Tagged: Native Perennials

Beneficial Insects / Birds / Container Gardens / Garden Design / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Heirloom plants / Keystone Species / Larval Host Plants / Native Plants / Perennial Care / Sustainable Gardening / Wildlife Gardening

 by Michele Jett Garrard, Master Gardener, Class of 2022 and Elizabeth McCoy, Tree Steward and Master Gardener, Class of 2018

Container Gardening with Native Keystone Plants

Container gardening is a great way to garden if you have limited space.  Have you ever considered growing native plants in your containers? And what might be even better than this, you ask?   Why container gardening with native keystone perennials, of course! Why Keystone Plants? Keystone plants are the “powerhouses” of native plants.  While all native plants are beneficial, keystone plants are the linchpins for entire ecosystems, providing crucial resources for the greatest number of insect species.  These keystone plants...

Beneficial Insects / Birds / Edible Plants / Garden Design / Gardening on the Wild Side: Working in Harmony with Nature / Native Plants / Wildlife Gardening

 by Elizabeth McCoy

Bringing Birds to the Garden

  Do you feed the birds? Most of us gardeners do. Unless you are protecting a crop of blueberries or blackberries, you probably enjoy the energy and joy birds bring to the garden with their antics and songs. Birds also vacuum up thousands of flying, crawling, and burrowing insects. Even hummingbirds eat an enormous number of insects as they fly around from blossom to blossom seeking sweet nectar. Birds are an important part of a balanced garden community. We have...