Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Wild Grape Vine & Pollinators

The other day a Monarch butterfly stopped to rest on the wild grape vine which covers the chain link fence which surrounds my in-ground pool. I think that was the first time I've ever seen a butterfly alight on the grapevine, so it got me thinking. Do wild grapes support pollinators? … [Read more...]

Where Ecology Meets Economy: Season 6

This year's Where Ecology Meets Economy! hosted by the Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium Inc (SEWISC) and Johnson’s Nursery, Inc™ will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at the Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. It is a forum to bring together Green … [Read more...]

Creeping Bellflower — Oh My!

I was going to start writing today about my recent trip to the Tallgrass Prairie, but I have to delay those posts for one more day to get on my peach crate about Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) and Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata). Here goes.... As we drove Up North this … [Read more...]

The Weather and Purple Loosestrife Beetles

Reference Wisconsin Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) Biocontrol. The message below is from Wisconsin Wetland Invasive Plant Program Coordinator Brock Woods. It is intended for all who are rearing beetles this year, and have not yet released them. If you are not rearing this year, please … [Read more...]

Yours Truly gets an Award!

Congratulations! to me!! I am so pleased to be able to say I have received an Invader Crusader Award in the category of  Volunteer Individual from the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council. The ceremony was held at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin on June 5, 2019. Caught … [Read more...]

Familiar Species listed under NR 40

Reference Monday's post on June is Invasives Species Month in Wisconsin. There are currently a total of 146 regulated terrestrial invasive species listed under Wisconsin's NR 40 Rule. Although there are many species with which I wasn't familiar, there were several I was surprised to not see listed. … [Read more...]