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The Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly

Andrew Mitchell

The Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly

The silver spotted skipper butterfly is our June Pollinator of the Month. It is one of the most recognized butterflies in North America. While it can be found throughout the continent, it is most comm...

June baptisia butterflies butterfly gardening butterfly hosts host plants legumes pollinator gardening pollinator of the month skipper butterflies skippers

Jun 18, 2026

The Chelsea Chop

Andrew Mitchell

The Chelsea Chop

When I first heard about this gardening technique, I was probably like many other gardeners, thinking "What is the Chelsea Chop?" This technique was called after the Chelsea Flower Show, which happens...

chelsea chop perennial cutback perennials pruning perennials rejuvenation

Jun 11, 2026

In Defense of Native Plants

Andrew Mitchell

In Defense of Native Plants

Typically, a week in June or the entire month of June is set aside as a month for natives. Native plants that is. The Kansas Native Plant Society has for years petitioned the Kansas Governor to make J...

Garden Planning Gardening Native Grasses butterfly hosts host plants meadow gardening native gardening native plants natives natural gardening pollinator gardening

Jun 4, 2026

Whispurr Pink Catmint

Andrew Mitchell

Whispurr Pink Catmint

Our June Plant of the Month for 2026 is Whispurr Pink catmint. Catmints (Nepeta species) hail from Europe and Asia, mainly along the Mediterranean Regions. But they have been widely cultivated and nat...

June catmint plant of the month pollinator gardening pollinator plants whispurr pink catmint

May 28, 2026

Perennial Pollinator Plants

Andrew Mitchell

Perennial Pollinator Plants

Even though the springtime brings warmer temperatures, leaves on everything, and sunshine, the flowers really do not shine until June. But there are still many perennial pollinator plants for gardens,...

April flowering baptisia bees butterflies may flowering milkweeds perennials perennials for pollinators pollinator gardening pollinator plants wasps

May 21, 2026

Japanese Maples

Andrew Mitchell

Japanese Maples

Are you looking for an understory tree for a shady spot in your yard? If so, then consider the Japanese maple ( Acer palmatum ). Despite not being native to North America, these are one of the more ic...

Japanese maple maple trees small trees trees

May 14, 2026

8 Mistakes New Gardeners Often Make

Andrew Mitchell

8 Mistakes New Gardeners Often Make

I started gardening when I was 5 years old, but I can still remember many of the mistakes I made. I am still making mistakes now! They are just different mistakes than the ones which new gardeners oft...

Gardening Organic Gardening garden irrigation gardening mistakes landscaping pruning watering

May 7, 2026

Siberian Iris

Andrew Mitchell

Siberian Iris

Our 2026 May Plant of the Month is Siberian Iris. This perennial hails from Europe and Asia, being widely cultivated since the Middle Ages. There are records of of cultivation of it by Monks in Britai...

Gardening May Siberian iris cottage garden iris perennials plant of the month

Apr 30, 2026

Clematis for the Garden

Andrew Mitchell

Clematis for the Garden

Many gardeners have a love and hate relationship with clematis. They either love it because it blooms so well, or hate it because it will not bloom at all. What camp are you in? I have been blessed to...

Jackman clematis arbor clematis ornamental vines perennial vines pergola sweet autumn clematis trellises

Apr 23, 2026

For the Love of Roses

Andrew Mitchell

For the Love of Roses

I will admit, I would not be the first person I would think of as someone who loves roses. And yet, they are growing on me. In the past, my disdain from roses came from the overuse of Knockout shrub r...

climbing roses drift roses hybrid tea roses knockout roses proven winners roses

Apr 16, 2026

Ephemerals for the Garden

Andrew Mitchell

Ephemerals for the Garden

With the onset of spring also comes flowers galore. But some flowers (and their plants) seem to leave far to soon, after staying for only a little while. These are ephemerals of course. What is an eph...

Virginia bluebells ephemerals jack in the pulpit perennials wildflowers woodland flowers

Apr 9, 2026

Suckering Shrubs

Andrew Mitchell

Suckering Shrubs

Suckering shrubs are not what most homeowners are looking for in their tidy landscapes. But with trends in landscaping veering towards natives and providing more for wildlife, why not add in suc...

aronia butterfly hosts desert willow flowering shrubs fothergilla host plants shrubs smooth hydrangea sumac sweetspire wild plum

Apr 2, 2026

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