Native Plants

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...

Adding flowers that bloom later in the season provides resources to pollinators into the fall.  As they prepare for migration or overwintering, this is a critical season to ensure they have the required resources. Native plants are an excellent way to ensure that the blooms have the necessary...

By Laura Hertz, Illinois Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn 2018, I became aware of the importance of native plants after listening to a webinar featuring Doug Tallamy, an entomologist from Dartmouth most known for his books ...

Volunteers from the Fulton County Farm Bureau, Extension Master Gardeners, and Extension Master Naturalists planted close to 200 native plants around the Farm Bureau Building. On May16, 2023, nearly 20 volunteers helped to prepare soil and plant more than twenty-five species of native plants. We...

Supporting pollinators has become increasingly important as concerns over pollinator population decline are more evident. The good news is that even small spaces can provide resources for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Container gardens are one solution for growing pollen and nectar...

By Mike McGraw, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn September, 2023, my wife and I were honored to have our yard certified as eco-friendly by the Conservation@Home program. It has been a 29-year journey from “nothing” to a small haven for...