As a naturalist and lover of natural landscapes, I am always seeking ways of making my home landscape look its best while using native plantings. It all started 15 years ago when building my house. I was determined to stick with a non-traditional landscape around the foundation of the structure. After all, the house was in a particularly beautiful natural setting so why not use that to showcase native plantings. I wanted a front entry that would be an extension of the prairie that I seeded...

By Rose Moore Master Naturalist – January 2020 One of the greatest pleasures I have in my daily outdoor adventures is discovering new things. Just because it is winter, there is no absence of wonders to be found. Recently, on a mild, snow - less morning, I decided to veer off my usual trails and search for signs of life in other areas of the property. As I was walking along the stream at the bottom of a ravine, something caught my eye at the base of a large hickory tree. It was the shiny...