Natural Communities - Native Plant Knowhow Q&A Blog

bird feeder, birding, birds, how to attract birds, how to attract songbirds, native plants that attract birds, native plants that attract songbirds, native shrubs that attract birds, native trees that attract birds - January 25, 2018

Native Plants That Attract Birds

Bring birds to your home today by growing native plants. With Audubon's Native Plant Database, you can find the best plants for the birds in your area. Growing bird-friendly plants will attract and protect the birds you love while making your space beautiful, easy to care for, and better for the environment. Explore Audubon's Native Plant Database here. Look Here: http://www.audubon.org/plantsforbirds

Looking For Grants?

Is your school, church, business, etc.. in need of native plant habitat, stormwater solutions, or a biodiversity field trip? We have been looking around for grant opportunities, this is by no means comprehensive, but here is what we have found:Patagonia Environmental Grants Retail Grants Program - Accepts Applications on a Rolling Basis Throughout the Fiscal Year Corporate Grants Program - April 30 & August 31 Illinois Clean Energy K-12 Pollinator Schools ProgramApplication Deadline: January 17, 2018 DuPage County Stormwater Management Water Quality Grant Application Deadline: January 12, 2018Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action GrantApplication Deadline: November 30, 2017Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip GrantApplication Deadline: January 31, 2018Wild Ones 2018 Forever Wild Grant...

You Know What This Time Of The Year Is Good For?

Enjoying the fruits of your labor in your native garden!!!! This time of the year shows off the strength of your garden. We are just past peak flowing time for most native gardens, but they are still quite beautiful and we can look forward to our fall flowers. Take some time, sit back, relax, and enjoy the beauty, the warm sun on your face, the smells, the sounds, the buzz of the bees, the fluttering of the butterflies, and the birds eating seeds and fruits. The eclipse was something to behold, but Mother Nature is also quite impressive! When reflecting...

Wildflowers Ain't What They Used To Be!!!

Wildflowers Ain't What They Used To Be! Well, why not? Before European settlement, all wildflowers were native wildflowers (or at least 99%). When Europeans settled they brought along their indigenous plants with them because you love what you know. Historically they used European wildflowers to develop their cuisine and hone their medicine skills. This makes sense because it takes a lot of trial and error, that at best leads to stomach discomfort and at worst death, to figure out what you can eat for sustenance and what works to cure certain ailments. All of this institutional knowledge is largely out the window when colonizing the new...

Native Trees are the Best

I have recently seen several articles touting trees such as Bradford Pear and European black alder as easy to grow options for your yard. They are correct. What?????? Well they do grow well, really well, too well!!!! These species are non-native and increasingly invasive in Illinois and around the great lakes region. These are not excellent options for your yard! They are not even mediocre options, they are awful as they are on the cusp of being in increasingly crowded invasive species top ten list. Several others that are up there in the top ten woody invasive list in northern...

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Natural Communities - Native Plant Knowhow Q&A Blog RSS

Native Plants That Attract Birds

Looking For Grants?

You Know What This Time Of The Year Is Good For?

Wildflowers Ain't What They Used To Be!!!

Native Trees are the Best

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