A leafcutter bee on a native mallow flower We are in the midst of National Pollinator Week (did you know?) and it seems most appropriate as every day I’m seeing many species of native bees on the native flowers in the nursery. I often listen to podcasts as I water plants, a daily task in a nursery, […]
Insects Under Threat? – Native Plants Can Help
In the past year disturbing news has emerged about the decline of insect populations around the world. Many of us are aware of the falling numbers of some larger or more charismatic species, including the monarch butterfly or the rusty-patched bumblebee, a candidate for listing as an Endangered Species. What I hadn’t realized was that this decline […]
Fall planting, Fall flowers and Fall hours
Pacific nine bark (Physocarpus capitatus) with fall color in the nursery With the lowering of the sun’s angle, and the yellow school buses on the roads, we have signs that fall will soon be here. This is a great to time to plant natives, especially in the “golden” period from mid-September to late October. The soil […]
Milkweed for Central Washington
Milkweeds (Asclepias sp.) have been in the news in recent years, mostly because of their critical importance to the monarch butterfly. The larvae of this iconic butterfly must feed on milkweed to develop so the adults seek milkweeds for each generation. There are over eighty species of milkweed found in North America. In Washington we have only three native […]
Penstemon Time
I get excited about this time every year when the penstemons start to bloom, both in the nursery and in the wild. The colors and diverse forms of the penstemon species found in the West are amazing. In Washington we have at least 28 species found in nature. Many charming and lovely plants are among these […]
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