Free, sustainable and helps beneficial insects. Scientists studying the best ways to create more effective habitat for beneficial insects, the vast majority of insects in our gardens, say dead wood is very good. Whether a loose pile of natural debris or a curated sculpture of twigs, dead wood creates nooks, crevices, crannies and hiding locations for all of those insects song birds crave. Good news for gardeners. It makes our gardening more sustainable. There is less reason t

Sun, shade, short, tall ... native phlox does it all. Spring Blooming Phlox for Shade Growing Beneath an Oak in Brooklyn Bridge Park Have you seen sunny front lawns with beds of lavender flowers in spring? Maybe you have admired the front of a row home garden overflowing with small white and blue flowers? Did a walk along a woodland path reveal swaths of lavender flowers floating just below knee height? Perhaps while visiting a public garden during the height of summer you n

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The best time to start is now! Garden with Native Redbud Tree and Creeping Phlox Do you want to get on board with the native plants trend or maybe you are intrigued as to how you can make your garden space more of a contributor to our planet's health, but aren't quite sure where to start? Then this is for you! Whether you have an apartment balcony or a fully established garden, there are easy ways to get started with native plants. All you need to know is right here. The p

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Strategies for coexisting. Wild Ginger and Heuchera Cultivar It’s one of the perplexing paradoxes of gardening with native plants. We plant natives to create, support and enhance habitat. And before you know it, the local denizens arrive and they are eating the plants! Mission accomplished. Rabbit populations come and go. If you are in a peak bunny rabbit situation, you may feel like the perennials in your garden are no more than a disappearing buffet. Last year I planted a

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Tuck away possible ideas for planting this spring and enjoying next winter. Garden in November I walk by this garden to the front side of a home on an almost daily basis and it always looks good. A mature native river birch ( Betula nigra ) is densely underplanted with evergreen shrubs, grasses and ground covers. This thick mat of foliage accomplishes so much in a garden. Reduce Maintenance First, it makes maintenance a breeze. By shading any bare soil, the plants act as a l

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Thrillers, fillers and spillers. So many to choose from…. flower arrangement with black locust blossoms, trumpet honeysuckle, eastern columbine, bronze wave heuchera, Ozark witch hazel A few years back, I asked Drew Asbury, then responsible for the iconic cutting garden at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Garden in Washington D.C. and behind the addition of many native plantings there, and now with Brookside Gardens and his own design firm Drew Asbury Garden Design, what he though

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These two make it SO easy! A few months ago, an e-mail landed in my inbox entreating me to 'score' my garden for wildlife. It's not really my thing but in an effort to suss out every single native plant related lead I come across, I took the test! I am so glad I did because the follow-up email included a link to this free on-line workshop " Design Your Yard " ... and it's all about the natives. Whether you are new to gardening or are many years in, I think you will find thi

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So much excitement to come. Native Rain Garden in Yonkers, New York Parking Lot As we welcome 2026, there is so much nature to nurture and opportunities to optimize the function of our gardens, whether it be a front stoop, a window box or an acre or more. Today's post features inspiration from other gardeners, some in the Chesapeake and some further afield. I hope you enjoy. Starting with this parking lot, native plants can make anything look good! This is a wide drainage swa

Our shortest day of the year has come and gone. Winter Cultures around the world celebrate our shortest day of the year with a myriad of traditions and festivities. Gardeners know this marks the turn of the gardening year. Trees will gradually begin to emerge from winter dormancy. The landscape still appears well at rest. When you think about it though, the incredible energy and vibrancy of spring doesn't seem like it could possibly emerge overnight. The subtlest of changes b