Bottle Brush Buckeyes are blooming everywhere and if you are in the know, you are planting more of them. Attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other native pollinators by the dozens, this native is a great understory plant for shady woodland areas. Deer and rabbit resistant, it forms a dense, mounded, suckering, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub which typically …
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Native vines are a totally underused plant in Mid-Atlantic gardens. Filling gaps, covering walls and fences, and a great vertical element in any garden, vines can be used to attract native butterflies and insects to your garden. Vines are useful if you don't have a ton of room and usually grow quickly and form almost …
Continue reading "Top Three Native Vines That Attract Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds"
Can a native plant also become invasive? I get asked this question a lot and it is more than a simple yes or no. The short answer is yes, when a native plant takes over your flowerbed and prevents or crowds out other flowers, both native and non-native, from growing. What is an invasive plant? …
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Early to mid-April is a perfect time to start to enjoy your springtime flowers. Way before Dahlias, summertime annuals, and asters, the breath of selection of spring blooming perennials is dazzling but there are definitely favorites that I enjoy year after year. Columbine The sheer variety of shapes and colors of Columbine flowers has always …
Continue reading "Springtime Pretties-What You Should Be Planting for Spring Color"
As earth stewards of our amazing planet, we can appreciate the potential importance of all species to the continued existence of a complex ecosystem. But there are some that stand out and do the heavy lifting. Specific integral species are more important than others to the sustainability of an ecosystem and are called ‘Keystone Species’ …
Continue reading "Powerhouse Keystone Species – Plant an Oak and Aster"
The cold and dreary days of Winter seem endless in January and February, especially during a pandemic when we are not getting out as much as we're used to. But by providing food and shelter for native animals and birds, with good selections of native plants, we can brighten up our landscapes and our lives. …
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Declining Pollinators Many pollinator species have suffered serious declines in recent years because of a variety factors-loss and fragmentation of habitat, pesticide use, and climate change. Unfortunately, most of our suburban and urban landscapes offer little in the way of appropriate habitat, forage, and housing. Even the most beautiful gardens are not always healthy ecosystems …
Continue reading "Three Native Plant Choices for Late Winter/Early Spring"
Douglas Tallamy, world renowned and influential ecologist/entymologist, urges Americans to go native and go natural. Many people shorten this and call it 'ReWilding'. For a great article on his philosophy, read all about him in the Smithsonian magazine. For tips on ReWilding your own garden, read on. What is ReWilding? ReWilding, returning your landscape back …
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If you are on the fence about starting a garden in 2021, and have watched all your neighbors jump into growing everything under the sun, then read the following guest post from Carrie Spencer of TheSpensersAdventures. The images are property of TheGardenDiaries. Gardening can seem intimidating when you’re just starting out. Fortunately, most plants are …
Continue reading "How to Get Started Gardening (Without a Green Thumb)"
The sheer variety of shapes and colors of Columbine flowers has always amazed me. Coming in one color or contrasting colors, there are miniature ones just a few inches high, and towering ones up to 3 feet high or more. Dangling, nodding, upright; The blossoms run the gamut of presentations. One thing they all have …
Continue reading "Columbine-Overlooked Cottage Garden Gem"
