Tunes & Blooms: Does Music Actually Help Plants?
At some point, just about everyone hears that music is good for plants, and if you’re anything like me, you were probably a bit skeptical. I’m not about to start singing to my potted plants on a rumor alone. But, what if there’s some truth to the age-old tale? Picking Up Good Vibrations While plants […]
What’s the Deal with Algae?
They aren’t a plant and they aren’t an animal, so what are algae? Algae are primary producers, which means that they’re at the very bottom of the food chain. They create their own food through photosynthesis like plants do, but they’re actually considered protists.3 They serve as food for small aquatic critters like insects and […]
Friend or Foe? Lily Pads in Wisconsin
With gorgeous blooms and vibrant foliage, lilies are a gorgeous addition to an ornamental pond, but can become quite a nuisance in a recreational body of water. Imagine trying to reel in a fish through a densely knotted mess of stems and pads or, worse yet, detangling the mass from your boat’s propeller. What a […]
Creating Your Perfect Sensory Garden
Want to get away from it all? Some days, we could all use a mindful minute in nature, and sensory gardens are the perfect location. They’re specially crafted to appeal to the senses and create a calm and grounded environment. They can certainly be enjoyed by anyone, but they’re especially beneficial to those with sensory […]
3 Steps to Create a Garden that Fits Your Abilities
1 in 4 adults in the nation have a disability, and most will experience one at some point in their lifetime. Unfortunately, adults with disabilities experience 80% more mental distress than those without, so it’s important to find ways to cope, like gardening!4 Gardening is hard work, but it bears more fruit than the plants […]
Are You a Farmers Market Regular? Here Are 5 Reasons You Should Be
Every summer, Midwesterners flock to their local farmers markets, and they should! Not only do farmers markets connect us to the neighbors who grow our food, but they also support our environmental and economic health. Here are just a few reasons why going to the farmers market should be part of your routine this summer. […]
3 Steps to a Beautiful & Delicious Garden
As more and more people become interested in growing food in their own yards, the line has begun to blur between edible garden plots and ornamental landscaping. While the results are stunning, not everyone has the time or resources to completely overhaul their pre-existing layout. Nevertheless, there are plenty of ways to adopt this new […]
The Mystical Dragonfly
Dragonflies are a fan favorite in the insect world. With their beautiful wings, intriguing flying patterns, and the symbolism they hold, it’s hard not to love them. Besides being the beauty of your summer landscape, dragonflies are also extremely beneficial to your local ecosystem and environments around the world. Crowd Control Dragonflies are beautiful and […]
How Dead Wood Benefits Your Local Environment & Why You Should Let It Lie
You may be tempted to remove dead wood that is lying in your landscape and put it in your trash or add it to the compost pile, but dead wood is more helpful to your landscape than you may realize. Dead wood plays a very important role in our environment. It can provide a habitat […]
3 Winter-Hardy Plants to Add to Your Landscape
During the spring, summer, and fall, we look forward to decorating our landscape with seasonal blooms and greenery. Once winter hits, we may feel like we are stuck in a rut with gardening. Wisconsin is located in zone 5a for the planting calendar. This means that our average minimum temperature is minus 20 degrees, which […]
