Blackhawks Big Bluestem – 2026 Perennial Plant of the Year
Surprise! I was totally surprised to discover that the Perennial Plant Association named a grass (Blackhawks big bluestem) as the perennial plant of the year for 2026. Has this happened before? Well, yes it has. Three times before now the PPA has nominated a grass as the perennial of the year. Little bluestem in 2022, […]
My Garden in 2025
Every year, I give you all a virtual tour of my garden. And 2025 is not different. I think it is nice to end the season with photos of your favorite spaces, and my garden is tops on my list, though I love to see every one else’s gardens too! Things in my own gardens […]
Milkweeds for North American Gardens
Milkweeds are fast becoming one of the most talked about if not grown plants in American gardens. Everyone is joining the effort in adding milkweed in their gardens to help our monarch butterflies. And the monarchs seem to be making a rebound. The 2024 season for the monarch was one of the lowest in 30 […]
Rockets Red Glare – All About Red Hot Poker
Red hot poker, Kniphofia uvaria spp. and hybrids, are one of the most durable perennials for the garden. Native to South Africa and Lesotho, the red hot poker can grow in a variety of gardens throughout the world. I first became aware of the flowers of this plant when I was a kid, going to […]
Common Butterflies of the Central Great Plains
June is the time of year when a lot of our common butterflies start visiting the garden. We do have a plethora of butterflies, and some of them are quite spectacular. But many species are less likely to be seen or even known by many gardeners. There are 41 species of common butterflies found in […]
Edge Plantings
What is the edge? Well, it is the literal edge of the property. In most urban cases, planting along the edge of the property is considered bad form to the neighbor. However, in the rural world having edge plantings means having a separation between you and the neighbors, or a field. My mom’s house sits […]
Wild Plants for Butterflies
Do I mean weeds? Well, yes. There are a variety of wild plants or weeds, which some of our most beautiful butterflies feed on. And if we are growing only tidy gardens, then we may lose out on seeing those butterflies. I am sure there are some new gardeners here, but many of you have […]
Rattlesnake Master – June Plant of the Month
Rattlesnake master is our 2025 June Plant of the Month. This is one of my favorite native perennials, and for many reasons. The first time I came across this species was in the native plant garden at Kansas State University, while I was going to college there. I spent many hours in that garden, watching […]
Attracting Bluebirds
My kids just called me to share interesting facts about bluebirds they just learned. Since we started homeschooling in 2018, my kids have the ability to learn at their own rate, on things in the world around them, not useless facts and figures. And learning about attracting bluebirds is one of those things. There are […]
