Articles for tag: garden

The Surprising Beauty of "Weedy" Native Plants

How to Build a Beautiful Garden Without Inviting Ecological Disaster

Annette Uy

Picture this: you’ve spent months crafting the perfect garden, complete with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, only to discover that your well-intentioned paradise has become an ecological nightmare. Your beautiful butterfly bush is choking out native wildflowers, your ornamental pond has become a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, and that gorgeous purple loosestrife you planted ...

The Garden Plants That Escaped—and Took Over Entire Ecosystems

The Garden Plants That Escaped—and Took Over Entire Ecosystems

Annette Uy

Imagine walking through your neighborhood and spotting a beautiful flowering vine cascading over a fence. It looks harmless enough, maybe even charming. But what if I told you that innocent-looking plant might be silently strangling entire forests, choking out native species, and reshaping ecosystems thousands of miles from its original home? The story of invasive ...

woman in white long sleeve shirt holding bouquet of flowers

How to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden (Using Science)

Annette Uy

Imagine stepping into your garden and being greeted by the gentle hum of bees, the fluttering dance of butterflies, and the vibrant colors of blooming flowers. This is the magic of a pollinator-friendly garden, a sanctuary not just for plants but for the creatures that help them thrive. Pollinators play a crucial role in the ...

Garden pollinators

The Best Plants to Grow in Your Garden for Pollinators (And Why It’s Important)

Annette Uy

Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other insects, play a crucial role in the ecosystem by assisting in the reproduction of many flowering plants. This process not only contributes to biodiversity but also supports agricultural production. Without them, many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts we consume daily would struggle to survive. However, pollinator populations ...

Facing Challenges and Misconceptions

Wilding the Garden: How British Gardeners Are Returning to Native Roots

Annette Uy

Close your eyes and imagine stepping into a British garden where wildflowers sway with the breeze, bees buzz in dappled sunlight, and ancient hedgerows teem with hidden life. This isn’t a scene from a lost countryside; it’s a growing movement sweeping the nation. Across the UK, gardeners are trading manicured lawns and imported blooms for ...

Ojibwe Wild Rice and Water Gardens in the Great Lakes Region

Ojibwe Wild Rice and Water Gardens in the Great Lakes Region

Annette Uy

Imagine standing at the edge of a shimmering northern lake, the hush of morning broken only by the gentle rustle of tall wild rice stalks swaying in the breeze. The air carries a sense of ancient tradition and quiet resilience, a living connection between water, land, and the Ojibwe people who have called this place ...

The Métis Garden: A Fusion of Tradition, Trade, and Territory

The Métis Garden: A Fusion of Tradition, Trade, and Territory

Annette Uy

Imagine stepping into a garden woven from the threads of many worlds—a living tapestry where wild prairie sage meets the cultivated rows of potatoes, and the scent of sweetgrass mingles with the vibrant blooms of European flowers. The Métis Garden is much more than a patch of cultivated earth; it’s a living testament to resilience, ...