ljmarkson
Supporting Wildlife Habitat Where we Live is Not a New Idea
When decluttering a closet recently, I found a time capsule in the form of a garden journal I made in the early 90s. The last entry was...
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All Blog Posts
ljmarkson
Feb 2, 20232 min read
Native Crossvine is a Habitat Plant
I thought crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) was indestructible. It climbs by tendrils then attaches to trees with even more with roots to...
ljmarkson
Nov 22, 20224 min read
Grow a Native Buckeye Tree from Seed
Several of the multiple buckeye species that grow in North America are native to Georgia. Bottlebrush buckeye is native to Alabama,...
ljmarkson
Sep 30, 20213 min read
Don't Overlook Bidens Alba as an Essential Georgia Native Pollinator Plant
The idea to profile 30 native plants growing in my yard in September may have been a bit too ambitious. The more realistic number is 10...
ljmarkson
Sep 23, 20212 min read
Enjoy Native Spotted Beebalm's Whimsical Complexity
My September blooming native plant #9 is spotted beebalm or horsemint (monarda punctata), a fragrant herb in the mint family with a...
ljmarkson
Sep 19, 20212 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 17, 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 8, 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 4, 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
Aug 25, 20214 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
Jul 18, 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
Jun 29, 20214 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
Feb 5, 20213 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
Jan 31, 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 10, 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 5, 20214 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
Dec 31, 20202 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 29, 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 8, 20201 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
Nov 27, 20202 min read
Native Passionflower Vine is a Popular Butterfly Host Plant
In Georgia, native passionflower vines (passiflora incarnata or lutea) are the only host plants for gulf fritillary butterfly...
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