Here’s a native news recap looking back at some of the biggest native plant news stories of the year. A Small Victory Against Invasive Trees In April 2022, South Carolina passed a law banning the propagation and sale of the invasive Callery Pear (also known as the ‘Bradford’ Pear). These trees were commonly used in landscaping starting in the 1960s. They were cheap, transported well, and grew quickly in addition to having attractive white blooms. However, the Callery Pear escaped cultivation and is now recognized as noxious and/or invasive throughout the eastern United States. South Carolina’s ..read more

In the past we have emphasized the importance of keystone species in supporting bird populations, and by extension broader food webs. These species are larval hosts to a wide variety of lepidoptera, supporting caterpillars that then become food for baby birds in summer. But what do birds eat in the winter when the caterpillars are gone? They eat berries! The berries that grow on native trees and shrubs provide food for wildlife in the fall and winter months when other food sources are scarce. Migratory songbirds find these berries especially valuable as they make their journey south. But ..read more

Perennials are the stars of most gardens, and no wonder! They provide a variety of shapes and colors throughout the spring, summer, and fall while also supporting essential native wildlife. But what about trees? Specifically, large shade trees, which are often overlooked in favor of small, brightly-colored perennials. Shade trees, however, are the unsung heroes of backyard gardens. The benefits of shade trees cannot be overstated – keep reading to see why you should plant a tree in your yard this fall season! Ecological Benefits Trees are a primary tool in the fight against climate change. O ..read more

These native ground covers for shade make a perfect living mulch by holding in moisture, keeping weeds at bay, and providing an insulating cover against erosion and runoff. There are many that are great sources of pollen and nectar for local wildlife. Commonly Used Invasives Most of the invasive ground covers have escaped cultivation and are taking over the woods to the detriment of our native plants. Instead of using the three commonly used non-native ground covers – Vinca, Liriope, and Japanese Pachysandra – you have many options available in native ground covers that are more welcoming to ..read more

Gardening is ‘In’! Over the past two years gardening has suddenly become very popular with people who are spending more time at home due to COVID. Enthusiastic but inexperienced gardeners are putting in food gardens, ornamental plants, outdoor living spaces, containers, and water features to enjoy gardening’s benefits of exercise, healthy food, and a connection to nature. There is a more acute awareness of our environment and our effects on the natural world, and we now realize that some gardening practices that have been done in the past can cause more harm than good. These practices threate ..read more

Mothers give us so much, but sometimes it takes a while for us to appreciate the gifts that we can’t unwrap. I was lucky that my mother passed on her love of flowers and gardening. She didn’t come into her own as a gardener until she was free from rearing her six children. Until then, she didn’t have the time or money to make her rather large suburban yard into what she wanted. Mom’s Introduction to Gardening When we first moved to Baltimore, MD in 1961, the yard came with (unwanted) grape vines, some standard foundation plants, and some flowering shrubs. It was pretty haphazard. She first tr ..read more

This is the second part of my Habitat Heroes Design series. The first part was a sunny garden of native species with high wildlife value, and in the second I concentrate on those hard-to-plant shady areas. Many of us are dealing with shady areas under mature trees which could be deciduous or evergreen. Planting under evergreens is one of the toughest situations as you are dealing with complete shade all the time and lots of surface roots soaking up the available water. But if your garden is underneath deciduous trees, you get some light to penetrate through, plus when the leaves fall you will ..read more

This blog post will cover how to design and install a Sunny “Habitat Hero Garden” with native plant selections that are proven to attract a variety of insects and animals. Keep an eye out for Part 2 where I describe a Shady “Habitat Hero Garden.” As a garden designer, I am often asked to design pollinator gardens for homeowners who are concerned with establishing native habitats on their properties. The problem is that these properties contain mostly alien, introduced ornamentals. Many of our existing urban and suburban landscapes offer little in the way of appropriate habitat, forage, and hou ..read more

Beauty Made Easy Container gardening with native plants is much easier to put together than a full sized garden. If you are new to gardening or have limited space, native plants in pots are a gateway to sustainable gardening on a larger scale. Placed alone or in groups, containers are versatile little packages that can be moved around at will and are easy to take care of. The color palette of natives is more subdued, like nature, and you will find that you will appreciate the foliage more than the flowers of many of these plants. Gardening for wildlife and designing landscapes that mimic natu ..read more

Still looking for New Year’s resolutions that you know you can keep? How about resolutions for your native garden! As we all start dreaming of spring, try to keep these resolutions in mind. 1. Hold Off on Spring-Cleaning Congratulations! You did your part to “Leave the Leaves” this past fall season, but when that spring-cleaning itch comes along, it may not be the right time to rake those leaves just yet. Overwintering pollinators and other insects only emerge when the weather is right. Of course, weather and temperature conditions vary wildly across the country, so the Xerces Society has ga ..read more