Entry bubble Landscaping with Native Species

By: Joanne | April 08, 2008 | Category: Fun

The weather is finally starting to warm up and I was so happy to spend most of my weekend outside digging in the yard and garden. I’m preparing to plant, buying seeds and considering landscape improvements I can make to our property.

When I walk into the garden center I’m always thrilled by so many beautiful plants and I want them all! Experience is teaching me though, that this isn’t always the best strategy. These days I’m trying to put more thought into what to plant and my focus now is on native species. By taking care of the lawn and garden properly, I can save money, time, and help the environment. I don’t know about you, but those are all things I’d like to do.

Native plants are the plants that occur naturally in your region. Since native species are already well suited to live in your region, you’ve already won the first battle – it wants to live in your yard and shouldn’t require a lot of attention to keep alive. Also, native species, especially those with berries, fruits and flowers will encourage the butterflies and birds to visit. butterfly on a coneflower

It takes a little research to find the plants and wildflowers suited to your area, and your state Natural Resources Department can help you identify plants native to your region.

Whatever you do, be careful not to buy an invasive species for your yard. We’ve got a lot of multiflora rose growing on our property. We didn’t put it there, but I don’t know how we’re going to get rid of it all. …maybe I need one of those landscaping flamethrowers?

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Entry bubble I Dream of Sunflowers

By: Joanne | February 05, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Each February I tire of clouds and ice and snow, and I long for warmth and sunshine and lush green leaves everywhere. But Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, and it looks like I’m in for 6 more weeks of dreaming of my garden. Lately I can’t stop thinking of sunflowers. I can’t wait to plant sunflowers – and not just the big, tall yellow ones. I’ll plant the yellow polyheads, the velvety maroons, the vibrant oranges and the supermanes. I’ve got the space and I’m always looking for a new variety to plant. What’s your favorite?

Joanne standing in her garden surrounded by sunflowers

There are lots of different kind of sunflowers, just like there are so many varieties of apples and tomatoes and lettuce. We’re used to seeing the few varieties found in the grocery store or in the seed packages in the stores, but there’s really an amazing variety of garden plants out there. I like to do my little part to support biodiversity on this planet, and sunflowers are such a fun way to pitch in.

I found this nice quote attributed to Helen Keller: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do.”

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