Your home outside the city limits.
Justin Evertson Trees are almost universally appreciated by people across the globe. Although we don’t always treat them well, there just seems to be something about them that we find interesting and comforting. That’s at least partly because of the incredible range of shapes, forms and colors they come in and also because of the... Continue Reading →
“Recipes, instruction manuals, last testaments: by making seeds the plant condenses itself, or at least everything it knows, into a form compact and durable enough to survive winter, a tightly sealed bottle of genetic memory dropped onto the ocean of the future.” Michael Pollan For gardeners who grow their plants from seed, seeds are... Continue Reading →
It can be a challenge to have a yard that’s perfect for you as well as for your dog. The primary goals are often at odds… a place to run and dig versus the somewhat fragile beauty of seasonal plants. But with a little bit of thoughtful planning, there are ways to accommodate both. Like... Continue Reading →
We do a lot of preparation for the visitors we’ll see over the holidays but since some of our favorite visitors are birds, they deserve some preparation as well. It’s not the season for planting of course, but there are plenty of things you can do now and some of the preferred plants listed below... Continue Reading →
“A garden that didn't change and grow wouldn't be a garden at all." Ken Druse How did your garden become what it is today? Is it just as you planned it and imagined it to be? Did it happen just like that, with all of it coming together in one year or one growing season?... Continue Reading →
Some of the largest planted and managed landscapes in our communities are cemeteries. Though they’re not used for recreation or other large—or even small—public events, they’re historical, necessary and deeply valuable both personally and community-wide. Even more, they have to continue into the future and in some cases are already centuries old. They are extremely... Continue Reading →
Bob Henrickson, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, plantnebraska.org Many gardeners plant “everlastings,” flowers and herbs that maintain their color and form when dried, specifically with the idea of using them in craft projects. Included in wreaths or other displays, they extend the beauty of summer’s bloom. There are many plants that hold their shape and color well,... Continue Reading →
Most gardeners are purposeful in their planting. The priorities vary from one person to another, but we want things like hardiness, beauty, drought-tolerance, focal points, food for pollinators, multi-season interest. From late July on into fall, blazing star or Liatris offer all that and more… including usage as dramatic, long-lasting cuts. In the landscape, people... Continue Reading →
Written by Christina Hoyt, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum With Nebraska’s weather extremes, many of us have spots in our landscapes that need to tolerate periods of wet feet as well as periods of drought… quite a challenge! The type of wet conditions also varies. A wet, poorly drained site is different than a moist site with... Continue Reading →
Who doesn’t love wildflowers? Viewing or even imagining a natural area with an abundance of wildflowers in various shapes, colors and forms is a pleasing activity for most people. But do we ever stop to think about what a wildflower actually is? In the simplest sense, a wildflower is just that—a flower that is wild,... Continue Reading →
It’s finally summer, time to enjoy the great outdoors, but how do we get kids outdoors when there are so many distractions? As adults we recognize the therapeutic quality of unstructured time spent in nature but that’s not a convincing argument to a kid on summer break who would rather be playing video games. This... Continue Reading →
If you want to learn how to garden, plants are the best teachers and the best way to start is to just go ahead and plant. Choose your space carefully, you will want to plant it where you will visit often and where you will enjoy working. Observation throughout the year is a good way... Continue Reading →
