The past twelve months have been filled with personal challenges for me and I have not always been thankful for the many blessings in my life. Often we look at the problems we are dealing with, but neglect to see and be grateful for the gifts we have been given. The other day I found […]
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Late fall is the time of year when most of us are spending less and less time in our gardens. The weather is turning chilly, and the days are short. But this doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy the beauty of the prairie through the winter season! I love getting creative and using native plant […]
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(This blog was originally published on October 22, 2014.) The other day I was driving through town and really noticed the changing leaves for the first time this fall. They are looking particularly colorful this year. The maple trees varieties like ‘John Pair’, ‘Autumn Splendor’, ‘Table Rock’ and ‘Autumn Blaze’ put on quite a show. […]
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Life flies by for all of us and it is easy to miss or forget what happens in a given month. When reviewing recent photographs on my phone, I was pleasantly reminded of all the richness that happened over the last four weeks or so. October in Kansas is that great fall transition period between […]
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It seems that winter has come earlier than expected this year. I don’t know about you, but I have been caught a little off guard. I wish I could say we have everything ready for winter, but that would be untrue. In preparation for colder weather, I have put a simple checklist together for putting […]
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As a new homeowner, there are a thousand projects around the house vying for my attention. But none call to me more than landscaping. After a few weeks working on the basement, I needed a break! I redirected my energy and landscaped my front yard! Walk the Walk I talk often and openly about the […]
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We are coming to the end of another growing season in Kansas. Here at the Arboretum we have seen highs and lows as far as moisture is concerned, but all in all it has been a nice year. The grasses are at their peak now with beautiful plumage and incredible fall colors. As we prepare […]
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It is time to give some props to the plants that don’t always play nice in the urban landscape. Over the past month, I have enjoyed finding value in the undesirables. In recent years, we have culled tall and aggressive native plant species from our plant sales because they become weedy and dominant in small […]
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It may not feel like fall yet, but it is coming. I am ready for some cooler north winds to blow and the leaves to begin changing on the trees. In the back of my mind, I am grudgingly starting to think about garden clean up. Things are winding down in the garden, except for […]
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Shorter days, cooler nights, bronzing prairie grasses and asters in bloom – all herald the arrival of fall on the prairie. However, as this year’s abundant growth recedes, our garden’s care and keeping into the fall and winter will affect both plants and pollinators in next year’s garden. Mason Bees One of our most desirable […]
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