“For the birds” is an idiom used to describe something as trivial or nonsense. Originating during WWII, it is believed to be a reference to birds pecking at manure to find birdseed. It is a mistake to call birds trivial—they add so much to our landscapes and ecosystems, not to mention the pleasure they bring …
The many common names of monardas make it easy to see why using a plant’s botanical name is important. Bee balm, Oswego tea, horsemint, and bergamot are some of the names these northeast native plants go by. Their interesting flowers resemble a spiky hairdo that rarely has a bad hair day! These tubular flowers are …
Master Gardener Lourdes Osorio has a mission—to create a welcoming world for butterflies, bees and other pollinators, one garden at a time. While many people see insects as a threat, she sees them as essential to a healthy ecosystem. “Insects are the most numerous organisms on earth, and only a small number are pests,” Lourdes …
Insects: What’s The Real Threat? Tune in to Native Plant Channel to Find Out Read More »
As the weather begins to cool this month, gardeners’ thoughts will turn towards putting their gardens to bed. Here is the most trouble-free way of preparing your garden for winter—don’t do anything! Whew, didn’t that just free up more time for you? Perhaps it saved you the payment your landscaper would receive for doing it. …
A quintessential symbol of summer and carefree days, when gardeners think about sunflowers many quickly picture our annual sunflowers, those tall denizens that stand statuesquely over a fence and are ubiquitous in all kinds of artwork. These do a great job of feeding birds by providing large, edible, sunflower seeds and certainly garner one’s admiration. …
April is an exhilarating month for gardeners as the early spring bloomers begin their show. Diminutive and dainty, sometimes we don’t appreciate a plant that seems common. But take a good look at violets in your garden and at the array of insects they are feeding. Instead of spending money to rid yourself of them, …
Planting a tree is one of the most impactful actions a gardener can take. Trees can provide innumerable benefits to the landscape, ecosystem, and home. Places where trees stretch across the landscape provide not only beauty, but a sense of calm, security, and timelessness as trees serve several generations of families. Since suburban New Jersey …
If you can plant only one tree, what should it be? Read More »
Most gardeners are familiar with evergreen hollies, a traditional plant used for holiday decorations with its glossy green leaves and stunning red berries. There are various species of hollies native to different areas of the world but the evergreen holly native to the eastern part of the US is American holly, or Ilex opaca. It …
Let’s face it, the world is out of balance! Our ecosystems are dysfunctional and events that should be occurring once-in-a-blue-moon are now commonplace (hurricanes and tornadoes in New Jersey, and wildfires and unprecedented drought in the West, just to name a few). One way to help our ecosystems regain some balance is through the use …
Suggesting that gardeners plant a grass can seem humdrum. However, little bluestem will have you singing for joy with its many attributes. Graceful, architectural, easy to grow, wildlife friendly, deer and rabbit resistant, good fall color and salt tolerant top the list. Little Bluestem blooming With a fibrous root system that can reach five feet …
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