Late autumn in the pollinator garden is bittersweet. As flowers fade into shrunken seed heads and trees drop vibrant carpets of leaves, a silence settles in the air. Summer’s buzz of activity has subsided, but wildlife still stirs, hunkering down for the long winter ahead. We can make it easier for overwintering pollinators to survive… Read More →
It’s easy to appreciate native plants for their colorful and varied blooms. But as autumn drifts in, petals wither and flower heads dry out. In their place, seeds are released that carry the promise of future generations of plants. Seeds are an under-appreciated part of native plants that deserve our attention. Beyond their beauty, we… Read More →
On a summer day at Lake Minnewashta, Conservation Corps of Minnesota & Iowa and Metro Blooms Design+Build crew members gathered in a resident’s yard to remove a large patch of sod and shape out a new garden bed. After a long day of digging, mulching, and planting, a new spread of small green tufts dotted… Read More →
Guest writer Nick Voss, Education & Outreach Coordinator with VLAWMO, contemplates what the relationship between the cardinal flower and ruby-throated hummingbird can teach us about connection and perseverance through the challenges of environmental stewardship. The cardinal flower and the ruby-throated hummingbird share something special. Some know it as symbiosis, others by reciprocity, and others might… Read More →
Minnesota native plants play foundational roles in our local ecosystems. They strengthen soil, improve water quality, and support pollinators and other native wildlife. Perhaps you’ve added some native plants to your yard, and are enjoying the benefits of their beauty and low maintenance requirements. Do you know the names of the native plants in your… Read More →
Native plants are hardy. Well-adapted to Minnesota’s harsh winters and summer heat, they don’t need much care to thrive. Once established, they provide food for pollinators, strengthen soil, and clean water with little help from humans. However, a native garden will need some attention during the first few years of its life to thrive in… Read More →
MNL (Minnesota Native Landscapes) Restoration Ecologist Dan Tix shares the multifaceted benefits of bringing prairie habitat into small spaces. MNL is a Blue Thumb partner and sponsor. Planting a native garden is good for the earth, good for you, and easier to take care of than a lawn. There are many good reasons to convert… Read More →
Minnesota bees are rising from their winter slumber. Some native bees overwinter underground; others are cavity-nesters and find refuge in hollow sticks and stems. Different bee species emerge at different times, some as early as mid-April, others well into summer. But they all have one thing in common: when they emerge, they are hungry. Bees… Read More →
Lawns to Legumes projects have kickstarted countless neighborhood conversations around planting for pollinators. “We had so many people pass by while we were working,” one participant shared. “I am inviting my neighbors and friends to see my native garden now and next spring,” another grant recipient shared. “I hope this inspires them to plant native… Read More →
Kat Dickerson is like any other Minnesotan—she loves jumping headfirst into a lake. But during her old job as a water quality monitor, there were some lakes she refused to sample without gloves. “There was this one lake that had all manicured lawns right to the edge of the lake,” Dickerson recalls. As summer progressed,… Read More →
