Warning: Bloodroot can be extremely toxic, even fatal.

I'm not going to discuss the medical uses for bloodroot. There is plenty of information on the web (and from professional herbalists, which I certainly am not) explaining its benefits and dangers. Just let me say do your research very well. Also, consider pets and children before planting it in your landscape. As beautiful as this plant is, it is not worth risking loved ones’ health or possibly even lives. Continue reading →

A few years ago my husband and I moved to a lakefront property that had lawn growing down to the water's edge. I immediately started researching putting in a riparian buffer (I always think of Hyacinth from the britcom "Keeping Up Appearances" touting her "riparian buffet" when I hear that phrase). Continue reading →

June 20-26 was Virginia Pollinator Week, a time when we focus with others across the United States on the irreplaceable value of bees, butterflies, moths and nature's other pollinators.  

There is an alarming and discernible decline in the population of these fascinating creatures that make seeds and fruits magically appear on plants, shrubs and trees. While this decline is not news for those of us interested in gardening and farming, the week reminds us how much we need to ramp up our efforts to reverse this trend and educate everyone about the far-reaching effects a loss of our pollinators will have on everyday life.  Continue reading →

Who doesn't enjoy hearing a songbird or catching a glimpse of their bright colors in the backyard? Some people garden specifically for wildlife, including birds, by choosing all of their plantings based on how they function for wildlife in the landscape. While you don't have to replace everything you have, certain additions can help attract our feathered friends.   Continue reading →

Along with the growing awareness of the many benefits of planting more native plants around our homes, a natural question arises: which native plants should we plant? Continue reading →

The black-eyed Susan is a locally native plant that will look great in your garden. It's the state flower of Maryland, and was given this distinction by the Maryland General Assembly in 1918 when it was designated "the Floral Emblem".

Black-eyed Susans are perennial daisies or coneflowers, meaning they live for more than two years and are a good sturdy plant that can survive the winter season. Continue reading →

To help us understand all the benefits we gain when we plant our gardens with native plant species, we can start by taking a broader view of ourselves and all the other creatures that live with us on our planet. We share a finite amount of space in a living system that is self-perpetuating as long as the different species in that system exist within certain parameters. This is the "food web" we all learned about in elementary school. At the center of those webs we always have the plants, and, if we take them away, the system collapses. Continue reading →