Plant Your Own Little Nature Preserve

Everyone can help our declining native species by planting a "little nature preserve" on their property, yard or even a small patio by incorporating native wildflowers and grasses that naturally grown in their region. Places like www.winterhavenfarm.us/ are transforming disturbed areas back to a more natural habitat on a larger scale and that is very important. Still, we all can help by planting native plants around yards, gardens and patios. Asters are a great plant as the native varieties are hardy and fill areas that are disturbed with non-natives. Even little plots offer nectaring breaks for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and moths.

Plant some native wildflowers in your yard and see what comes to get a free meal!

Great Blue Lobelia - Native in Eastern US

Great Blue Lobelia! This plant may be blue in more ways than one. Because while it's an easy-to-grow wildflower and quite beautiful, it is doomed to always be "second best". Its cousin, the other wild lobelia, L. cardinalis bright red Cardinal Flower, will always win the beauty contest.

Great Blue Lobelia is actually quite different in growth. It is a tougher, heftier plant with somewhat coarse, larger leaves, and the flowers appear in the leaf axils, unlike its elegant cousin's red flowers that are in leaf-free flower spikes, held high above the plant. But the blue flowers are lovely and plentiful. Best of all, this plant is not as picky as to growing conditions. It is perfectly happy in any perennial garden, with or without shade. And it is simple to propagate. Let some of the flowerheads go to seed in the fall, and you'll have a dozen new plants coming up next spring.

Blue cardinal flower makes a great background for smaller wildflowers, since several together form a wonderful screen-like clump of towering plants with blue flowers for a long period.

Oh, and the name. The botanical species name, syphilitica, comes from the Native American belief that this plant was a cure for syphillis.

It's easy to grow without a fuss, and pretty to boot!

Duration: Perennial

Bloom Time: Fall

Height: 12” to 36”

Spacing: 15” to 18”

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium

USDA Zone: 3a-9b

Germination: No pre-treatment needed. Sow seeds on soil surface at 70F and water.

Create a Native Haven

Most people do not realize that when picking up a tree, shrub or flower at their local Walmart or Lowe's they are most likely getting a plant which is not native to their region. Hey, you look and think how pretty those Asian pansies would look bordering the sidewalk. But wait! Watch those flowers for a while and see how few butterflies, moths, bees or other insects are visiting them. That's because they are not what the insect species for your region of the world. They need plants that they are adapted to for laying eggs, nectaring and chowing down on.

LOOK below for an easy search for flowers that would be beautiful, yet native, and therefore suitable for your region!

PlantNative - Regional Plant Lists

PlantNative - Regional Plant Lists

Watchable Wildlife

Native plants are the best choice for attracting and nourishing our native wildlife. Native plants provide the food and shelter that our birds and butterflies need. Native plants leaf-out, bloom, and fruit when our native species need them most, and provide the nutrients that our native animals have adapted to through millions of years of co-evolution.

Native wildlfowers.. so beneficial and so beautiful!

One of my goals is to inspire people to plant native wildflowers around their homes! Native wildflowers will attcact butterflies for you to watch! By providing a native plants, you are helping bring even more beauty to your yards, and gardens! Even a native wildflower in a pot on an apartment balcony will provide a much needed sip of nectar for butterflies, hummingbirds, moths and bees!

Ideas on sharing our skills on nature crafting

I want to set up a specific place where folks can share information, suggestions, and contacts about crafts made with nature in mind. I think that working together will help everyone!