This week: Threadleaf Bluestar Shines in the Fall
Hello! A confession: I have favorite plants. If you’ve ever been a Blooms to Bees client, you can probably guess what one of them is: Amsonia, and especially...
This week: Inkberry Holly, a Boxwood Replacement
Hello! This week, let’s open the mailbag and answer a reader question: What’s an evergreen native shrub that can be used instead of non-native Boxwood? The...
This week: Northern Bayberry, an underused gem
Hello! If you’re looking for an informal hedge or a replacement for non-native boxwood and invasive privet, Northern Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica) could be...
This week: Leave fall cleanup to nature
Hello! Are you tempted to rake the leaves into bags and put them on the curb? Is cutting back spent perennials on your to-do list? Don’t! Skipping fall...
This week: River Oats, a fall favorite
Hello, Fall is here! Walnuts and acorns are dropping, seed heads are exploding (literally for witch hazel), and squirrels and birds are scurrying around...
This Week: Swamp Sunflower, a Late Bloomer
When Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) blooms it is always a little bittersweet because it’s the latest flowering plant in my garden. It only starts...
This week: Three Seasons of Spicebush
Happy Autumn! Let’s appreciate a woodland understory shrub—Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). This native gets a lot of attention in the early spring when...
This week: Is White Snakeroot a wildflower or weed?
Hello! This week let’s take a look at a “free” native plant that is in bloom everywhere right now—White Snakeroot, or Ageratina altissima. Perhaps you’ve...
This week: Ironweed in Bloom
Hello! September is here, and that means Ironweed is in full bloom. Ironweed’s deep purple flower clusters begin to emerge in August and last well into...
This week: Edging for a finishing touch
Hello, Let's talk about something often overlooked - edging, the border that surrounds your garden beds. Edging provides an opportunity for you to express...
This week: Shade-loving Sensitive Fern
Hello! Spot this easy-to-identify plant on your next walk in the woods and you’ll look like a fern expert! Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) is a native...
This week: Jewelweed explodes
Let’s talk about a type of flower I rarely cover: a native annual. Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is an annual flower that grows like a weed and, to some, is...
This week: Cardinal Flower Blooms
A favorite summer-blooming native of mine is Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) because it brings bold color and a shot of drama to the garden. The best...
This week: Eastern Tiger Swallowtails Flutter By
Hello! It’s the height of summer blooms here in Pittsburgh, and with that, I’ve been noticing quite a few Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio...
This week: Native Trumpet Vine—pest or problem-solver?
Hello! I confess that I am not a fan of vines. Every time I consider intentionally planting one, I think of all the time I spend pulling invasive English...
This week: Swamp Milkweed (Yes, another milkweed!)
Hello! So far this summer we looked at both Butterfly Weed and Common Milkweed, and now a third beneficial milkweed beauty is blooming—Asclepius incarnata,...
This week: Fritillary Butterflies
Hello! Brace yourself for mediocre butterfly photography! This week I spotted some Greater Fritillary Butterflies (genus Speyeria) frolicking in a native...
This week: Sweetshrubs, native and hybrid
Hello! This week at the park, I spotted a gorgeous Sweetshrub (sometimes called Carolina Allspice) in bloom. At a glance, it was easy to tell that it wasn’t...
This week: More Milkweed!
Hello! Last week we dug into Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed). As tall as a 12 year old child and an aggressive spreader, it is not right for every...
This week: Everyone’s favorite native, milkweed
Hello! Pollinators rejoice—Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) is in flower! According to the USDA, more than 450 insects feed on the plant, from milkweed...