Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

2019 Fall Colors

Reference my post Why the Colors of Fall. This year here in East Central Wisconsin one can really see a difference in the colors of fall. The wet year we've had has produced variations in leaf color and the recent mild temperatures have slowed the change. But if you look closely, here and there … [Read more...]

Bat Week 2019

Bat Week 2019 will be October 24 thru 31. Although most people know them through the scary stories told about them during Halloween, bats are really our friends. See Bats - the forgotten pollinators. According to the WDNR*, there are great reasons to celebrate bats: Bats are an important … [Read more...]

Project Wingspan

This is the time of year our thoughts turn to collecting seed from our prairies. Project Wingspan could use our help. They are looking for enthusiastic seed collecting volunteers in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to help collect seeds from milkweed and other common … [Read more...]

The Amazing Monarch Migration

Today we have a guest writer. Tim Eisele, who is a fellow member of both Wild Ones and Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, sent this for me to share with you. Enjoy! The Amazing Monarch Migration Simply amazing is the word for the migration of monarch butterflies that moved through Wisconsin in … [Read more...]

Wind Damage in the Fox Valley of Wisconsin

I'm interrupting my series of posts on the wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie to share these videos of the damage to our yard from the severe winds which went through the Fox Valley on Saturday, July 20, 2019. All I could do was gasp with disbelief and then cry as I walked around to see the … [Read more...]

Wisconsin Native Plant Nurseries

Wisconsin has updated its Native Plant Nurseries listing this year and I wanted to share it with you. The list is compiled by the WDNR's Natural Heritage Conservation Program and includes nurseries which primarily carry plant material native to Wisconsin and adjacent states and nurseries which carry … [Read more...]