Prepping for Feathered Friends
As winter looms in the background, many of us gardeners who have cleaned our landscapes of wilted hostas, frozen daylilies, and dead annuals look forward to the influx of feathered friends that come to our landscapes in winter in search of food, water, and a safe place to spend the cold months. If you live […]
Using Berries in the Landscape
As autumn leaves begin to litter our yards with colorful tones, the bright berries of fruits and shrubs shine among the leafless branches. Using berries in our yards provides for both us and wildlife. Besides the fruit, many berry bushes have alternate interest in their flowers, bark, and fall color. Using berries in limited numbers […]
Benefits of Growing Black Walnuts
Autumn is harvest time, and as harvest of field crops begins to dwindle, many turn their thoughts to Thanksgiving and Halloween. I often think about my grandparents at this time of year, remembering all the great experiences they shared with me… eating potato doughnuts on Halloween, learning about trees in the backyard, and husking and […]
Artful Additions
Using statuary and art in your garden can make it pop in the off months and seem more worldly in the rest. Many gardeners add there own bit of whimsy as they go along, whether it be a colorful glass bottle tower, a single concrete or stone statue, or a magical fountain. Art in the […]
Garden Bones
Just the other day I remarked to a colleague about his garden and how we designed gardens with the “bones” in mind. Garden bones of course, are not the bones of any animal, but the strong plants that hold the garden together through all seasons, when perennials have faded and annuals are put to rest […]
Top 5 Plants for Pollinators – September
September is here and right around the bend is autumn. September is a month after my own heart, with my birthday and my siblings’ birthdays. We always had a huge party for the three of us, usually on Labor Day weekend. Summer was waning, but their was still a feel of excitement in the air […]
Top Perennials for Bees & Butterflies – August
August is here with the dog days of summer. The cicadas are singing their wings off in the trees each night, but the pollinators are in full force across the summertime perennials. I have seen the many more monarchs in the past week than in the the previous months combined. With all these pollinators buzzing […]
Top Plants for Bees/Butterflies: June-July Part II
Welcome back! The glorious Independence Day is over and summer is bearing down upon us. I am always so busy getting things done for the holidays, that I hardly have time to put posts together. The second half of the season has started and we need some flower power to steer us through. The second […]
Top Plants for Bees/Butterflies: June-July
Seems everywhere I go these days I hear about pollinator gardens, bee-friendly plants, and bee gardens. Everyone is finally getting into planting for bees and butterflies and not just to make their home look nice. Although it is easy to do both, have a nice looking landscape and have pollinator friendly gardens. So what pants […]
