Notes from the Habitat
All about the native plants and pollinators that call our garden home.
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Pollinating Pest Controller
This paper wasp (Polistes spp) is enjoying the native Virginia bluebells as much as we do! The wasp pictured is […]
Weed it and Reap
Any of these faces look familiar? Chances are, if you’re a gardener, you’re well-acquainted with most of them! Early season […]
Spring Treat
Although the recent weather whiplash may make you wonder whether spring is really on its way, just look up! The […]
Have Some (Syca)more
Have you noticed a deciduous tree that seems to have forgotten to put away its Christmas decorations? The seed balls […]
Feed the Birds?
We know that native plants are the best source of winter food for birds–both the seeds and berries they produce, […]
We Heart Solidago
What’s the buzz? Recently, we were excited to read the results of Mt Cuba Center’s latest native plant trial. The […]
The Very Secret Caterpillar
Many insects successfully pass the winter as immature larvae. The great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele) spends the winter as a […]
Winter Sowing
Even in frigid weather, Mother Nature is taking care of business. Did you know that some seeds, like those of […]
Are You Sleeping?
Most of us are familiar with the story of the monarch butterfly’s epic journey to Mexico each fall. But what […]
Delayed Journey
In December 2025, the Associated Press reported that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) moved the monarch butterfly’s Endangered […]
A Gift that Keeps on Giving
After the holidays, don’t be in a hurry to haul your Christmas tree to the curb for disposal–instead, allow it […]
Holly Jolly
Nothing stands out in the winter landscape like a branch of glossy green holly with bright red berries. Ilex is […]
There’s a New Tag in Town
For the first time, scientists are able to track the migration of monarch butterflies across much of North America in […]
Deck the Halls…with Native Plants
Poinsettias and Christmas cactus are lovely seasonal decorations that many homes wouldn’t be without at this time of year. But […]
Can’t Let Go
Although autumn leaves have mostly fallen by this time of year, you may have noticed that a few are still […]
Give Thanks for Pollinators
Love pumpkin pie? Thank a squash bee! Our native cucurbits, pumpkin and squash, rely on native squash bees for pollination. […]
Autumn Display
Not to be confused with its more well-known cousin, St John’s wort, shrubby St John’s wort (Hypericum prolificum) is one […]
Brush Up Your Habitat
It might be November, but the gardeners of the SBG have been hard at work on a number of tasks, […]
Digging In
Colder temperatures make us all feel the need for cozy winter quarters–even if you’re a bee! And the beautiful bicolored […]
Autumn Bounty
As the leaves fall and temperatures plummet, the daisy-like flowers of frost aster (Symphotrichum pilosum) keep going strong. These tiny […]
Feelin’ Sassy
Sassafras: It’s fun to say and even more fun to grow, and it’s one of our favorite trees in the […]
Leave the Leaves
With the arrival of cooler temperatures, curbside leaf collection is underway in many parts of the Centre region. Homeowners and […]
Go for the Gold
As we transition to autumn, many gardens take on a more muted palette, and goldenrod provides a welcome pop of […]
Tag, You’re It!
It was a beautiful day for The Magic of Monarch Migration at the SBG last Saturday. In partnership with Monarch […]
Monarch Migration 2025
The 2025 monarch migration has begun, with observers in Minnesota and Michigan reporting relatively high numbers compared to recent years. […]
A Cup of Gold
Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is hard to miss, growing up to 9 feet tall. At the SBG, it can be […]
Keep Calm and Carrot On
It’s easy to confuse the spicebush swallowtail with the black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), as both species have dark forewings and […]
A Little Prickly?
Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum parvum), currently blooming in the Woodland Garden, is an aromatic, spiny, thicket-forming deciduous shrub or small tree […]
Blaze of Glory
For a dramatic vertical accent in the summer pollinator garden, you can’t go wrong with blazing star. There are over […]
Wild for Wild Senna
The distinctive foliage of wild senna (Senna hebecarpa) is topped with racemes of bright yellow flowers which are attractive to […]
Humming Along
Hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) The common name of this member of the sphinx moth family is no mystery. As […]
Bee Magnet
What’s that attractive, low shrub that’s just covered with visiting bees? Why, it’s shrubby St John’s wort (Hypericum prolificum). One […]
Independence
Independence Day is right around the corner, and what could be more independent than a native solitary bee? Approximately 90% […]
Guiding Lights
The tall white spires of beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) lend a graceful air to the late spring pollinator garden, and provide […]
Cutting Up
What’s eating my (redbud, rosebush, azalea, etc)? Homeowners observing this particular type of damage to trees and shrubs may assume […]
A Shrub for All Seasons
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is a versatile native shrub with something going on in every season of the year. Its common […]
Golden Opportunity
The lovely yellow blooms of Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) fill the gap during that awkward period in late spring/early summer, […]
Made in the Shade
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is an attractive native ground cover for shade or part shade. If its heart-shaped leaves look familiar, […]
Up the Ladder
It’s spring ephemeral time at the SBG! and Jacob’s Ladder is currently blooming in the Woodland Garden. This member of […]
(Not-so) Lesser Evil
While working in the demonstration gardens is usually an exercise in pleasant discoveries, we recently came across one plant we’d […]
Spice it Up
At the SBG, spring means spicebush! Lindera benzoin, a member of the Lauraceae family, is currently blooming in all its […]
Trees for Bees
Red maples (Acer rubrum) are beloved by humans for their brilliant fall foliage and attractive, regular growth habit. But their […]
Popular Populus
The fuzzy catkins of aspen are unfurling throughout Tudek Park this week, and can serve as a reminder of the […]
Feed the Birds
A visitor to the SBG at this time of year can expect to be rewarded with the sight and sounds […]
Founding Gardeners
Although the popular myth of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree has been largely debunked, it IS true that […]
Pining for You
With most of our native trees standing stark and bare at this time of year, evergreens like hemlock and pine […]
Making it Official
The monarch butterfly just might be the most recognizable insect in America. At the SBG, we often refer to it […]
New Year, New Leaf?
For many, the New Year offers a time of reflection and a chance to turn over a new leaf, and […]
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
Stealing a kiss under the mistletoe is a well-known Christmas tradition. But mistletoe is not just a holiday decoration–It’s vitally […]
Pollinator Puzzle
When poinsettias appear in the stores, it’s a sure sign that the festive season is upon us. But why are […]
Love Pumpkin? Thank a Squash Bee!
Our native cucurbits, pumpkin and squash, rely on native squash bees for pollination. Ground-nesting, solitary squash bees (two different genera: […]
On a Wing and a Prayer
The distinctive seedpods of milkweeds (Asclepias spp) are produced in late summer. At first a fresh green, they have turned […]
Love Lunas? Leave the Leaves!
The luna moth (Actias luna), with its incredible size (3-4.5-inch wingspan), striking pale green color, and long tails, is arguably […]
Fright or Friend?
Eek! The jagged assassin bug (Phymata spp) might look scary, but there’s no need to fear–unless you’re an insect. This […]
Best Supporting Act
It’s beginning to feel a lot like autumn, and right on cue, the leaves are beginning to don their magnificent […]
Falling for Fall
“Bringing the outside in” is a popular decorating trend, and autumn is a great time for it, offering many interesting […]
Staying Power
A must for any pollinator garden, aromatic aster (Symphotrichum oblongifolium) produces masses of purple flowers in the fall which bloom […]
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
That is the question…which is frequently asked by visitors to the SBG! When we discuss the habits of solitary ground […]
Monarch Migration 2024
First reports are in…and they’re not great. According to the World Wildlife Federation, the eastern migratory monarch population shows a […]
Milkweed Loves Monarchs
That’s right–not only do monarchs need milkweed to survive, but some ecologists believe that milkweeds may rely on monarchs as […]
Milkweed Madness
Monarch butterflies depend on milkweed to survive–but they’re not the only ones! There are two true bugs that are associated […]
King of the Meadow
Growing anywhere from 2 to 10 feet tall, it’s no wonder that another common name for tall meadow rue (Thalictrum […]
Prairie Powerhouse
The bright yellow flowers of prairie coneflower (Ratibida spp) feature heavily drooping petals that flutter in the slightest breeze, grouped […]
Anise? Hyssop?
Neither an anise or a hyssop, this member of the mint family has the characteristic square stems of its tribe. […]
Smell of Success
“Its flowers are very fragrant and when in season, they fill the woods with their sweet exhalations and make it […]
A Honey of a Plant
At the SBG, we’re often asked, “What kind of honeysuckle is OK to plant”? People are increasingly aware that non-native […]
Name That Native!
Blooming now, the broad, flat clusters of elderberry (Sambuca spp) are an attractive nectar source for a wide array of […]
Sweet Native
Many pollinator gardeners have learned that some popular ‘pollinator’ plants are really not that great for the habitat, such as […]
Smooth Move
Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is a wonderful native hydrangea that is the host for the stunning hydrangea sphinx moth (Darapsa […]
Way Down Yonder….
Pawpaw (Asiminia triloba) could once be found growing all over the eastern half of the US, especially favoring the rich […]
Sweet Violet
A North American native, Canada violet (Viola canadensis) delights us in spring with its fragrant white blooms. A good choice […]
Spice it Up
We crave the bright colors of spring after a long, grey winter, and native plants are always happy to oblige! […]
Eggs-citing
The Easter Bunny isn’t the only one who brings colorful eggs! Many butterflies and moths lay beautiful, jewel-like eggs, either […]
Sign of Spring
Pussy willow (Salix discolor) is a welcome sight as one of the earliest signs of spring, and it’s perhaps the […]
Double Duty
At the SBG, amsonia is one of our favorite double-duty native perennials, with its lovely blue spring flowers and brilliant […]
Meet the Beetles
What pollinating insect has over 400,000 known species, making up almost half of all insects and 25% of all animals […]
Feed the Birds
Many gardeners are bird lovers, and even those who aren’t confirmed ‘birders’ enjoy watching our feathered friends in the garden […]
Leaves for Lepidoptera
With the advent of colder temperatures, curbside leaf collection is underway in many parts of the Centre region. But savvy […]
Wild and Woolly
We’ve posted before about that caterpillar that we all see crossing our paths at this time of year–the banded woolly […]
SOS–Save Our Seeds!
It’s hard to believe, but it’s time for many of our favorite pollinator plants to set seed. And now’s the […]
A Regal Pair
“Purple and gold, the heraldic colors of the king and queen of the meadow, a regal procession in complementary colors”. […]
Back-to-School Edition
Since 2010, the SBG has been installing ‘satellite gardens’ at schools throughout the Centre region–more than 20 to date! Master […]
Regular Joe
Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp ) is in full bloom at the SBG, and pollinators are taking full advantage of […]
Parsley Worms?
Gardeners know: Those colorful swallowtails munching away on your dill, fennel or parsley can eat the entire herb down to […]
Suddenly Susans
The cheerful faces of ‘black-eyed Susans’ set gardens and roadsides ablaze at this time of year. The genus name Rudbeckia […]
Wanna-Bees
Bees: these pollinator super-stars are great garden friends who are enjoying increasing popularity among gardeners who realize their value. But […]
A Tale of Two…Monardas
Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a most decorative member of the mint family. The common name ‘bee balm’ refers […]
The Admirable Red Admiral
The gorgeous red admiral butterfly can be found worldwide, including at the SBG! Adults are easily identified by the bright […]
Let’s Hear it for the Boys
It’s easy to joke about how male bees are only good for one thing. But on this Father’s Day, let’s […]
I Need a Drink!
The dry weather we’ve been experiencing recently is a reminder that pollinators need water, too! A fully-stocked pollinator habitat must […]
Mind the Gap
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) is an easy-going native that should be in every pollinator garden. Its blooms fill the gap […]
Hi, Neighbor!
Finding the capped-off tunnels of native cavity-nesting bees is always a thrill for us at the SBG. Whether spotted in […]
Soft Landings
Arbor Day is right around the corner (April 28) and at the SBG, we love to celebrate trees–after all, native […]
Clean Up Your Act
You were a conscientious gardener and waited to begin your spring clean-up until after April 15 (even though it was […]
Keeping Time
At the vernal (spring) equinox, the sun shines directly at the equator, making it one of two times in the […]
Blast from the Past
Over 70% of native bees are ground nesting, with the females digging and provisioning their own individual nests in the […]
Weather Whiplash
Sunny and 70 degrees one day, snow and ice the next; periods of drought followed by torrential rains. Sound familiar? […]
Any questions?
Question mark butterflies (Polygonia interrogationis) can be found throughout the eastern U.S., most often in open woods or woodland edges, […]
Super bee Sunday
Bumble bees (Bombus spp) are superstars of the pollinator world. Their long work day, efficient pollen-transport structures, and ability to […]
Love is in the air
Valentine’s Day may have passed, but love is in the air at the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in […]
Gardening is for the birds
Many gardeners are bird lovers, and even those who aren’t confirmed ‘birders’ enjoy watching our feathered friends in the garden […]
The gall of it
The winter landscape offers a chance to focus on interesting sights that are often hidden by the blooms of spring […]
Vole patrol
As the snow melts, homeowners may begin to notice a network of ‘runways’ wreaking havoc on their lawns and flowerbeds. […]