Using Iowa Natives in the Landscape
Native Plants are a vital part of the ecosystem; they provide food, shelter, and the perfect habitat for pollinators. And that’s only one of the many reasons to use native plants in your landscaping. Native plants are adapted to our climate, and so they still look beautiful during the hottest parts of the summer, when […]
Gardening Trends for 2019
A new year and upcoming fresh start in the spring is all you need to inspire the backyard retreat you’ve been dreaming of. While some staples of our backyards are so reliable they never change, there’s always something new and trendy to transform your living space into something ready to impress. Be warned, your friends […]
Prairie Establishment
Prairies once covered hundreds of miles in the state of Iowa. Today, less than 0.01% of the original prairies remain.
Best Iowa Perennials for Fall Blooming
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”– Albert Camus Slowly, but surely, the days are getting shorter and soon our nights will be getting colder, as well. Summer is passing in a swift, hot haze and soon will change to the crisp beauty of a color-changing fall. While spring and summer are the traditionally thought […]
3 Reasons to Trim Back Your Annuals
A little pruning now and then keeps it healthy, but you shouldn’t pull it out and chop the roots up.“– Len Goodman Some of us feel a little timid when it comes to trimming back our beloved annuals. These bold bloomers captivate our hearts and backyards in their precious, short growing season and we can […]
Ornamental Grasses
“There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.”– Thomas Jefferson Whenever the word “grass” is uttered, our thoughts instinctively go to the traditional, green grass that adorns lawns worldwide. We think of the constant mowing and maintenance that eats away at our weekends, and we can’t help but cringe away at […]
Give Our Bees a Break
“The hum of bees is the voice of the garden.”– Elizabeth Lawrence The sights, sounds, and smells of our garden are part of why so many of us have fallen in love with gardening. A warm, sunny summer day doesn’t seem quite complete without the quiet buzzing of bees busily bumbling from flower to flower. […]
Best Iowa Perennials for Summer Blooming
“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.”– Wallace Stevens With the sun beaming on our skin and soaking us with radiant warmth, it’s safe to say that summer is here. Our days are longer and the urge to get out to enjoy the season grows stronger. What better way to enjoy the summer […]
Native Plants (Iowa)
Without the time and energy, maintaining a gorgeous garden seems impossible.
Perennial Blooming Calendar (Iowa)
“Each moment of the year has its own beauty.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson When planning our gardens each year, we do our best to ensure that we will have beautiful blooms, no matter the season. From the moment spring has sprung, right up until the chill of fresh frost, we want a fresh and flowering garden. […]