Power of Native Plants
Are you new to native plants and not sure why they’re important? This infographic can help get you started: Continue reading "Power of Native Plants"
Native Plants Can Do Moon Gardens Too
Moon Gardens seem to usually be the province of introduced plants, but there are plenty of native plants that have light blooms and foliage that can take center stage in the evening giving an extra, unexpected delight–a little color during twilight and on moonlit nights (though for many of us in urban areas, there is […] Continue reading "Native Plants Can Do Moon Gardens Too"
Local Schools Plant Habitat Gardens
May has been an especially hopeful month this year with all of our young people getting involved in making a big difference for the environment. In Oak Park and River Forest, local schools have been busy planning, researching, and planting their native plants to support biodiversity and learning. Dominican University recently put in a large […] Continue reading "Local Schools Plant Habitat Gardens"
Green Guides: Native Gardens
Green Guides Native Gardens Your garden can be attractive aesthetically and ecologically when you use native plants. You can incorporate native plants into an existing garden, or you can create a garden from scratch. Below are the 4 steps to a native garden: Understand your site and select appropriate plants. You need to know the […] Continue reading "Green Guides: Native Gardens"
Top 10 Native Plants for Full Sun
Top 10 Native Plants from West Cook Wild Ones West Cook Wild Ones has created the following list to help out anyone who is new to native plants and is unsure of where to begin their efforts. Below is a list of plants that we have found easy to grow (as long as they […] Continue reading "Top 10 Native Plants for Full Sun"
West Cook Wild Ones Wildlife Corridor
West Cook Wild Ones Wildlife Corridor West Cook Wild Ones Wildlife Corridor Map–Watch It Grow Our goal is to gather pledges from at least two yards/landscapes (public or private) on every block between Thatcher Woods and Columbus Park. To pledge your yard send an e-mail to [email protected] West Cook Wild Ones has been engaging residents […] Continue reading "West Cook Wild Ones Wildlife Corridor"
Deer Resistant Plants
Deer Resistant Plants We’ve been asked a few times about deer-resistant plants, and we’ve done some research and have compiled the below list sorted by sun requirements. To assemble the document we cross-referenced from different sources that report these native plants as being deer resistant. Sources include personal experiences from prairie restorationists, Prairie Moon Nursery, […] Continue reading "Deer Resistant Plants"
Start-up Guide for Native Gardens in West Cook County
Native Gardening Basics There are many ways to start using native plants in your garden. You can start to incorporate native plants into your existing landscape or – you can start completely from scratch. First, make an assessment of the environmental conditions (shady or sunny, drainage, soil types, irrigation, etc.). Also, make an inventory […] Continue reading "Start-up Guide for Native Gardens in West Cook County"
Native bees in the garden.
Ms. Fishers talk Native Bees in the Garden will discuss our wild native bees from a gardeners perspective. Everyone knows how important honey bees are for pollination, but native bees are even more important, especially in the garden.Topics will include the differences between native bees and honey bees, their life cycles, what they like for habitat, […] Continue reading "Native bees in the garden."
Interview with C. Colston Burrell
Wonderful interview–a complex definition of what is native; tongue in cheek discussion about why “retirement is bad for the environment” (an argument for those untended areas in your manicured gardens/yards are essential); Dr. Burrell’s “hyper-ecological aggregator” garden; pest pressures in gardens that lack diversity, etc. Continue reading "Interview with C. Colston Burrell"