Just a comment - you refer people to iNaturalist for help with identifications. Wonderful as this, and other similar tools, are they are not yet infallible and their suggestions should not always be taken as absolute. Unless you are certain it's always best to cross check with another source. iNat will set you on the right track and narrow the field of possibilities but sometimes it is wrong.
Excellent point! In fact, I rely more on Picture This and generally use both it and iNaturalist when I’m not sure. And still take their IDs with a grain of salt.
I particularly liked your statement, “ Be patient: Wait to see which of the 40 new plant species in our new Gainesville yard thrive before planting more.” It respects the plants and the exact constitution of the yard with soils, shadows, airflow. And it accepts a slow - natural - pace. 🙂
I would also be very interested in this. I just recently learned that I should be pruning young trees as they grow, something I know basically nothing about. Always something new to learn with native plants!
I mentioned your comment to my daughter/partner Zoe and she reminded me, “There are no shoulds after right plant, right place.” Those trees do fine in nature without any help. But stay tuned for suggestions for health and shaping…
Thank you for recognizing that we are following through. My husband gifted me his time and effort to turn the front .7 acres of my yard into a native grasses and wildflowers area. We finished seeding it today before the rain forecast on Thursday. The back six acres are a tall grass prairie(five years in the making). I’m so grateful and thankful for the chance to save this part of the world for insects and the fauna that eats them to spread energy to the rest of this biome of life.
Wow, your property sounds beautiful, Yvonne. Bravo. And your husband sounds like a doll, because 3/4 of an acre is a huge area to transform. I would love to see pics of the transformation if you care to send them to me at heather@designyourwild.com
I have also planned to install a pond in my East Tennessee yard, but I really don't know where to start when it comes to the design and where in my yard to place it. Do you have some recommendations for getting started when I have no vision in my head yet? Thanks Heather!
Heather, thank you for your generous sharing of so much information and the photo of the parking lot to garden transformation.
In June 2023, Nature decided to give me a Tabla Rasa (clean slate) with a direct lightning strike to my Mother Maple, a 90 foot high maple tree in my front yard. (Fortunately, I had cared for that tree for 25 years, adding 5 major steel rope cables keeping the tallest branches from splitting, so when it was struck, it fell like a flower bouquet between the two houses across the street.) The Mother Maple had completely shaded my front lawn. Suddenly, I had a front yard with 100% sunlight. I hired a talented local, young horticulturalist and asked him to help me create an abstract painting of a native plant yard. Violà! In two years, I now have a Native Plant Paradise, with 75% native trees, shrubs, and plants.
I have let the grass grow in a few paths, giving the brown rabbit delectible seed heads to eat, and I have an amazing diversity of butterflies, birds, flies, and bees. My property in back is filled with sections of goldenrods, asters, blackberries, raspberries, black raspberries (the best!), rhubarb, asparagus, and blueberries. Do I miss my turf grass lawn? Not at all!
I have listed my property on Homegrown National Park and two other sites where I list every native plant that I add. In this way, those web sites are counting every native plant that is replacing parking lot, or turf grass, or invasive species.
Yes, I will check back to see what webinars or Zooms that you will offer. I have some great "before" and "after" photographs that I could contribute showing what two years of effort can do. (In my town in Western Mass. we have almost 2 dozen folks who call themselves "Grow Wild South Hadley" and who offer free educational programs, native seed and plant exchanges, and cooperative buying of plant plugs from a wholesale native plant nursery. Look around your neighborhood to find properties where people are adding native species--and get to know them. Then, start your own "Grow Wild" group to learn from each other.
What a delightful story of transformation, Joanna! I would love to see your before and after pics if you’d like to send them to me at heather@designyourwild.com
Thank you. Right now I'm thinking about pruning for the health and vibrancy of the plants. I'm wondering if I can start now. So I'm definitely interested in getting some guidance in what you learn from evidence-based pruning.
I wintersowed a bunch of native wildflowers, now under a cover of snow, and am waiting to see what sprouts in the spring. It will be so exciting to find places for them all!
Just a comment - you refer people to iNaturalist for help with identifications. Wonderful as this, and other similar tools, are they are not yet infallible and their suggestions should not always be taken as absolute. Unless you are certain it's always best to cross check with another source. iNat will set you on the right track and narrow the field of possibilities but sometimes it is wrong.
Excellent point! In fact, I rely more on Picture This and generally use both it and iNaturalist when I’m not sure. And still take their IDs with a grain of salt.
I think I’ll take on your Inaturalist resolution too! I typically use it just to ID but don’t save to the site. Save I shall!
Thanks for joining me;)
I particularly liked your statement, “ Be patient: Wait to see which of the 40 new plant species in our new Gainesville yard thrive before planting more.” It respects the plants and the exact constitution of the yard with soils, shadows, airflow. And it accepts a slow - natural - pace. 🙂
Thank you!
I follow Bartlett’s recommendations for pruning but would be very interested in your deeper dive into structural benefits. Thanks.
I will make sure to look for research and ask scientists about their specific recommendations.
I would also be very interested in this. I just recently learned that I should be pruning young trees as they grow, something I know basically nothing about. Always something new to learn with native plants!
I mentioned your comment to my daughter/partner Zoe and she reminded me, “There are no shoulds after right plant, right place.” Those trees do fine in nature without any help. But stay tuned for suggestions for health and shaping…
Thanks! I am looking forward to reading more of your articles, watching for podcast dates and seeing which of your plants survive and thrive.
Me too!
Thank you!
Thank you for recognizing that we are following through. My husband gifted me his time and effort to turn the front .7 acres of my yard into a native grasses and wildflowers area. We finished seeding it today before the rain forecast on Thursday. The back six acres are a tall grass prairie(five years in the making). I’m so grateful and thankful for the chance to save this part of the world for insects and the fauna that eats them to spread energy to the rest of this biome of life.
Wow, your property sounds beautiful, Yvonne. Bravo. And your husband sounds like a doll, because 3/4 of an acre is a huge area to transform. I would love to see pics of the transformation if you care to send them to me at heather@designyourwild.com
How do I find old copies of your articles?
I Naturist collection of images is helpful to pin down ID.
You can search old articles here: https://www.designyourwild.com/archive
Have fun;)
Great thanks.
I have also planned to install a pond in my East Tennessee yard, but I really don't know where to start when it comes to the design and where in my yard to place it. Do you have some recommendations for getting started when I have no vision in my head yet? Thanks Heather!
I found this guide helpful, though I’ve asked her to update her plant list. It’ll get you going until our webinar. https://www.marylandcottagegardens.com/products/how-to-build-a-wildlife-pond-guidebook
Heather, thank you for your generous sharing of so much information and the photo of the parking lot to garden transformation.
In June 2023, Nature decided to give me a Tabla Rasa (clean slate) with a direct lightning strike to my Mother Maple, a 90 foot high maple tree in my front yard. (Fortunately, I had cared for that tree for 25 years, adding 5 major steel rope cables keeping the tallest branches from splitting, so when it was struck, it fell like a flower bouquet between the two houses across the street.) The Mother Maple had completely shaded my front lawn. Suddenly, I had a front yard with 100% sunlight. I hired a talented local, young horticulturalist and asked him to help me create an abstract painting of a native plant yard. Violà! In two years, I now have a Native Plant Paradise, with 75% native trees, shrubs, and plants.
I have let the grass grow in a few paths, giving the brown rabbit delectible seed heads to eat, and I have an amazing diversity of butterflies, birds, flies, and bees. My property in back is filled with sections of goldenrods, asters, blackberries, raspberries, black raspberries (the best!), rhubarb, asparagus, and blueberries. Do I miss my turf grass lawn? Not at all!
I have listed my property on Homegrown National Park and two other sites where I list every native plant that I add. In this way, those web sites are counting every native plant that is replacing parking lot, or turf grass, or invasive species.
Yes, I will check back to see what webinars or Zooms that you will offer. I have some great "before" and "after" photographs that I could contribute showing what two years of effort can do. (In my town in Western Mass. we have almost 2 dozen folks who call themselves "Grow Wild South Hadley" and who offer free educational programs, native seed and plant exchanges, and cooperative buying of plant plugs from a wholesale native plant nursery. Look around your neighborhood to find properties where people are adding native species--and get to know them. Then, start your own "Grow Wild" group to learn from each other.
What a delightful story of transformation, Joanna! I would love to see your before and after pics if you’d like to send them to me at heather@designyourwild.com
Correction: Voilà!
Thank you. Right now I'm thinking about pruning for the health and vibrancy of the plants. I'm wondering if I can start now. So I'm definitely interested in getting some guidance in what you learn from evidence-based pruning.
Yes, many shrubs and trees are supposed to be pruned while they’re dormant. I’ll try to get that evidence-based info out soon!
I wintersowed a bunch of native wildflowers, now under a cover of snow, and am waiting to see what sprouts in the spring. It will be so exciting to find places for them all!
Such fun anticipation!