Gayfeathers are truly iconic symbols of the prairie. Also known as blazing stars, these distinctive plants occur throughout Kansas grasslands. Seven species are native to our state, all blooming during late summer and early fall. Producing upright spikes crowded with rose-purple flower heads, gayfeathers add a distinctive dimension to late-season landscapes dominated by asters, sunflowers, […]
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At last year’s fall plant sale I convinced my father to plant some oak trees around his house where older shade trees are nearing the end of their lives. I told him to think ahead ten years: when the sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in the front yard finally dies, won’t he wish that he had a head […]
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I have said it before that fall is my favorite time of the year. It means that the hottest days of summer will be replaced by autumn’s cool mornings and warm afternoons. The landscape is transformed by subtle, incremental changes that are unique every year. I have seen hints that these shifts are already happening, […]
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Late July to early August is a great time of the year to be celebrating Silphiums. Scott wrote a Silphium post last summer highlighting the four species we can grow well in south central Kansas. I noticed during a recent walk around the Arboretum how brilliantly all four of these species are flowering right now […]
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I have found that a beautiful native landscape doesn’t magically appear. It starts with a plan. By choosing the right plants that grow well together in your setting, you will avoid many of the challenges homeowners face after the plants are established. Plant selection is the most important step in the process of developing a […]
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Here at the Dyck Arboretum it can be a tricky task deciding what is a weed to be pulled and what should be allowed to grow on. Many of our beloved volunteers look to me for guidance when they encounter a plant that looks out of place. What is a weed here? Many wonderful prairie […]
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Phenology will make you rich and happy. Ask any person who likes to watch/study plants, animals, and/or climate if their life is richer and happier because of their observance of phenology, and they will unanimously agree. I’m not talking about monetary riches. The study of phenology has made very few people rich in dollars. In […]
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A well-designed garden has many different forms, colors, heights, bloom times and textures. Plants are integrated in ever-changing combinations that should be appealing to us and the wildlife we are trying to attract. Obviously, pollinators depend on diversity of plants and being able to find the food they need. Shrubs are an important nectar source […]
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Are native wildflowers the only plants that bees love? I knew the answer to this question is no, but needed a reminder. The other day as I was giving a tour at the arboretum. We had stopped next to a Littleleaf Linden tree (Tilia cordata). It was extremely fragrant. It was also covered by pollinators […]
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In the past few weeks I have had the good fortune to visit several different prairies, each under different circumstances, all of them delightful in their own way. Here’s a tale of 3 prairies for you, in hopes you become inspired to visit these places as well! Willa Cather Memorial Prairie Webster Co., Nebraska I […]
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