urban native garden RSS
Sowing Natures Seeds
Nature is resiliant, we just need to cultivate the seeds and it will spring back. Just as we have increased protections for air, water, and habitat we have seen wildlife rebound native landscaping is beginning to make a real positive impact. In the photo is the state endangered black crowned night heron living it up in downtown Chicago. These were increasingly rare, but we protected and restored habitat and those conservation seeds are showing great results. The same goes with native plants restoring our planet. Putting in those few plants in your landscape works, just watch nature leap to life...
Don't Forget the Grasses!
Some evidence is showing the abundance of grasses and sedges is super important for native bee conservation! Why? They have fine roots and they begin to build up the organic matter back to pre-settlement levels. This organic matter is necessary for the ground to absorb and hold water. What does that have to do with native bees? The water regulates the soil temperature. Many native bees are ground nesting and they need that heavy organic matter to nest in and a well regulated soil temperature to thrive. We lost this organic matter through oxidation over centuries of tilling agricultural practices....
Your Native Landscape, A Family Project
I had the opportunity to prepare and plant a small native garden with my four-year-old daughter this Labor Day. It was the most fun that I had in a long time and I hope she had fun too. Hopefully not too much child labor on this day of days for the laborers of the US :-) Shed did play quite a bit and found a new pet, a roly poly bug. We first picked out some plants, I let her pick the flower color, obviously purple was the choice! We could have gone with Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium) or Polemonium reptans (Jacob's Ladder) or multiple...
Container & Urban Native Gardens
Question: I have a roof top deck with planters in Chicago. Do you have any native plants that will work in this urban environment? Answer: Laurie, yes I believe I have some plants that may work for you. Admittedly I have never installed natives in a roof top planter, but dry prairie species should do the trick. I have several plants in mind that may just work for you. The plants I am recommending are showier plants that are on the hardy end of the spectrum, need less water than most plants, are shorter stature that should work better...
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