By Amy Redfield Last spring I planted a new shade tree – a hackberry, Celtis occidentalis. Thanks to some pretty intensive babying – slow soaker watering every other day for that entire dry and hot summer – I’ve been rewarded with hackberries! Hackberry trees are among the best food and…
by Betty Struckhoff At our chapter’s monthly meeting on March 7, a guest who is very active in the retail nursery community raised an interesting question. He noted that the hottest thing in the nursery business right now is planting for edibles. He would like to see native landscaping become…
The native landscaping workshop, co-sponsored by Wild Ones, is Saturday, March 31 at Powder Valley Nature Center. Cost is $15, which includes a buffet lunch. To register, call 314-301-1500. Workshop schedule (updated 3/27)
The St. Louis County Department of Planning and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently announced the Native Commons demonstration project. Grant funds in the amount of $10,000 will be awarded to a subdivision in unincorporated St. Louis County to fund the transition of common ground to a native landscape.
Attend a day of seminars, demonstrations, exhibits and workshops featuring both nationally and locally-recognized horticulture professionals. This event is produced by the Horticulture Co-op of Metro St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden, in association with the St. Louis Master Gardeners.
Editor’s note: Looking for more motivation to get rid of bush honeysuckle? Or perhaps you’d like to tell your neighbors about the importance of removing invasive species? Judy Ward shared this article about a study done at Washington University. WUSTL scientists says suburban influx of deer, invasive plants are affecting…
Editor Note: Now, while we are adding to or otherwise improving our garden, here are some ideas on how to improve it for the fauna. From the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association (edited) Butterfly gardening adds beauty to your yard and provides habitat for butterflies. Much critical butterfly habitat has been…
From The Xerces Society In such a short fact sheet it is not possible to give detailed lists of suitable plants for all areas of the Upper Midwest. Below are two lists of good bee plants, the first of native plants and the second of garden plants. Both are short lists;…
From The Xerces Society There are 4,000 species of native bees in North America. Together they form the most important group of pollinators. Like all wildlife they are affected by changes in our landscapes, especially the loss of nesting sites. Bees make nests in which they create and provision brood cells…
By Betty Struckhoff Sarah Stein’s wonderful book, Noah’s Garden, is a must-read for anyone interested in native landscaping. One of her suggestions for suburban yards is to create hedgerows of native plants near the back property lines. Once neighbors pick up the idea, a connected series of these yards can…
