Bluestem Grasses – October Plant of the Month
Bluestem grasses are our 2024 October plant of the month. What do I mean by bluestem grasses? Well, there are 2 species that are generally considered when talking about bluestem grasses. These are Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). This can get confusing when someone asks for bluestem grasses. You have to […]
False Sunflower – August Plant of the Month
False sunflower is our August Plant of the Month for 2024. Also known as ox-eye sunflower, this native perennial has become quite popular in the garden. With recent breeding work in favor of more colorful cultivars, there is a plant for everyone. False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) is native east of the Rocky Mountains and is […]
Heat Loving Perennials
When it comes to summer, you want to have as many heat loving perennials as possible. At least, here in the Central Great Plains, where daytime temps can reach 110 degrees F and nighttime temps may stay in the 80, we do. Of all the 25 heat loving perennials mentioned below, I have 23 in […]
Legumes for the Landscape
What are legumes? And why do we want them in the landscape? Legumes are plants which produce bean-like pods of seeds and produce their own nitrogen, with the aid of a nitrogen-fixing bacteria. By putting more legumes in the landscape, we can help our gardens flourish and reduce the need for extra, synthetic fertilizers. Nitrogen […]
Native Bees
As the winter turns into February, I begin to really long for spring. And the native bees are the first pollinators to arrive. On dandelions, toothwort, dicentra, and other early spring wildflowers, I see native bees. There are around 4,000 native bees in the United States and about 400 in Kansas. And it may be […]
Native Plants – July Bloomers
Continuing my series on native plants, the July bloomers are quite spectacular. There are a number of new species that just begin to bloom at this time. And continuations of many June bloomers. Native plants have become more and more popular with each year, especially as climate and weather concerns grow. As you look to […]
Native Wildflowers – June Bloomers
What native wildflowers bloom in June? Well, a lot of them. June is considered to be the best month for native wildflowers. It is also Native Plant Month in Kansas, of the governor remembers to sign the proclamation anyways. There are hundreds of species of natives which begin to bloom in June, and many of […]
Native Plants – May Bloomers
May is often referred to as the month of flowers, following April showers, but what about for native plants? Are there a lot blooming? Well, we still have some of our April bloomers still going, and of course, there are a lot of cultivars of natives which are just beginning to go crazy. I have […]
Native Plants – Early Spring Bloomers
Knowing which native plants are blooming when can help you choose the right ones for your garden. I love natives for a lot of reasons. Every since I was a child I have sought out the wild places for walking and hiking, seeking native plants and their associations with animals and insects. And I found […]
