News from August, 2007
Consider The Source
Consider the Source Preserving something special from Minnesota’s natural history
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources estimates that only traces – less than one percent – of native plant communities remain in a state that was once abundant with prairie and oak savanna. In the urban landscape, we may try to preserve a piece of natural history when we garden with Minnesota native plants. It’s important, however, to make sure that plants making this claim are truly native to Minnesota.
What is native? Since all plants are native to somewhere, definitions are somewhat arbitrary. But what is usually ...
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Bt Announcement
A Blue Thumb’s Up
This winter while we were all longing for green in the landscape, a group of people who care about clean water were thinking in hues of blue.
Blue Thumb™ is a program originally developed by Dawn Pape of Rice Creek Watershed District as an outreach program to meet water quality goals and to help watershed cities meet federal Clean Water Act mandates. Now, Blue Thumb is a collaborative of professionals from local governmental units (watershed and conservation districts, cities, counties); non-profit and community organizations; the University of Minnesota Extension; and nursery and landscape professionals. ...
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On The Benefits Of Native Plants
On the Benefits of Native Plants
Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Before I learned the difference between native and invasive plant species, for example, I could enjoy a walk in the woods, admiring the leafy green buckthorn along the path, the glorious purple loosestrife in the marsh and the little white and yellow daisy fleabane in the prairie. Now when I take a hike, I have to fight the urge to carry a bottle of RoundUp with me. On the other hand, now that I am also aware of the many benefits of plants native to Minnesota, I am that ...
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