The Essential Foundation of the Butterfly Garden Native milkweeds (genus Asclepias) are far more than just roadside weeds; they are the biological foundation of our resilient North American landscape. As the sole host plant for Monarch butterfly larvae, milkweeds provide essential chemical compounds that protect these iconic insects from predators. By integrating native species into […]
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This February I had an opportunity to visit the monarch butterfly overwintering grounds in the Sierra Madres mountains of Mexico. It was AMAZING! Yes, really, it was all-caps level cool. The trip was an absolute dream that I will surely be retelling for years to come. Starting now! Read on for info on the monarchs, […]
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It is hard to find things that will bloom in November. Usually the only things still blooming are asters and witchhazel bushes, but last year the scarlet globe mallow surprised me! The following photos are from November 14th, well into the cool season. It was still going strong and even attracting pollinators. This plant was […]
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Side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) from the grass family (Poaeceae) is the Kansas Native Plant Society 2026 Kansas Native Plant of the Year. Side-oats grama is an important perennial bunchgrass species of the mixed-grass and tallgrass prairies and it can be found in every county of Kansas. This 1-3’ tall sun-loving, drought tolerant warm season grass […]
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A ragged-looking leaf on our precious garden plants sets off alarm bells for most people. But why? I think this instict arises from the agrarian roots of human civilization. A threat to our plants, at one time, was a threat to our very survival. If an insect ate our crops, our town or village might […]
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The asters have been blooming prolifically this fall, probably due to the mild weather and frequent rains we have had. While we have many species of asters on our grounds, the newest additions are a hybrid type called ‘Thunderdome’, introduced in 2023 by Intrinsic Perennials. Read on to learn about this new aster, its origin […]
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When Ron and Kathy Smith moved to Newton from California, they had a bit of garden trouble. “If I just looked at stuff wrong, it died,” said Ron of his first attempts at landscaping. The growing conditions were totally different than what they were accustomed to. The Kansas climate was much more extreme, and the […]
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Spring and summer rains bring lots of green growth, lots of blooms, and lots of snakes! (Yes, this post is about snakes. But if I had put that in the title, would you have clicked on it?) Colubridae is the taxonomic name for the largest snake family, with approximately 2000 species and counting. Luckily, here […]
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New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus and C. herbaceus) from the Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) is the Kansas Native Plant Society 2025 Kansas Native Plant of the Year. Since these two species have similar habitats and differ only slightly in their appearance and have overlapping distribution in Kansas, both were included in this year’s selection. Ceanothus herbaceus […]
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Have you noticed the redbud trees blooming this year? They have really been putting on quite a show. For some reason, they have really popped in the landscape this year. Maybe it’s because they are a stark contrast to the drab landscape that is slowly coming to life. Or maybe it’s because they are a […]
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