Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) or the Bee Balm is often mistaken for a Canadian Thistle (Cirsium arvense), but it is native to all of the United States and so perfectly adapted that it was thought to be a common weed. (Canadian thistle is a perennial native throughout Europe and western Asia, … [Read more...]

Four Simple Steps – Pollinators

National Pollinator Week, initiated and managed by Pollinator Partnership, is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. Thirteen years ago, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week.” S.Res. … [Read more...]

It’s Pollinator Week!

This week, June 22-28, 2020, is when we celebrate pollinators. This is the week we celebrate the special species in our lives – the bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. It is a special time to pause, celebrate pollinators and focus on what we can do to help pollinators thrive in this world of … [Read more...]

Why Do Bees Dance?

In their search for food, honeybees and bumblebees fly far and wide searching for the best flowers (loaded with nectar) – and when a bee finds what she's looking for, she returns to the hive to share her find with the other bees by performing a complicated "dance." WAGGLE DANCE Why do the bees … [Read more...]

Plants & Pollinators (2)

Bee Buzz – Support Native Plant Vendors Reprinted in part from Nature Scoop, May 2020 issue. We can help save native bees by providing pesticide-free native plants that bloom from early spring until fall, and by having natural nesting places in our yards. These plants provide nectar (fuel for … [Read more...]

It’s the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day

  Today is April 22, which marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. "Before 1970, pollution was rampant. Air pollution was widespread, toxic fumes billowed from factories and automobiles, and enormous fish die-offs occurred in the Great Lakes." (Nature Scoop) After returning from World … [Read more...]