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White Turtlehead Spreads Slowly But Steadily
My Georgia native plant pick #8 for September is called white turtlehead (chelone glabra) although I haven’t ever seen white flowers...
ljmarkson
Sep 22, 20213 min read


White Snakeroot - a Dangerously Pretty Native Plant!
Native plant pick #6 for September is white snakeroot (ageratina altissima - previously eupatorium rugosum). The name comes from Native...
ljmarkson
Sep 19, 20212 min read


Native Aquatic Milkweed Is a Pretty and Petite Monarch Host Plant for Damp Areas
My September native plant pick #5 is white swamp milkweed or aquatic milkweed (asclepias perennis), one of many native milkweeds in...
ljmarkson
Sep 17, 20212 min read


Atlanta Area Fall 2021 Native Plant Sales and Nurseries
Even though September is Georgia Grows Native for Birds month, I try not to plant until October. Fall plant sales have me itching to add...
ljmarkson
Sep 15, 20217 min read


Boneset is a Thoroughly Valuable Native Plant
My September native plant pick #4 is common boneset (eupatorium perfoliatum), also called thoroughwort because of the way the stems go...
ljmarkson
Sep 13, 20212 min read


Native Climbing Boneset is Loved By Pollinators!
My #3 September native plant pick is a rambling perennial vine I've only noticed growing at a nearby nature park in my intown Atlanta...
ljmarkson
Sep 8, 20212 min read


Frog Fruit Is a Valuable Native Groundcover!
My September native plant pick #2 is a fantastic low-growing, semi-evergreen groundcover called frog fruit (phyla nodiflora, formerly...
ljmarkson
Sep 5, 20212 min read


A Successful Pollinator Garden is Messy
OR Did You Really Plant That Pollinator Garden for Pollinators? Starting in early spring a 5 year old pollinator garden at the entrance...
ljmarkson
Aug 25, 20214 min read


My Moth Week Miracle
There seems to be a special place in all secular and religious belief systems for the idea that things happen for a reason. A few days...
ljmarkson
Jul 26, 20213 min read


Pollinators Can't Resist Native Mountain Mint Flowers!
Clustered or short-toothed mountain mint (pycnanthemum muticum) is by far the most popular plant in my yard right now. All day long it is...
ljmarkson
Jun 29, 20214 min read


Be Greedy About Supporting Wildlife in Your Yard!
OR How to optimize the habitat value of your yard. In his book Nature’s Best Hope Doug Tallamy explains how “greedy” he is when it...
ljmarkson
Jun 20, 20214 min read


Coexisting With Snakes In Your Atlanta Yard
Despite making my yard welcoming for wildlife, I still can't control what happens outside the safety of my sanctuary. The long list of...
ljmarkson
Jun 11, 20216 min read


Why I'm a Fan of Common Native Plants
The traditional gardening world often fetishizes exotic and rare plants. The latest trends trickle down to homeowners. Big box and...
ljmarkson
May 9, 20213 min read


Add a Mini Nature Center to Your Wildlife Habitat Yard
OR How I created the Homestead Nature Center with a little help from my family As restorative as my naturescaped yard is for the...
ljmarkson
Apr 26, 20213 min read


Nurturing Nature in the Herb Garden
If we consider every inch of our yard as potential wildlife habitat, we need to rethink how we can maximize what the herb garden offers....
ljmarkson
Apr 17, 20214 min read


Add Purple-Hued Spring Native Plants to Your Naturescape
Getting people to slow down and appreciate the often nuanced and diminutive delightfulness of native plant flowers, particularly in...
ljmarkson
Apr 2, 20213 min read


Dear Neighbor: Your Mosquito Control is Environmentally Hostile
Spring in Atlanta means the return of the war on insects. If I combined everyone in my area into one person, this is the snarky letter...
ljmarkson
Mar 26, 20214 min read


You Can Only Have a Native Violet Bouquet if You Grow It
Non-native roses are widely admired. Native violet’s value is underestimated. But if you grow violets in your yard. Nature will be...
ljmarkson
Mar 22, 20212 min read


We Can Teach Our Children How to Interact with Nature One Squirrel, Earthworm and Ladybug at a Time
OR Teaching Our Children How to Appreciate Nature Using the Peter Parker Principle. I was in earshot of hearing a neighbor’s young child...
ljmarkson
Mar 16, 20213 min read


Squirrels: Ambassadors for Coexisting with Nature in Our Yards
Our house is our human nest but once we step outside, we share space with wildlife. Just because we’ve destroyed habitats to build our...
ljmarkson
Mar 11, 20213 min read
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