All plants have some baseline ecological benefits. They prevent erosion, keep moisture and nutrients in the soil, and sequester carbon. They also provide shade, shelter, and cover for species ranging from tiny insects to large mammals. But when we talk about the most beneficial plants and trees to plant (or conserve) in a given area, […]
Gardening Theory
Should You Deadhead Your Native Plants?
Deadheading, or removing spent flower heads from your plants, is a standard practice in the traditional garden, but how does it translate to native plant gardening where most gardeners are trying to maximize their ecological benefit? To answer this question, let’s start by running through the “traditional” reasons for deadheading flowers in a garden. What […]
Why You Should Grow a Shade Garden
The native plant movement has been growing in recent years, and for many this means sun-loving plants and showy wildflowers. It’s increasingly common to find gardens showcasing plants like purple coneflower, black eyed susan and milkweed, while concepts like the “pocket prairie” and “mini meadow” have become more mainstream. Native shade plants, on the other […]
Why Are Fall Blooming Plants Important in a Garden?
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]