Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Dame’s Rocket

One of my new neighbors (from Texas) told me that they had seen white and pink flowers on the ditches and woodland fences. Could it be phlox (Phlox pilosa)? It could have been, but it's not. These plants are actually dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis), a non-native, very invasive member of the … [Read more...]

Women’s Conservation Summer Camp

Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC) is launching a four-part virtual Conservation Summer Camp Lunch Series that aims to address the top land-stewardship concerns of women farmers and landowners across the state and Upper Midwest and Midwest. All women who desire to better care for land, water, … [Read more...]

Statewide Ban on Small-Mindedness

Woah! When the Home Owner's Association (HOA) attacked a homeowner, they had no idea what their action would create.  (The owner has the right to exclusive use of the property -- home and land. ) The homeowner lives in Maryland. The bully was the HOA. End result: No longer will it be required to … [Read more...]

It’s Cinco de Mayo May 5th

Today is May 5th, and it is Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo is a day many schools and communities celebrate here in the USA as well as in Mexico. Often mistaken as Mexico’s celebration of independence, it actually is intended to celebrate the Battle of Puebla. It has, however, become more of a fun … [Read more...]

Violets

With the overwhelming abundance of ephemerals,  the spring violets are going "gangbusters!" The E-Mail The other day I got an e-mail  from someone who wanted to know how to get rid of the wild violets in her lawn. How she “hated” them and tried to eradicate them from her lawn. How the violets just … [Read more...]

Ephemerals II

The trees are budding out. There have been dandelions, and creeping Charlie are everywhere. And we have off-again and on-again sunshine. My goodness! Where did the overwhelming abundance of ephemerals come from? I guess the warm weather has something to with that. It seems to me it is two weeks … [Read more...]