For this to be a true effort in providing habitat to native pollinators and birds we must be able to identify the species involved as well as quantify the results. What is a measure of success? How many life cycles constitute a stable population? Of course the first goal is to see species the first […]
Projects
Larger Projects
A foreign allium while waiting for natives.
Planting the Rosy Dream allium Native alternative: Allium cernuum – good for native bees. Grow in moist soils . allium-carolinianum is a native of asia – is a lower growing allium standing at 14 -16″ Its light color will look most striking against a darker background. These bloom from mid-spring until early summer. April – […]
Seeds for the new Prairie garden
Originally Posted on 4/15/2019. These can be planted this fall. Sideoats Grama Seed (Bouteloua curtipendula) Item #: 21520 Grass Seed Weight: 1 Oz $4.00 Purple Prairie Clover Seed (Dalea purpurea) Item #: 16860 Seed Weight: 1/4 Oz $6.00 Switchgrass Seed (Panicum virgatum) Item #: 27570 Grass Seed Weight: 1 Oz $4.00 Fall Planting: Purchase […]
How changing the gardens contents can change its vitality
The Going Native journey is not a statement. It’s not political, not artistic, not religious. It’s a journey by steps towards the best habitat I can create. It’s the new age ideal, ‘we are everything, and everything is us’, brought back to the physical. It’s finding pure balance in the nature I create. But it’s […]
The garden walk about
9/7 Re-establish curves of the original flower bed Introduce more rock to ‘base garden’. The space between flower bed and paths to and from the bridge. Dig out path outlines on far side of bridge- started Look for good ways to transition between path and base garden. Some favorite plants like think soil in the […]
Ideas for new paths
This is a nice tutorial on how to create a gravel path that stays in place. The big deal is the tamping and a good tamper! A natural low profile path The path found by Pam Penick on an Austin Garden Tour in 2008 has the lines I’m looking for. Here flagstone is upended to […]
The pollinator garden five years on
It’s hard to remember the patch of dirt, trash containers and Rock wasteland that welcomed, or should I say scared visitors in my backyard. Today it’s an ever evolving combination of late spring and summer blooming plants that grow where they seeds of the previous year land. Few are the black-eyed susans… While echinacea and […]
Little bluestem likes it hot but is it behaved enough for a small space?
It’s good to get to know your plants before they are planted. Did you know they are good for grazing? This would be a good link for every size plot. This says little bluestem might be annoying in the garden… homestead on the range See Also:
Sporobolus heterolepis – Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis Prairie Dropseed This native grass finds its home in much of the US. Part of the greater Sporobolus genus which includes the sacaton, and muhlenbergia has fine green leaves and grows in a lovely arching fashion. This slow grower, can take up to four years to flower when grown from seed. Said to […]
Dropseed and Little Bluestem grasses arrive; soon big bluestem as well
The grasses that will make up the main fill for the prairie substrate includes two native grasses that will provide both habitat and structure. LITTLE BLUESTEM ( Schizachyrium scoparium) DROPSEED (Sporobolus heterolepis) These little beauties arrived 5/16/2019 The intention was to allow acclimation 2 days in shade of patio and then move to sun. But […]
