Category: Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature

Crafting With Plants / Fall / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Native Trees

 by Wendy Hamrick, Master Gardener, Class of 2017

The Peculiar Osage Orange

The Osage orange (Maclura, pomifera), a member of the mulberry family (Moraceae), has proved to be both useful and ornamental in its rich history.  It was identified by an American geologist, of Scottish descent, named William Maclure (1763-1840), a successful merchant, who later in life distinguished himself as a geologist and cartographer. This native American tree was originally found in the dust bowl states, Oklahoma and Texas, as well as the northern tip of Louisiana, but has since become naturalized...

Crafting With Plants / Fall / Halloween

 by Marion Guthrie, Master Gardener, Class of 2019

The Origin of Jack-o’-lanterns

Did you know that the tradition of carving jack-o’-lanterns started in Ireland, where turnips and potatoes were originally used? In fact, the name, jack-o’-lantern, comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who tried to trick the Devil. It ended badly for Stingy Jack with the Devil sending him off into the night with only one hot coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever...

Garden Maintenance / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Weather

 by Michele Jett Garrard, Master Gardener, Class of 2022

Predicting the Weather, An Age Old Question Considered

The Changing Seasons – Throughout the ages, people have sought not only to derive meaning from seasonal changes but also to explain, interpret, and forecast these events.  Predictions of a “bad Winter” or “early Spring” were inferred from biological and environmental indicators and observations such as the first appearance of certain plants, insects, and animals. Cultural Interpretation – This information was interpreted within the context of the society’s culture and religious belief systems. In many of these cultures, ancient festivals, holidays, and...

Edible Plants / Fall / Food Forest / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Native Plants / Native Trees / Permaculture / Sustainable Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

Foraging for Autumn Harvests

  Have you ever noticed how the strawberries you pick yourself on a warm May afternoon taste much better than the huge red berries you buy at the grocery store?  Everyone who has grown their own tomatoes, lettuce, or apples knows how much better homegrown food can taste.  You still need to be selective about what seeds you buy because some varieties of carrots and squash taste better than others, and some prove more resistant to disease. Putting in a...

Evergreen Perennials / Ferns / Garden Design / Native Plants / Sustainable Gardening / Wildlife Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

Evergreen Ferns Brighten Winter Gardens

  Autumn color and falling leaves turn a gardener’s thoughts to the winter months ahead.  While we’re still buying flats of bright pansies, pots of chrysanthemums and a pumpkin or two, let’s take the opportunity to also seek out evergreen ferns at local garden centers and online nurseries.  Evergreen ferns brighten the winter landscape as the ‘main event’ in winter container plantings, as ground cover under trees, and in borders and foundation plantings.     There are at least four...

Carbon Garden / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Heirloom plants / Native Trees / Propagation / Wildlife Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

From History and Legends to My Own Front Yard:  The Beautiful Oak

  At the intersection of myth, fantasy, and living reality stands a towering oak tree, covered in plump acorns.  More than 400 species of oaks grow across temperate and tropical regions of North America, Europe and Asia, with 90 species here in the United States and another 160 species growing in Mexico.  China has 100 different types of oak. Types of Oaks All oaks, members of the Fagaceae family along with beech and chestnut trees, produce acorns.  Some, like our...

Community Gardening / Fall / Sustainable Gardening / Teaching Garden / Water Wise / Watering

 by Elvin & Kay Clapp

The JCC Community Wellness Fair

The Water Wise Team was busy preparing and hosting a tour of our Water Wise garden at the JCC Human Services Center (5249 Olde Towne Rd.) for the JCC Community Wellness Fair on September 10, 2022. The Fair was a great success with approximately 300 people visiting our Water Wise garden. Master Gardeners Kay Clapp and Linda Neilson had 57 adult visits to the JCCW Master Gardener booth and delighted over 35 children in a garden lesson on butterflies. Project...

Fall / Garden Maintenance / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Invasive Plants / Native Plants / Native Trees

 by Judy Kinshaw-Ellis

Replacing Your Non-native and Invasive Plants with Natives

Using Natives – For most of us, once we have learned the value of native plants versus non-native or even invasive plants, we cannot afford to rip out everything we have and start over. If you can, just skip to the links at the bottom of the page to learn what you need and where to buy plants! The rest of us need to develop more of a long-term plan, replacing or adding a few plants at a time. You...

Beneficial Insects / Birds / Carbon Garden / Deer / Edible Plants / Evergreen Perennials / Evergreen Shrubs / Fall / Ferns / Flowering Shrubs / Food Forest / Garden Design / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Keystone Species / Lepidoptera / Native Plants / Native Trees / Ornamental Shrubs / Sustainable Gardening / Wildlife Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

Making the Choice: Native v. Imported Plants

  What do you consider when choosing plants for your home and yard?  We all have a checklist of criteria in the back of our minds.  Our criteria are very personal to our own needs and situation.  You may not purchase and plant as many plants as I do each year, but I’m sure that you enjoy the choosing and the planting just as much.     We gardeners have been encouraged to plant more native plants for quite a...

Fall / Halloween / Poisonous Plants

 by Michele Jett Garrard

Henbane: A Witch’s Tale

Opening Last night I had a peculiar and rather disturbing dream. I dreamt that I was driving my car at night careening wildly and uncontrollably along a coastal mountain highway. It was pitch black, high up on the winding and twisting roads with the sinister ocean waves crashing loudly beneath the cliffs. Quite suddenly, the car shot off the road and started plummeting toward the ocean below! I panicked and tried to scream but nothing came out! And just before...