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ljmarkson
Nov 3, 20223 min read
A Dead Tree Branch Story
Last month I happened to notice a dead branch on a large pine tree in my front yard. Through my binoculars I could see a huge 20 or so...


ljmarkson
Sep 7, 20226 min read
Intown Atlanta GNPS Native Plant Swap & Share FAQ
I'm helping organize the Intown Atlanta GNPS Native Plants Swap & Share as part of the Annual Meeting. Since this is the first time we're...


ljmarkson
Aug 28, 20221 min read
Counting Pollinators and Making Connections at Pollinator Picnics
On August 20 people of all ages counted pollinators and helped highlight the importance of native plants as a host, habitat and nectar...


ljmarkson
Aug 13, 20224 min read
Intown Atlanta GNPS Pollinator Picnics are Family Friendly!
This year the Intown Atlanta Georgia Native Plant Society is making it easy for Atlanta families to participate in the Great Georgia...


ljmarkson
Jul 19, 20226 min read
Strategies for Identifying Agastache Species and Other Native Plants
I don’t usually get fussy or wonky about different native plant species but when I learned the range for the most common hyssop called...


ljmarkson
Jul 7, 20226 min read
Nurturing a Firefly Habitat Also Helps Restore Nature
In the context of creating a healthy yard ecosystem fireflies are just another insect we need to provide habitat for. Yet 2,000 firefly...


ljmarkson
Jun 28, 20224 min read
Building a More Vibrant Intown Atlanta Native Plant Community
On a hot June Sunday afternoon a varied group of around 50 or so people interested in native plants came together for a panel discussion...


ljmarkson
Jun 10, 20225 min read
How to Attract Bluebirds of Happiness to Your Yard
This year I’ve been documenting the joyful journey of a darling Eastern bluebird duo and their precious offspring finally choosing a...


ljmarkson
May 30, 20227 min read
Why and How to Coexist With Carpenter Bees, Our Pollinating Superstars
The responses to a recent post on a neighborhood forum about carpenter bees was horrifying. One person gleefully suggested torturing the...


ljmarkson
May 21, 20226 min read
How To Prevent Children From Having Nature Blindness
For most of my childhood I lived with my grandparents. Long before edible landscapes became fashionable, a large chunk of my...


ljmarkson
May 15, 20229 min read
Why We Need to Support Local Native Plant Retail Nurseries
Recently, I drove over an hour in traffic each way to visit North Georgia Native Plant Nursery to buy two one-gallon native mountain...


ljmarkson
Apr 20, 20229 min read
20 Easy Shade-Tolerant Native Southern Groundcovers
Finding native groundcovers for shady areas seems to be one of the most common scenarios in Atlanta where we still have more tree canopy...


ljmarkson
Apr 7, 20223 min read
Native Plant Habitat Tour Offers Insights for Backyard Habitat Restoration
Bill and Carol Pardue's yard, one of the six properties at the first GNPS Intown Atlanta Native Plant Habitat Tour. is proof that a small...


ljmarkson
Mar 16, 20226 min read
Atlanta Area Spring 2022 Native Plant Sales and Nurseries
Spring native plant buying season is here! It’s exciting to see most of the native plant sales and nurseries are once again in person...


ljmarkson
Mar 6, 20225 min read
Just Say No to Spring Backyard Habitat Destruction
There were no happy birds in my yard on a warm spring day last week. On Friday I watched them flitting around my neighbor’s yard...


ljmarkson
Feb 20, 20222 min read
Winter Sowing Native Liatris Spicata for a Mini Nature Center
My friend Rita from Botany Yards generously gave me native plant seeds to put in my mini-nature center. I wondered how to ensure success...


ljmarkson
Feb 12, 20223 min read
Why My Family Doesn't Bring Me Flowers Anymore
My family shows how much they love me by not giving me cut flowers. They know I don’t want flowers covered in pesticides that are grown...


ljmarkson
Feb 5, 20224 min read
Gardening Advice Turns a Corner
Out of curiosity I visited a popular gardening guru’s FB page. Winter lawns, various Roundup products and a flowering (invasive) mahonia...


ljmarkson
Feb 2, 20225 min read
Winter Sowing Tips for Native Plant Seedlings
Last spring, I meant to write a native plant seedling update to my winter sowing posts. I even made notes, but never actually wrote the...


ljmarkson
Jan 23, 20227 min read
Native Plants to Winter Sow for Summer Blooms This Year
I thought I was done winter sowing in the first week of January when I planted 100 different native plant seeds and put the trays outside...
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