Bring Nature In -- Let Stress Out
By Sandra Nelson This article was originally published December 2018. I have been feeling incredibly stressed lately. Unfortunately, when I am stressed, I just shut down which, of course, increases my stress level and renders me virtually useless. My “To Do” list gets longer and my “Done” list stays blank.The only way I …
Echinacea -- Sombrero Series: A Must Have For Your Landscape
By Sandra Nelson The seed catalogs have begun to appear in my mailbox, which always gets me dreaming about the multitudes of plants — both new varieties and old favorites — that I want to add to my landscape. With so many to choose from though, it’s difficult to narrow down the list …
Who's Showing Off Today?
Let’s welcome an unfamiliar face to the fall color spectacular! Diervilla is a native shrub that seems to have it all. This non-invasive 3 to 4 foot deciduous shrub will thrive in sunny or shady conditions, is drought tolerant and deer resistant. It sports yellow flower clusters all summer long and has superb …
Who's Showing Off Today?
Serviceberry trees are putting on quite a show right now. These easy to grow native trees are show stoppers in all four seasons! In early spring — March and April — they feature gorgeous white blooms that add soft, pleasant fragrance to the air. Summer means delicate green leaves and a crop …
Right Plant, Right Place
We went from a yard that had rich, loamy soil and the perfect amount of gentle morning sun to living on top of a defunct rock quarry that sits in deep shade for most of the day until it roasts in the worst hours of the midwest afternoon sun. Finding plants that survive in …
What's In Bloom Today?
Being totally honest, we have to admit that Staghorn sumac isn’t really blooming, but it is flaunting its colors. Often showing yellow, orange and red foliage on the same bush, Staghorn sumac is named for the velvety appearance of its stunning young branchlets. It has a strong, open form, often reaching …
Give the Earth a Gift - Plant a Tree
This article was originally published November 13, 2017. It has been revised and updated, Join us next week as we look at plant communities for shade areas. When you really stop and think about the big picture, planting trees is one of the most important actions you can take for yourself, your community and even …
Establish A Community - Part 4: Ecological Function, Aesthetic Form
Our modern perceptions of what a beautiful landscape looks like are not really our own ideas. They were in large part shaped by English landscape artists of the 18th and 19th centuries. Their highly romanticized works interpreted for the public what landscape designers were providing for the wealthy upper class. Their paintings, like the …
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