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Holiday Light Pollution Shines Brightly at Botanical Gardens
Sometimes I wish I could take off my awareness glasses and go back to ignorantly enjoying things that harm our ecosystem. For example,...

ljmarkson
Dec 8, 20216 min read


Create Local Change by Building Community Support for Native Plants
The native plant community in Atlanta grew stronger yesterday with the first event of the newly minted Intown Atlanta Chapter of the GNPS...

ljmarkson
Nov 9, 20214 min read


Reclaiming Nature and Letting Go of Stress
Nature is such a powerful cure-all that ecotherapy uses it as a tool to professionally boost growth, healing and reduce stress. It is...

ljmarkson
Oct 22, 20215 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


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


Help Our Insects By Participating in the Great Georgia Pollinator Census 2021!
I want to encourage everyone to set aside 15 minutes this Friday, August 20 or Saturday, August 21 to participate in the Great Georgia...

ljmarkson
Aug 17, 20213 min read


Have You Seen a Non-Native Invasive Sculptured Resin Bee In Your Yard?
A couple weeks ago I was excited to see a giant bee I had never seen before pollinating my clustered mountain mint (pycnanthemum...

ljmarkson
Jul 18, 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


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


Native Wild Strawberry Fields Forever
On the interactive National Wildlife Federation site you can punch in your zip code and learn the top butterfly and moth host plants in...

ljmarkson
Feb 5, 20213 min read


Replace Non-native Shrubs With High Impact Native Shrubs
Rewilding a semi-urban yard to create an eco-friendly sanctuary is more emotional than I anticipated. Almost a year and a half ago after...

ljmarkson
Jan 31, 20213 min read


Native Plant Seeds are Ideal for Winter Sowing
OR Tips for Winter Sowing Native Plant Seeds Using Foil Roasting Pans With Lids. Winter sowing is a way to germinate seeds by mimicking...

ljmarkson
Jan 14, 20213 min read


Plant a Glorious Goldenrod Garden This Year!
OR Do You Think Growing 19 Varieties of Goldenrod is Enough?! I currently have more varieties of goldenrod than any other native plant...

ljmarkson
Jan 10, 20213 min read


Nine Bright and Easy Native Goldenrods to Add to Your Atlanta Naturescape (Natural Landscape)
OR Add Biodiversity to Your Native Plant Habitat with More Goldenrod` OR Can You Ever Really Have Enough Goldenrod? (Edited 12.3.22 to...

ljmarkson
Jan 5, 20214 min read


Why Goldenrod is Native Plant Gold
OR Goldenrod's Many Charms. In my previous post I explain why everyone in the native plant world is talking about goldenrod (solidago). A...

ljmarkson
Dec 31, 20202 min read


Goldenrod (Solidago) is Trending!
OR If You Only Add One Native Plant to Your Yard, Make it Goldenrod! Keystone plant species are what native plant guru Doug Tallamy calls...

ljmarkson
Dec 29, 20202 min read


In Defense of Grasshoppers
OR Without Grasshoppers We Won't Have Birds. On a recent balmy winter day, I walked down a path in my yard and a handful of grasshoppers...

ljmarkson
Dec 12, 20202 min read


I'm An Eco Bag Lady
OR I'm a Naturescape Organic Matter Scavenger Part Two. Much to the embarrassment of my sweet husband, I’m an eco bag lady. When we walk...

ljmarkson
Dec 9, 20203 min read


Can I Have Your Coneflower Seedheads?
OR I’m a Naturescape Organic Matter Scavenger Part One Last month when I saw a nearby neighbor deadheading her large patch of native...

ljmarkson
Dec 8, 20201 min read
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