My phone is chock full of caterpillar photos. It seems I am constantly stooping down to examine another caterpillar, and to document what it is eating. I am a big fan of all insects, but especially these charismatic transformers. With their plump bodies and endless colors, it is not hard to see why people are […]
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It has been almost a year since our buffalograss seeding experiment began. In this new approach, we planted the buffalograss seeds along with annual ryegrass in the fall or early winter. In theory, the annual ryegrass, a cool season grass will germinate and hold the soil through the winter. The buffalograss seeds will work their […]
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Celebrate the Dyck Arboretum turning 40 as we think about the past, present and future of Harold and Evie’s legacy.
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The use of ornamental grasses in the landscape has become more popular than ever, and for good reason. The allure of ornamental grasses is that they are tough and easy to grow. Their resilient nature reflects our prairie landscape in our own garden. They are a nice visual contrast to many other plants like perennials, […]
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This blog post is updated and republished. Previously published as “The Social Network for Plants” in September 2017. One of the landscaping concepts I touched upon in my recent Matrix Planting class is the idea that plants are members of a complex social network. No, they are not on Facebook, Instagram or tweeting about the […]
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Increase your enjoyment of landscaping with native plants by motivating yourself to attract insects and increase biodiversity.
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Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.) are one of the most recognizable summer-blooming wildflowers. Their bright yellow flowers explode in the summer and are covered with all sorts of pollinator activity. Bees, flies, butterflies, and beetles feed on its nectar and pollen. The fruiting heads also provide seed for birds over the winter. Here is a look at […]
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As I put together lists of plants according to the season that they bloom, I often come up short on spring blooming plants. In a prairie, many plants are slow to get growing in the spring until warmer temperatures spur growth. One of the more tried and true spring blooming perennials I like to include on […]
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The Arboretum is under siege! An army has invaded, demanding we relinquish our lawns! Army worms, that is. These pesky creatures can cause major damage, and they unfortunately have a taste for fescue. Last week we came upon a sidewalk full of worms, crawling out of the lawn in search of more food. The grass […]
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Encouraging signs of prairie seedling success are apparent in this 8-month checkup of a sidewalk edge planting at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains.
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