Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens
Healthy Gardens. Healthy Planet
For a time I worked in Chicago, Illinois. More specifically, I had the opportunity to work on the Chicago City Park Lagoon Systems. The overall project was an effort to restore the man made lagoon systems back to some semblance of the great Fredrick Law Olmsted’s former design, green rooms and such. Where the project [...]
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Sometimes it’s as important to know what ‘not to do’ as it is what ‘to do’ in the wildlife garden. With that thought in mind, here’s some simple tips wildlife, if they could speak, would pass along to people: Do not surround your properties with fences.We have a hard enough time moving around and finding food. Plus, we get [...]
One more time, I think to myself, one last walk to see some blooming flowers before the year stretches inevitably to its conclusion and color vanishes from the fields until spring. It is late in November, but I know where some asters, a group well-known for their persistence, are likely to still be in flower. [...]
There is nothing quite as peaceful and calming, yet as vibrantly alive, as visiting a wildlife garden. If you are lucky enough to have one in your back yard or neighborhood, you know what I mean. The busy activity of birds, butterflies, bees and pollinators amid the color and texture of the native plants [...]
In my prior post I wrote about the importance of familiarizing ourselves with the flora and fauna of our local native ecosystems. With regard to our native flora, trees make up one of the most important components of any ecosystem. They literally form the foundation of most plant communities and contribute greatly to local animal [...]
A type of wildlife friendly landscape that is attracting a lot of attention these days is the meadow garden. Even though this style of garden is considered one of the most beneficial and informal there are key points one should take into account before jumping in with both feet. One of the main considerations is [...]
It could be said that the most important component of what we as native plant gardeners/designers do is educate people. We feel an inherent value, Joy, and necessity to set an example for others; to provide for wildlife in our suburban landscapes. Historically some claim the idea of the native plant wildlife garden began in [...]
I take inspiration from my Dad, who farmed all his life. He felt the great thing about practicing organic land care is, you don’t have to kill other living things with toxic chemicals to grow something. With that land ethic, we raised hormone free beef, chickens and goats and grew sweet, sweet corn, green beans, [...]
As a child growing up I had a father that advocated the virtues of the natural food movement popularized by the 1960’s/70′s generation. Even though at the time I didn’t appreciate the benefits of eating a healthy diet, that soon changed as my palate began to mature with the onset of adult hood. During those [...]
By now most leaves have floated down from lofty branches and cluster in my flowerbeds and on the grass. Still hanging onto dying foliage are some oaks and, of course, American beeches with parchment colored leaves persisting through winter. In late summer and early fall, before butterfly and moth caterpillars, bees and other insect larvae [...]
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