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municipal codes on native plantings

What if my city doesn't like my native garden?

Gardening with native plants has gained substantial popularity in the last decade, but attitudes favoring — and landscaping ordinances enforcing — pesticide-heavy lawns and invasive-laden gardens remain. For a home gardener interested in installing a native garden, these are major hurdles to...
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Energy Efficient Landscaping

Use your landscape to lower home energy costs

Before central heating and cooling became standard features in many homes, there was greater emphasis on designing homes and their yards to provide natural climate control. This was accomplished by taking advantage of the heating effects of solar radiation in winter, along with the cooling effects...
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insect challenges

Reduce insect conflicts with a naturalistic approach

While enjoying the outdoors, we often come into contact with insects, for better or worse. From buzzing mosquitoes to wasps interrupting outdoor meals, these encounters often lead people to think about control or elimination.Yet, insects play critical roles in our environment, from pollination and...
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Natural Lawn Care

Managing lawns with ecology in mind

“Dad, why can’t we just have grass in our yard?” asked my 12-year-old son. His question has been bouncing around in my head for a few days now. He and his siblings have started mowing lawns for a few others in our neighborhood, and while mowing, he noticed something — our home lawn has a lot...
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Tree care

What's wrong with my tree? Nature-based approaches

Trees provide shade, ecosystem services, and economic value in both urban and rural landscapes. Because trees are dominant features, their health has a big impact on the function and aesthetics of community forests. We invest time, money, and effort in our backyards and parks. Understanding factors...
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naturalistic gardening

Tips for gardening with nature: fall edition

I used to think fall was the time to clean up. Now I know fall is the time to prepare. When I was very small, I remember the leaves dropping everywhere in the fall. We lived in a rural area on a quarter acre overlooking Queensland Beach, and when the leaves fell, my mother would get us outside...
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