Thinking Like a Tree: Planning Gardens for the Long Term
Gardeners are often focused on the present. What is blooming right now?What needs watering?What can we add to make the garden feel complete? Trees think differently. A tree does not measure success by one season. It invests slowly — developing roots, strengthening branches, and creating a structure that will support life for decades or even […]
Why Forests Make Us Feel Better
From lowering stress to inspiring wonder, discover why time among the trees is good for your mind, body, and spirit. Imagine – you’re walking through a forest of towering oaks and pines. Birds chirp, squirrels scurry, and leaves rustle, but no foreign sounds can be heard. You notice the light trickling through the canopy to […]
Why Woodland Gardens Get Better With Age
There is something special about a garden that has been allowed to grow. A newly planted landscape can be exciting. Fresh plants, carefully chosen combinations, a blank canvas… a landscape full of possibilities. But woodland gardens are not meant to be rushed, their greatest beauty comes with time. As trees mature, roots expand, plants settle […]
From Seed to Canopy: How Forests Plan for the Future
When you walk through a woodland, it’s easy to admire the biggest trees. Towering oaks, graceful maples, towering pines, and sturdy birches naturally capture our attention. They seem permanent — like they’ve always been there. But a healthy woodland isn’t just made up of mature trees. It’s made up of every stage of life. Scattered […]
Dry Shade Doesn’t Mean Bare Soil: Plants That Thrive Where Grass Won’t
Every gardener has one. That stubborn patch beneath a mature maple or towering pines. The annoying shady strip where grass refuses to grow no matter how much seed, fertilizer, or water you apply. It’s one of the most common landscaping frustrations — and one of the easiest to understand once you look to nature for […]
Why Woodlands Are Built for Extreme Weather
If you’ve lived in Wisconsin for any length of time, you know summer weather can be unpredictable. One week may bring soaking rains. The next, days of hot, dry weather. Add in strong thunderstorms, gusty winds, and stretches of high heat and humidity, and it’s easy to see why gardens sometimes struggle by midsummer. Yet […]
Roots Matter: What’s Happening Underground in a Woodland Garden
When you walk through a woodland, it’s natural to look up. Towering tree canopies filter the sunlight overhead. Ferns unfurl along the forest floor. Birds call from the branches while butterflies drift between flowers. But beneath your every step lies another world — one that’s just as alive and the part we never see. Hidden […]
Gardening for Quiet Beauty: Plants That Don’t Need to Shout
The Fourth of July is a celebration of spectacle. Bright fireworks. Bold colors. Big moments that light up the night sky. Summer gardens often follow the same script. Large blooms, vibrant annuals, and eye-catching displays are all part of the season — and for good reason. They’re joyful, energetic, and impossible to ignore. But not […]
There Isn’t Just One Woodland: Exploring the Many Faces of Woodland Wonders
What comes to mind when you think of a woodland? For some, it’s a quiet forest trail lined with towering trees. For others, it’s wildlife, childhood stories, hidden mushrooms, or sunlight filtering through the canopy overhead. That’s exactly what Woodland Wonders presented by Selner Tree & Shrub Care set out to explore. This year, Green […]
Tree Care 101: What to Watch for as Summer Stress Begins
Trees work hard. They provide shade on hot afternoons, shelter for wildlife, cleaner air, and beauty throughout the year. Because they seem so strong and established, it’s easy to assume they can handle whatever summer brings. But even mature trees experience stress. In Wisconsin, summer often brings a mix of heat, humidity, dry periods, strong […]
