One of the last flowering shrubs of the year, American Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a hiker's delight when spotted late in the fall. Native to both Northeastern and Southeastern USA, their fragrant bright yellow blossoms appear late in the autumn after all the leaves have fallen from the … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2016
Giving Tuesday
Tomorrow, November 29th, is Giving Tuesday. The organizations to which I donate include: Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education program hosted by Wild Ones: Native Plants Natural Landscapes Citizens Natural Resources Association Monarch Joint Venture Monarch Watch – Bring Back the Monarchs … [Read more...]
Native Plants & Birds: Stopover Initiative
At last week's joint meeting of Wild Ones Fox Valley Area and Winnebago Audubon, Kim Grveles, an avian ecologist with the Wisconsin Stopover Initiative, outlined a number of things we can do to help birds as they migrate over our habitats. Here are nine things we can do to help migratory birds: … [Read more...]
Happy Thanksgiving
Tomorrow is a day America has set aside to give thanks for the many blessings we have received throughout the past year and for the family and friends that help make us feel complete. My wish for you is that your day be filled with happiness, family and friends and that it will bring renewed … [Read more...]
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
One of my favorite shrubs to use for winter decorating is the Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Its brilliant red berries really brighten up the evergreen boughs that bring such a wonderful pine-scented fragrance to the air. The berries are eaten by nearly 50 bird and waterfowl species and also by … [Read more...]
Websites Help Choose Native Plants
I recently attended the WBCI (Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative) annual conference "Protecting Birds through Action & Art" in Rothschild, Wisconsin. One of the speakers was John Rowden, Director of Conservation for national Audubon. He introduced attendees to a new program called Native … [Read more...]