Native Plants Blogs

Many people recognize bush honeysuckles (Lonicera maackii, L. tatarica, etc.) and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) as invasive species. Still, some lesser‑known plants are also on Illinois’ invasive species list. invasive plants in are the ones hiding in plain sight, including...

By Gayle Blodgett, Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties  Native plants are essential to healthy ecosystems because they support biodiversity, conserve resources, stabilize soils and waterways, sequester carbon,...

By Bob Streitmatter, Botanical Garden Manager at Peoria Park DistrictSpring is a wonderful time to be in a garden, as it comes to life…bright foliage and flowers seem to be everywhere.  Walking through the garden almost becomes a celebration, as you spot Spring Beauty, Dutchman’s...

By Sarah Smith, Master Gardener and Naturalist, serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn 2018, Lynda and her husband Jeff moved into their current home and set to work on taking care of their almost 2-acre property that sits on a small lake, surrounded by other homes. Encouraged by...

By Megan Todd, Extension Master Gardener, Serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesDriving up the street in a Morton subdivision searching for the home of new Conservation@Home members Gordon and Joyce Wassell, one needs no house number to know which place is theirs.  All...

By Jennifer Bass, Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell countiesI love my yard with all of the trees, the wilder areas behind my home, and the small prairie plot in the small sunny patch in the front of my house.  But, I am...

By Janine Donahue, Illinois Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesMy journey into learning about native plants began about 6 years ago when I decided to add native plants to one of the Master Gardener projects. As I looked at a...

By Mike McGraw, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties  Even as a teenager, I loved the ephemeral wildflowers that grew in the woods near my home in Alton, Illinois – plants with wonderfully evocative names like Harbinger of Spring, Spring...

Are you interested in learning how to take steps to create a home landscape that is not only beautiful, but also provides ecological benefits for the environment? If so, join us as we start our 2025 book study.We're excited to announce a deep dive into considering conservation minded additions to...

By Ellen Denler, Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties  Thank you to Ellen Denler for sharing her thoughts on "When is A Garden Not a Garden."  Ellen is an Extension Master Gardener and Conservation@Home member. She has a passion for...