There are a number of native plants that are both beautiful and provide important resources for a diverse group of insects in the local ecosystem, but few come close to matching Rose Milkweed in those categories. Also commonly called Swamp...
It's officially summer here and you can feel it in the garden. The level of insect activity has really amped up. Bees, butterflies, fireflies, wasps, and flies are zipping this way and that. Spiders wait on flowers for prey to...
If you are seeing scary looking little insects in your garden, chances are high that you're seeing the younger larval stage of insects that are strong indicators of a healthy environment. Beloved beneficial insects like lady beetles and lacewings have...
For the first time, we have Poke Milkweed blooming in our garden and it is a really incredible sight. A woodland milkweed species, it does well in full or part shade, prefers moist or medium soil moisture, and can grow...
With spring's return, we have more than just plants pushing up shoots: native bees are on the wing! Most bee species - close to 90% by current estimates - live a solitary life and do not form social colonies like...
There are certain plants in our garden that are absolute magnets for pollinators. The most spectacular for drawing them in large numbers along with real diversity of species from our observations are Wild Bergamot, Rose Milkweed, Late Boneset, Purple Coneflower, and...
Early spring is always a very exciting time in the garden. New shoots emerge for the early-growing species and spring ephemerals like Bloodroot, with its beautiful white blooms, take advantage of the sunlight before the trees leaf out. It's also...
If you want to get a jump on the growing season, now is a good time to start seeds indoors. If you haven't cold stratified your seeds, which is a term for exposing seeds to colder temperatures to simulate the...
Often we think of spring as the sowing season, but for native plants, sowing in winter is usually the ideal time, with some species like Stoneroot, Golden Alexander, Gray's Sedge, and Late Boneset potentially seeing better germination if planted outside...