Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Finally, the THWN 25th Anniversary Conference

Finally, after two years, mark your calendars and join the Wild Ones Fox Valley Area Chapter for their 25th Anniversary Conference Celebration with special keynote speaker, Douglas Tallamy, PhD, nationally recognized environmental speaker and award-winning author. Douglas W. Tallamy -  Keynote … [Read more...]

Snapping Turtle

Today, as I approached the stop sign at the edge of my street, I saw a snapping turtle attempting to cross the street. I immediately stopped the car. Getting out of my car, I was sure the turtle was dead. But no, it was only teasing. I went back to the car and put on John's gloves. It was a sturdy … [Read more...]

Digging in the Garden

Digging in the garden will always be a lifesaver for me. I dig in the soil and cut down invasives. While away from the computer, there are three tools I rely on most: a shovel, pruners, and Gel Roundup. A shovel for removing plants and locating them in a proper place. Pruners and Gel … [Read more...]

Remembering II

When I was 7-1/2 years old, my mother brought a new baby into our house. I became the babysitter because my parents worked. Then, two years later, my middle brother, and three years later, my baby brother came – all called me "the protector," but in fact, they were my family. I had always considered … [Read more...]

Common Burdock (Arctium minus)

Reference my blog post on Parsnip Predator. Wendy Walker wrote, "If the taproot is “sliced” and not fully removed, won’t the plant grow back? I’m primarily concerned with burdock, which you mentioned, as our new property has a large patch of this." I googled for manual control of burdock and … [Read more...]

Pollinator Week – Fireflies

Fireflies, or lightning bugs as my dad used to call them, are a welcome sight due to their spectacular nighttime displays. We usually see them from the middle of June into July in our backyard. Fireflies, however, are actually not flies at all; they are beetles. There are over 165 species of … [Read more...]