Accent on Natural Landscaping

Natural Landscaping

February 13, 2016

Do you have a passion for native plants and natural landscaping? Do you wish you knew more about native plants and biodiversity? If so, I invite you to join this blog and learn about native plants, natural landscaping and biodiversity a little at a time.

As Executive Director of Wild Ones for 17 years, one of the things I enjoyed the most was to share with members and others the new and interesting information I learned about things related to the Wild Ones mission. So now as I continue on with my next life adventure, [Read more…]

Buzzing causes Sweeter Nectar

June 14, 2019

Many of us talk to our plants, because we think it helps them grow. Now there is research which shows bees communicate with flowers through the vibrations of their wings, so our premise may not be too far-fetched. See Do you talk to your plants? We potentially achieve the same thing with the vibrations generated by the frequencies of our voice.

Israeli researcher Lilach Hadany has found the buzzing of nearby bees causes Evening Primroses (Oenothera drummondii) to respond with sweeter nectar. It seems the frequency of the bees’ wings generates the sweeter response.

Beach Evening Primrose

Hadany chose the Evening Primrose because it has a long bloom time and produces measurable amounts of nectar. It also grows wild on the beaches and other natural areas in Tel Aviv, so it was readily available as a research specimen.

Further, although the blossoms vary in size and shape, they are parabolic or bowl-shaped — a perfect acoustical shape — much like a TV satellite dish. This shape is perfect for absorbing and then passing on the sound waves from the buzzing to the nectar source.

What does this mean?

Her team tested the plants with a variety of frequencies used by pollinators and no frequency at all. Within three minutes of exposure to the frequencies, sugar concentration increased 12 to 20 percent. They tested the same frequencies with one or more petals removed, so the bowl shape was no longer prominent, and the plants did not respond as well to the buzzing at all frequencies.

The theory is the sweeter the nectar, the more insects are drawn to the plant, thus increasing the chances for successful cross-pollination. Researchers found nine times more pollinators buzz around plants visited within six minutes by another pollinator.

See Flowers respond to pollinator sounds within minutes by increasing nectar sugar concentration.

Next week is Pollinator Week. Stay tuned for more info on pollinators.

Thank you Kathy Jones for making me aware of this latest study.

Johnson’s Nursery offers 40% Discount in June

June 12, 2019

If you live in Wisconsin and you’re looking for native plants, this is the month to shop at Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls. During the month of June, Johnson’s Nursery offers a 40% discount on container grown Wisconsin native plants to shoppers presenting their valid Wild Ones member card at time of sale. Additionally, they contribute a percentage of member sales to the three Milwaukee-area Wild Ones chapters — Menomonee River, Milwaukee North, and Milwaukee Southwest/Wehr.

Gnarly Natives

Below is an article by Ben French, propagator at Johnson’s Nursery. Find out why he considers these three native Wisconsin plants “gnarly:” American Beech, Carrion Flower and Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

Gnarly Natives

Wisconsin and the 19th Amendment

June 10, 2019

Two of my favorite subjects are woman’s suffrage and dolls, so it is fitting today on the centennial celebration of Wisconsin’s ratification of the 19th Amendment to the federal Constitution, American Girl Doll‘s has created a doll just to commemorate the celebration. It can be seen this afternoon at the State capital and then will move onto the Wisconsin Historical Society until later this fall. She is wearing the parade tunic worn by Wisconsin suffrage supporters during the Republican National convention in Chicago, Illinois in 1916.

The work to grant all women full voting rights was carried out by many dedicated and passionate women of Wisconsin starting in the 1840s and culminating on June 10, 1919 when Wisconsin was the first state to ratify the woman’s suffrage amendment. Following Tennessee’s ratification in 1920, as the 36th state to ratify, the 19th Amendment was finally validated on August 18, 1920 by federal legislators and became a permanent amendment to the Constitution.

Although the Amendment gave us the right to vote in federal elections, it didn’t grant us the right to be equal. Unfortunately, we’re still working on that…

The Wisconsin woman’s suffrage tunic can be seen at the Wisconsin State Historical Museum. Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society.

American Girl Doll

Although I was unsuccessful in finding a photo of the American Girl Doll, I did find a photo of the tunic she wears. It is fashioned after the same tunic worn by the Wisconsin women supporting woman’s suffrage.

She can be seen this afternoon at the State capital and then will move on to the Wisconsin Historical Museum for display until fall.

See Wisconsin journalists played key roles in suffrage movement.

Also, see Nancy Unger‘s discussion on women’s rights activist Belle La Follette, the first woman to earn a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Doug Tallamy and Yours Truly Speaking

June 7, 2019

Dr Doug Tallamy is the author of *Bringing Nature Home* and co-author of *The Living Landscape* with Rick Darke.

Season 6 of Where Ecology Meets Economy titled Creating Landscapes for a Healthy Planet is scheduled for September 25, 2019 at Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners, Wisconsin and will feature two presentations by Entomologist Doug Tallamy: Creating Living Landscapes and Treasures Among our Natives. Following his presentations, will be a Panel discussion held by Dan Wilson, Randy Powers, David Wanninger, Ron Gumz, Mike Yanney and yours truly, Donna VanBuecken.

Hosted by SEWISC* and Johnson’s Nursery, the day’s events will feature fun and educational sessions, vendor booths, silent auction, Mike Yanny poetry, Boerner Garden Tours, catered lunch and an afternoon social where attendees will mix with Green Industry and Land Management Professionals.

To learn more about sponsorships.

This educational event is eligible for Continuing Education Units through the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES).

Registration will begin mid-August. Watch this link for up-to-date information.

Special thanks to We Energies Foundation for bringing Dr Doug Tallamy to Wisconsin once again.

*Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium

Download Save-the-Date brochure.