nature notes
A Saturday afternoon visit to a flower farm
The flower industry is big business. Flowers are used in just about every aspect of our lives to celebrate the momentous occasions and the little ones. Weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries are made better by the presence of fresh flowers, and those impromptu wildflower bouquets picked and presented to us by children warm our hearts.
The value of making a leaf collection
It seems as if it is a rite of passage for kids to make a leaf collection while in school. Sometimes, as it was for me, it is a bug collection. I was in the 10th grade and distinctly remember going on a bug hunt with Colleen, my best friend at the time.
Urushiol alert – the hidden hazard in your garden
Most adults, middle-aged or older, know what poison ivy looks like and steer clear of it. However, if you have never had the misfortune of experiencing the annoyingly itchy rash that poison ivy can cause, you may not have a good understanding of what it looks like.
Rooted in memory: a catalpa in our backyard
We have just enjoyed the blooming of a unique native tree. Dotted here and there around the county, the tall trees with large, medium green, heart-shaped leaves and panicles of white flowers get noticed. These are northern catalpas.
Every week is for protecting the pollinators
Each year, the third week of June is set aside for recognizing the importance of our pollinators. When we think of pollinators, we instantly picture honeybees flitting from flower to flower. But they are so much more than that.
The peonies are blooming – time for a festival!
China is currently considered to be the peony capital of the world, with the city of Heze the focus of peony praise. But it wasn’t always so. In the early 20th century, Van Wert, Ohio, held that title. Hybrids created there won national and international awards.
Plant now for a pretty pumpkin display this fall
There is no doubt that this has been one of the warmest springs in recent memory. Though there is no guarantee that we will not get a late frost, the last time we had temperatures low enough for one was April 17th, when we dipped to 32 degrees. Our average last frost date generally falls between May 1-10.
Eastern Redbuds: blushing beauties in our landscape
Spring is moving right along, and we have come to one of my favorite phases. To be honest, I enjoy every one of them, but I look forward to this particular one because of one thing – redbuds.
Monarch butterflies are coming our way
The monarch butterflies that were born here in Ohio late last summer and early fall, have spent their winter in the mountains of Central Mexico. As of the first week of March, all of them have left their oyamel fir forest sanctuaries and are headed north.