We get a lot of questions about what exactly it means for a native plant to be a cultivar or a variety, and how that might affect pollinator attraction or ecological value. The short answer is: it’s complicated! To really understand the conversation happening around nativars, it is important to understand how they come to […]
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As we edge closer to summer, I have been thinking about how we go about choosing plants for our yards. Certainly, we choose plants that we like aesthetically, but many of us also want to choose plants that help wildlife survive. Yet another reason for choosing a particular plant is its resiliency or persistency in the landscape. How […]
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Peonies are in full bloom right now, and what a show! They are an old fashioned favorite, and a plant can only achieve such a title by being easy enough to grow that it lives on to be beloved by multiple generations. Don’t we all remember peonies in grandma’s garden? As well recognized as they […]
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As we work further into spring, I thought I would share some rare and some common prairie plants in bloom at the Arboretum the first week of May. Enjoy! We have been fortunate to receive just enough rain to green up the prairie nicely. If you are in the area, stop by and see the […]
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When you visit the greenhouse during our FloraKansas fundraisers, you may notice some signage hanging over the aisles: Shade, Adaptables, Natives for Sun. This post will help you make sense of how we organize the species so you can find exactly what you want and start planting! Shade In the north aisle you will find […]
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As we have discussed over the past few weeks, beautiful gardens don’t happen by accident. You need to analyze and deeply understand your garden over time. Once you have a pretty good handle on what you are working with, you will be ready to begin the process of choosing the right plants. Here are a […]
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The more you understand your garden, the easier it will be to choose the right plants for your site. We all have plant preferences but not all of your plant preferences will grow in your garden. Here are a few more aspects to consider as you analyze your landscape. Soil Type Here in south central […]
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Over the past few months, I have been working on some landscape designs. These designs have reminded me how important site analysis is to a successful design. Choosing the right plants for an area begins with a close look at the area being considered for a new garden. In my opinion, gardeners (I include myself […]
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Originally posted on May 1, 2019 This is such an important topic and such a huge problem that we thought it is worth sharing again. Several years ago, I noticed something disturbing was happening to our prairie reconstruction. Small little trees were popping up throughout the original prairie planting. I could not figure out where they […]
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As gardeners, we have many choices of plants to introduce into our landscapes. From trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials (including grasses), the options seem to be endless. Here at the Arboretum, we gravitate toward perennials for a number of reasons. What is a perennial? Unlike annuals that germinate, flower, set seed, and die all in […]
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