to bring nature home. Photo credit: Rick Darke.
Hopefully this dissection of our brand has been helpful in understanding more about Bombus Ecoscapes. Please keep following to learn how you can plant with a purpose!
