Redefining the Beauty of Nature and Wildlife in Our Gardens
Bees are so interesting to watch as they work. Ever intent on their duties, they are always busy. I took a few minutes yesterday to sit and watch as they worked in my yard, flitting from flower to flower, area to area, always buzzing and moving. I enjoyed it so much I thought you [...]
Have you ever seen people get in a tizzy over walking near bees?…afraid they’ll be stung? Little do they know that often these “bees” are actually flies mimicking bees, so they don’t sting at all. Flies are very important pollinators in the garden. And many species also perform additional biological pest control. So, [...]
Here I go again, wading into the natives vs. non-natives plant debate to urge a bit of compromise. This time my focus is the minor bulbs, those tiny late winter and early spring jewels that herald the awakening of the garden. Long before the native wildflowers arise from their slumber, the giant snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, [...]
Are you an herb lover? If so, you’re not the only one. Many visitors to the beautiful wildlife garden love herbs just as much as people do. And although most people think of Basil, Thyme, Parsley or Sage when you ask them about herbs to grow, those are just a tiny portion of what’s really [...]
Late summer is the season when many of our beautiful wildlife garden perennials, trees and shrubs come into their own. Colorful foliage, deep colored berries and the bright blooms shine against the rest of the fading summer garden. One of my very favorites blooming now is the American native wildflower Heliopsis helianthoides, commonly known as [...]
I know it’s still summer, we’re all still sweaty and itchy, and it seems difficult to thing about early spring, but now is the time to get those bulb orders done. No garden is too small to include some of the minor bulbs, especially snowdrops. The earliest plant to bloom in my Chicago area garden [...]
While it may be argued that native plants provide the most benefit to wildlife, exotics shouldn’t be ruled out simply because they are, well, exotic. Case in point: Hostas. They come from Japan, but are stalwarts of the Midwest shade garden. Drought tolerant, able to survive root competition from many trees, Hostas are a necessary [...]
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