Yards and Landscaping – Page 13

What’s hopping in your yard?

By: angiehongmn June 1, 2016

Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingbuffers, frogs, gardening, Wetlands, wildlife habitatLeave a Comment

In your yard, you can create a healthy home for frogs and toads by leaving some of the grass unmowed near wetlands, lakes and woods; planting gardens with native plants; and using little or no chemicals on your lawn and gardens.

Of sheep, scythes, and lawns

By: angiehongmn May 23, 2016

Yards and Landscapinglawn care, sustainable lawnsLeave a Comment

Power lawn mowers make quicker work than scythes, but the fact remains that today’s lawns have made many of many of us servants of our own dominions.

Spring Dreaming

By: angiehongmn March 21, 2016

Yards and LandscapingBlue Thumb, gardening, native plants, pollinators, Washington Conservation DistrictLeave a Comment

On Saturday, March 26, Master Gardeners in Washington County will hold a spring gardening program at Stillwater Area High School, 8am-noon. During this free workshop, participants will learn about sustainable gardening, landscape design, and landscaping with native plants.

All about Insects

By: angiehongmn March 9, 2016

Yards and LandscapingBlue Thumb, gardening, insects, native plants, planting for birds, pollinatorsLeave a Comment

One example, wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa – also known as bee balm), is one of the best forage plants for bumble bees. Bergamot also provides nectar for honeybees, black sweat bees, mason wasps, great black wasps, eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies, silver spotted skipper butterflies, monarch butterflies, great spangled fritillary butterflies, moths, snout moths, hummingbird clearwing moths, long-horned bees, cuckoo bees, green sweat bees, wool carder bees, small resin bees, leafcutter bees, and sweat bees.

Under the snow, gardens wait to grow

By: angiehongmn January 26, 2016

Yards and LandscapingBlue Thumb, native plants, pollinatorsLeave a Comment

On February 20, Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes will hold its annual Design with Nature Conference in St. Paul at St. Thomas University. The event is an opportunity for gardeners, native plant enthusiasts, habitat restorationists, and landscape designers to learn more about gardening with native plants and making use of residential landscapes to improve habitat for birds and pollinators, and keep stormwater pollution out of local lakes, rivers and wetlands.

Working in Partnership with Homeowners’ Associations

By: angiehongmn October 27, 2015

Keeping water clean, Yards and LandscapingHomeowners Associations, lawn care, raingardens1 Comment

The Washington Conservation District currently has funding available through a Clean Water Grant to help interested Homeowners’ Associations in Washington County complete projects that will help to reduce runoff water pollution, improve habitat, and conserve groundwater.

The mysterious connection between leaves and algae

By: angiehongmn October 12, 2015

Yards and Landscapingalgae, leaf raking, non-point source pollution, phosphorusLeave a Comment

Consider the contrast between what happens to fallen leaves in a forest, versus those in a city neighborhood.

Downsizing to a small backyard

By: angiehongmn August 4, 2015

Yards and Landscapingcommunity event, gardening, Oakdale, raingardens, ramsey washington metro watershed district, Valley Branch Watershed District, Washington Conservation DistrictLeave a Comment

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, 6:30-8pm, Marge and Steve Sagstetter will invite neighbors and interested community members to join them for an educational event in their backyard.

All the pretty gardens

By: angiehongmn July 6, 2015

Yards and Landscapinggarden tours, gardening, native plants, raingardensLeave a Comment

On July 11 and 12, Miller and Zweber’s home will be one of eight featured on FamilyMeans 23rd annual St. Croix Garden Tour.

Your Lawn Care Personality, Decoded

By: angiehongmn April 13, 2015

Yards and Landscapinggroundwater, healthy yards, lawn care, sustainable lawnsLeave a Comment

Though we may like the idea of lush green grass in theory, the reality is that most of us aren’t willing to spend the time or money necessary to actually achieve a “perfect” lawn.