This year I’ve been trying to diversify my garden according to one crucial principle: the season when plants flower. Ensuring that there are blooms all months of the growing season is an important practice for multiple reasons. From an aesthetic standpoint, having blooms at all times gives your garden more color and visual interest throughout […]
Progress: Planning a Small Front Yard Native Garden by a Parking Space
Last fall and this year I’ve been working on a new small garden at the edge of our front yard next to a parking pad. It’s been doing great and I’ve had a lot of nice late-season blooms, and it’s been exciting to see first-hand how you can support wildlife even with a small yard. […]
Best Pollinator-Friendly Native Plants for Shade Gardens
When we talk about planting native plants to support pollinators and ecosystem health, the dominant image that comes to most of our minds is that of a sunny garden reminiscent of a prairie or meadow. But it’s worth remembering that a large percentage of areas of the United States were occupied primary by forest, especially […]
Aster Yellows in Native Plants: How to Diagnose and What to Do
For those who have heard of it, or been unlucky enough to experience it first-hand, aster yellows is a scary proposition in your garden. In this article, we’ll explore aster yellows including tips for how to diagnose it and what actions to take. What is Aster Yellows and What Causes It? Aster yellows is a […]
Native Shrubs for a Privacy Screen or Hedge
Homeowners often wish for a privacy hedge or screen for a variety of reasons: protecting an outdoor space from the gaze of neighbors, defining property boundaries, serving as a windbreak, hiding an unwanted view, or even deterring trespassers. Privacy hedges not only fulfill practical needs but also add aesthetic appeal to the landscape and provide […]
All About Eastern Red Columbine: Conditions, Growth, Transplanting and More
Columbine (aquilegia) is one of those garden-worthy native perennials that can be used in many different types of designs from the natural-looking to the formal. The genus contains nearly 70 different species, and you can find columbine at most mainstream garden centers. These eye-popping flowers in a wide variety of colors have many names like […]
Have Boxwood Blight? Try a Native Shrub as Replacement
Do you have one or more boxwood shrubs that are looking rough? Unfortunately, it’s not likely to be something recoverable, like minor freeze damage or run of the mill pest damage, but rather a devastating disease called boxwood blight. The good news is that there are some great native replacements for boxwoods that can bring […]
On the Trail: Spring Ephemerals vs. Lesser Celandine
Recently I’d been a bit disheartened hiking in some natural wooded areas near my house and seeing invasive bush honeysuckle and lesser celandine taking over and suppressing everything else including the spring ephemerals I love to see at this time of year. One Dayton-area Metropark I enjoy visiting is Wegerzyn Gardens just to the north […]
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus Sericea) Budding Out in Spring
Recently I was excited to see some new leaves on my red osier dogwood (cornus sericea). These tiny light green leaves will darken as they enlarge to ovals of about 5 inches long. These leaves were spotted right at the beginning of April in SW Ohio. In general, the buds of cornus sericea will leaf […]
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea): An Early Spring Emerging, Summer Blooming Wildflower
Purple coneflowers (echinacea purpurea) are one of my absolute favorite plants in my native garden. They are extremely adaptable, resilient and drought-tolerant, and bloom over a long period from summer into fall. A Look at Growing Purple Coneflower in All Seasons And they’re truly an “all-season” interest perennial because they typically emerge relatively early when […]