Latest Blog Posts
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Using Natives in the Garden
Our raison d'etre! Beginner's guide to help conceptualize using natives in your garden. Includes links to more resources.
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Oaks Grow Slowly...NOT!
We recieved a call just the other day from a person looking for for a "fast growing" tree and that a smaller starter plant would be preferred. I offered up a Quercus muehlenbergii (Chinquapin Oak) and ran down the list of superlatives that made it why I'd plant that for his needs other than many others that might work for him. I was stopped half way through; "Woah, woah, woah. Oak trees don't grow fast. They're oaks. They grow slow. I want a sugar maple." After a brief exchange, I was left thinking about why people continue to think oaks grow slowly. So I thought I would post a very quick note.
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Creating Color in the Shade with Native Plants
For many, creating a colorful landscape in the shade can be a challenge. Typical options are often limited to hostas, hostas, and more hostas! While hostas certainly can serve a purpose filling in the north side of a garage or hugging a tree, they don’t offer much to enrich the color or texture of a landscape. Native plants offer a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors that thrive in the shade. You can create a rich, layered, textured garden that offers color throughout the growing season while creating a healthy ecosystem for birds and insects by choosing from these native shade-lovers.
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Fall planting before winter grips us
Though we’re late into the year and winter is creeping into view, it is never too early (or too late) to plant for next year. The soil is still a bit warm and it’s not frozen quite yet, which makes for perfect dormant tree and shrub planting.
