Native plants often have a reputation for being “aggressive”, “thuggish”, or “weedy”. Sometimes this reputation is earned. Common milkweed, for example, is great for monarchs, but can be a real pain for a gardener to try to control (only plant this particular variety if you have lots of space and an informal style!). And it … Read more
As the days get warmer, I start dreaming about a summer vacation. Often, my family will pack up and set off in our pop-up camper to stay a few nights in one of our national or state parks. The natural places in our country hold so much beauty! This year we probably won’t be heading … Read more
Want to go Native? Are you ready to plant some native plants, but aren’t sure where to start? Here are some beautiful native plant alternatives to common nursery plants. Instead of: Forsythia — try Spicebush (lindera benzoin) instead! This beautiful shrub has yellow blooms in early spring before leafing out. The leaves and stems are very … Read more
I would have to say spring has officially sprung in my backyard. I can see ducks in the little creek that flows when it rains. The snow has melted and the warmth of the sun has given way to so many native plants starting to unfurl their leaves and reach out to touch the sun. … Read more
Even though it’s still winter, now is the time to think about monarchs! Monarchs in the western US are especially at risk of extinction, but our monarchs east of the Rockies could use some help too. The single best thing you can do to help the monarch population is to plant native milkweed! Just a … Read more
The monarch butterfly, with its unmistakable orange wings, is beautiful to behold. More importantly, it plays a vital role in pollination, contributing to our entire food chain. Numbers are down by as much as 53% this year for some varieties. The drop off is most likely due to loss of breeding habitat according to Doug … Read more
Here in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, fall is the best time to plant milkweed seeds. It’s too warm for the ground to be frozen but too cold for seeds to sprout before winter sets in. Exposing seeds to cool temperatures before the warmer temps of spring will cause them to break their dormancy and … Read more