In my garden it may be alternating between balmy spring weather and freezing cold temperatures and there’s still snow in the forecast for March, but numerous plants have nevertheless been emerging here in the Midwest (SW Ohio to be more specific). These pictures were just taken in early March, showing that spring-flowering plants in my […]
5 Ways to Help Wildlife In Your Yard (Leaves, Lawn Care and More)
The best way to attract and support wildlife in a home garden is to plant native plants, especially those that bloom throughout the season and those that serve as keystone native species. But what else can you do to help wildlife in your yard? This article will go over some tips other than planting that […]
Does My Garden Need to Be All Native? (to Help Wildlife and the Planet)
In order to help pollinators, birds, and other elements of your local ecosystem, native plants are vitally important. So should your own yard be made up entirely of natives? We’re major advocates for native plants, so naturally our answer is …. no! Wait, what? A little explanation is in order here. Don’t get us wrong, […]
How to Help Wildlife and the Environment Most With a Small Yard
If you’re gardening to help wildlife and your larger local ecosystem, having a smaller yard may seem like a major hindrance. Can you even make that much of an impact without acreage or a larger property? We’re here to say that yes you can! But there are specific things to do, ranging from the plants […]
Do Native Shade Gardens Still Help Bees?
Most native plant gardeners do what they do, at least in part, to help pollinators. With important bee populations in steep decline as a result of disappearing food sources, this is often an area of emphasis for our own gardens. But for some the dominant image of bees is still the imported honeybee pollinating crops […]
Thinking Big: Why You Need Trees and Shrubs in Your Native Plant Garden
Many gardeners typically associate the idea of “native plants” with colorful and vibrant wildflowers. But when you’re looking to make a big impact, it’s native trees that give you the most bang for your buck, in multiple ways. Trees perform hugely beneficial functions for our own properties by providing shade. This helps with cooling in […]
What’s the Best Mulch for Native Plants?
Mulch is a great addition to any garden, native or not. It helps to suppress weeds as well as moderate soil moisture and temperature to help your plants thrive throughout the growing season. You may be picturing something fairly specific when you hear the word “mulch,” likely dependent on the style of gardens you have […]
Where Should I Buy Native Plants Near Me?
Once you’ve decided to grow native and have probably identified some native plant options that you’re interested in, the next question is where to go to find them. The native plant movement has grown significantly in recent years, but it still hasn’t penetrated all corners of the gardening world so you still may need to […]
What Are the Best Native Plants to Grow in My Yard? Site Conditions, Keystones and More
For all gardeners looking to enjoy the benefits of planting native, one of the most common questions when getting started is what exactly to plant. We’ll tackle that question in this article, which ends up being a lot bigger than you might have assumed. There are actually quite a few different elements to consider when […]
Why Are Native Plants Important, Anyway? A Look at Their Benefits
We plant gardens for many reasons, from simply enjoying their beautiful blooms to helping increase our property values. When we plant native, however, we get to enjoy a myriad of additional benefits that can have a major impact on our local ecosystems. So first of all, what exactly makes a plant native? Simply put, it’s […]