Birds
What Your Native Plants Are Doing When You’re Not Looking: In the Garden with Doug Tallamy
It is estimated that more than 90% of the insects in our home landscapes are benign or beneficial. Why then do so many folks spray pesticides that kill not only insect “pests” but all the beneficial insects, too? Instead of reaching for the spray, let’s use native plants to support beneficial insects and the natural predators that keep pests under…
Read MoreLast Minute Gift Idea: Think Native Woody Plants!
Stuck trying to find a last minute holiday gift? Why not give an easy gift that keeps on giving to your loved one and the environment? A coupon for a native tree or shrub will do the trick! Make it simple by creating your own coupon on a holiday card: “Good for one native tree or shrub.” In the spring,…
Read MoreDeclining Species: A Huge Red Flag
The recent press on the dramatic decline in Monarch butterflies prompted me to write this letter just published in the “Community Views” section of The Journal News. Please read and share. We can make a tremendous positive impact through our own actions! http://www.lohud.com/article/20131219/OPINION/312190073/Declining-species-huge-red-flag from Kim Eierman at EcoBeneficial Photo: Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed Photo credit: Flickr_thoeflich
Read MoreInterview with C. Colston Burrell on Native Plants and Landscapes
I recently interviewed C. Colston Burrell (Cole), the noted author, lecturer, landscape designer and native landscape expert. Cole is the author of a number of great books on plants and gardening including: Perennial Combinations, a best selling gardening book on Amazon.com, the award winning book A Gardener’s Encyclopedia of Wildflowers, and a number of other books on native plants including:…
Read MoreUs vs. Them? Can We Afford to Remain Disconnected from Environmental Realities?
The population of Monarch butterflies has declined to the lowest level ever recorded, pollinators are in a well-reported nose dive, the 20 most common bird species have declined by 68% in the past 45 years. What does this all mean for us humans, the one species that all other species could exist without? It turns out that we need other…
Read MoreInterview with Dr. Doug Tallamy, Author of Bringing Nature Home
Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Doug Tallamy at his home. Doug is the author of Bringing Nature Home: How you Can Sustain Wildlife With Native Plants, a book which has sparked a new cycle of enthusiasm for native plants and ecological landscapes. Doug is Professor & Chair of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware,…
Read MoreTop 20 Ways to Create An EcoBeneficial Garden
Wondering how you can give a huge “eco-boost” to your garden? Look no further. Here are 20 of the best ways: 1) Reduce or eliminate the “Green Desert” (lawn/turf). It is an ecological wasteland. 2) Increase the health of your soil. Everything starts with the soil: healthy soil makes for healthy plants. Disturb your soil as little as possible. Leaves…
Read MoreSpotlight on Invasive Plants: Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)
At this time of year, there are some very compelling plants in the landscape, strikingly beautiful as they take on their amazing fall color. One of the loveliest to look at is Euonymus alatus, commonly known as burning bush or winged euonymus. Its foliage and unusual fruit begin to turn bright red in October and are highly visible in the landscape.…
Read MoreMeadowscaping: A Perfect Alternative to Lawns
You might be thinking about doing some planting this fall. Why not consider planting a native meadowscape: a meadow or a meadow-like garden? Meadowscapes are fantastic ecological alternatives to lifeless lawns (“green deserts”). Whether you have a tiny yard or an expansive landscape, you can create a native meadowscape and give your landscape a big ecological boost. Bees, butterflies, other…
Read More