Archives

• Gardening with Native Plants: Rain Gardens in Drought September 1, 2021

  In September, the garden usually experiences cooler high and low daily temperatures and decreasing rainfall compared to the summer months. Plant growth slows and some… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Silphiums in Bloom July 1, 2021

  July is the peak of summer, reaching the highest average temperatures of the year toward the end of the month. Plants in the prairie, savanna,… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Summer Begins June 9, 2021

  Long day length, warm spring temperatures, and the first day of summer are among the highlights of gardening in June. This month brings exuberant plant… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Spring Changes May 3, 2021

  April’s promise becomes rapid growth and change in our landscapes in May. Bird and monarch migration, tree canopy leaf out, insect larvae hatching and feeding,… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Spring Plants and Pollinators March 30, 2021

  Even if winter lingers in March, April leads to true spring: longer and warmer days, adequate rainfall, and changing colors as tree buds swell and… Read more

• What's in Bloom? March 30, 2021

  This is a selective list of popular blooming horticultural plants in Longenecker Horticultural Gardens (LHG) and native plants in the Wisconsin Native Plant Garden (WNPG)… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Trees and Shrubs March 1, 2021

  Despite the possibility of snow or ice storms this month, gardeners anticipate March. We note longer days, increasing sun angles, the equinox, shrinking snowpack, and… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Garden Winter January 28, 2021

  February’s cold and snows limit garden work but allow for interesting winter observations and garden planning. Animal activity is legible in the snow, rewritten after… Read more

• Winter Interest in the Horticultural Collection January 6, 2021

  Fall Color in Evergreen Conifers Some needle-bearing trees are deciduous – such as larch and bald cypress, which display impressive fall color – but most… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Winter Reading December 1, 2020

  December brings short days, low sun angles, early winter ice, and snow—and few gardening tasks. We are preparing for snow removal, trimming along paths, harvesting… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Winterizing the Garden September 29, 2020

  October may bring cool or warm days, sun or clouds, and our first frost of the season. The last few flowers on New England asters… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Container Gardening September 1, 2020

  September brings the first official day of fall and noticeably shorter days for gardening. Our native plant garden tasks include trimming tall plants along paths,… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: New Tools and Inspiration July 30, 2020

  August marks a turning point in the growing season. Summer warmth and ample rains usually continue this month, along with a few days of refreshing… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Summer Sunflowers July 1, 2020

  July is our warmest month of the year, with still-long days and usually ample rain. Summer blooming plants reach full height and come into flower,… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Early Summer Gardening June 1, 2020

  The June calendar includes the end of spring and beginning of summer. This month, the fully developed tree canopy creates deep shade in the maple… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: The View from Home April 30, 2020

  Spring has arrived in the Arboretum native plant garden, with spring ephemerals blooming, bluebirds and tree swallows exploring nest boxes, and tree and shrub buds… Read more

• Native Plant Sale: Dormant in 2020, Will Return in 2021 March 20, 2020

  For 30 years, the Native Plant Sale held at the UW–Madison Arboretum has provided local gardeners with a reliable source for native plants. Since 1990,… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Plant Mixes for Your Garden January 30, 2020

  February can bring snow, ice, sleet, and wind, interspersed with sun, melting snowbanks, dripping, and a promise of spring to come. Garden tasks include pruning,… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Plans and Plant Orders January 2, 2020

  January is usually a month of deep winter in our gardens and landscapes. But this year, what will follow an unseasonably warm and snowless end… Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Winter Gardens November 30, 2019

  December brings short days, cold wind, snow and mixed wintry precipitation, and the first day of winter. It is one of the quietest months in… Read more