top of page
All Blog Posts


Add Coreopsis Integrifolia to the Home Landscape
There are over two dozen coreopsis varieties in North American on BONAP and twenty grow in Georgia. Coreopsis integrifolia also known as...

ljmarkson
Nov 9, 20222 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
Nov 3, 20223 min read


Exploring Nature Conservation on a Jekyll Island Vacation
As we sped down the Georgia highway towards a beach getaway I found myself videoing the relentless GDOT pesticide destruction along the...

ljmarkson
Oct 2, 20225 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
Sep 7, 20226 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
Aug 13, 20224 min read


FAQ for Intown Atlanta GNPS Pollinator Picnics
What is the Great Georgia Pollinator Census Count? The Great Georgia Pollinator Census count (GGPC) is a citizen science project...

ljmarkson
Aug 7, 20227 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 19, 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
Jul 7, 20226 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 28, 20224 min read


Fernbank Forest - An Example of Protecting Nature for Future Generations
I had no expectation when my friend Leslie of Pollinator Friendly Yards asked me if I wanted to meet her for a 2-hour guided walk in the...

ljmarkson
Jun 22, 20223 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
Jun 10, 20225 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 30, 20227 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 21, 20226 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
May 15, 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 20, 20229 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
Apr 7, 20223 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
Mar 6, 20225 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 20, 20222 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
Feb 2, 20225 min read


A December Butterfly Brings Hope
In the middle of the brown landscape of winter a flash or orange and silver movement caught my eye. It startled me and when I looked a...

ljmarkson
Dec 26, 20214 min read
bottom of page


.jpg)
