Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA)

One of the organizations I list on my website is the Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA). Since this is the time of year we're out gathering seed, I thought it would be a good time to mention the PCA. The PCA is a public-private partnership of organizations that share the goal to protect native plants … [Read more...]

More Asters

I love the fall asters. They bring so much color to our gardens and countrysides. They also are some of the last nectaring and pollen plants available for the insects -- the butterflies, moths, bees and flies -- that we so intently watch as they go about their busy lives. Later on they are a good … [Read more...]

Autumnal Equinox

Have you noticed the days have been getting shorter? In fact, this past Friday at 3:02 p.m., we reached the autumnal equinox when the night was about as long as the day. This equality between night and day also happens during the spring equinox in late March. From now on (for 182 days) the days will … [Read more...]

Bringing Nature Home with Doug Tallamy

Doug Tallamy was featured in a recent podcast from Joe Lamp'l as joegardener - Growing a Greener World. "When it comes to bringing nature home, no one understands the critical relationships between native plants and the creatures that depend on them better than Doug Tallamy, Ph.D." -- Joe … [Read more...]

Hedgerow

American Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum tirlobum) -- I've had this shrub growing at the back edge of my prairie for as long as I can remember, and I've never really noticed it much. It's in the hedgerow we've created to camouflage the industrial park that lies beyond our property. But this year … [Read more...]