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 […]
Curlycup Gumweed – July Plant of the Month
Our July Plant of the Month for 2025 is Curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa). You have probably never heard of that eh? Well, this little known perennial native is actually quite common across much of North America. The only place it does not grow is along the Gulf States, except for Texas. It is quite common […]
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 […]
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 […]
Moonlight Garden Creation
Humans have a long relationship with the heavens above us. In the evening an through the night, the moon and the stars shine over us like watchful beacons. Many gardeners are obsessed with using them as the light in the garden, thus the creation of moon or moonlight gardens. Experience teaches us that the moon […]
Big Perennials for Sun
Sometimes, you need something big in the garden. Usually, gardeners fill large spaces with trees or shrubs. But sometimes that does not work. Say you have a large island bed in the middle of a big open space, and you want color most of the season, but you want it to have the potential to […]
Best Annuals for Pollinators
When we think about pollinators, most gardeners see swaths of perennial flowers in bloom, covered in bees and butterflies. But what are the best annuals for pollinators? Here in the Central Great Plains, I continue to expand my list of best annuals for pollinators. As each season progresses, I track insects coming into my garden, […]
