Archives

• Gardening with Native Plants: Worts and Weeds, pt. 1 June 28, 2018

  In July, the native plant garden shifts into summer. Plants reach full height, more species come into bloom, insects call, and fledging songbirds make short … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: The Bumble Bee Flight Season Begins May 1, 2018

  Memory of this year’s late slow spring may dim this month as warmer temperatures and new growth move across the landscape. Garden areas with prescribed … Read more

• What's in Bloom? April 11, 2018

  This is a selective list of popular blooming plants in the Wisconsin Native Plant Garden (NPG), Longenecker Horticultural Gardens (LHG), and woodlands, prairies, savannas, and wetlands. Estimated … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Woodland Plants for Shaded Gardens April 2, 2018

  April in Wisconsin brings anticipation for spring and daily changes in plant emergence and bloom. In the prairie gardens, favorites like pasqueflower (Anemone patens) and … Read more

• Garden Tours: Community Enjoyment and Learning April 2, 2018

  Spring blooming trees and shrubs, native summer wildflowers, and towering fall prairie grasses are only some of the delights to be found in the Arboretum’s … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Short Native Grasses and Forbs for Small Gardens February 28, 2018

  Our 4-acre Wisconsin Native Plant Garden includes a range of gardens inspired by plant communities found in nature, from sand prairie to maple-basswood forest. These … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Planning Spring Plantings January 31, 2018

  Even with only 28 days, somehow February can stretch from the depths of winter to very early signs of spring. In this month of contrasts, … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Shrubs for the New Year January 3, 2018

  A typical January begins with cold temperatures, biting wind, and still-short days—and only the distant promise of a new gardening season. In the garden, there … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Gardener’s Bookshelf November 29, 2017

  December is the year’s darkest month, when Wisconsin gardens and landscapes might receive their first substantial snow. Deep snow insulates the soil, delaying freezing. Lighter … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Keep Your Leaves October 31, 2017

  November completes the fall transition begun in October. Still-warm days become dark evenings with consistent frost. The month brings the average first date for “cat-tracking” … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants:  Space for Thistles September 29, 2017

  October is a transition month in the garden, with median first frost date mid-month, plants dying back, seeds dispersing, birds flocking and feeding on fruits … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Fall Practices and Perspective August 30, 2017

  The summer-to-fall garden transition proceeds in September, while garden tasks continue: planting, weeding, and collecting or ordering seeds. This month is also a good time … Read more

• UW–Madison Arboretum Hosts Native Gardening Conference August 25, 2017

  Promoting Sustainable Gardening Practices and the Use of Native Plants in Home Landscapes The Arboretum will host its annual Native Gardening Conference, “Native by Design: … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Savanna Highlights July 28, 2017

  Mid-summer heat or hint of fall? Droughty weeks or monsoon-like rains? During August in Wisconsin, all are possible. Seasonal gardening tasks include harvesting seeds from … Read more

• Bee Alert: Bumble Bees Are Struggling, but Still Alive in the UW Arboretum July 6, 2017

  “We’ve heard a lot about how habitat loss and pesticide use is affecting honey bee and monarch butterfly populations, but wild bee populations are feeling … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Legumes in Summer Gardens June 29, 2017

  In July, many members of the pea or bean family (Fabaceae) bloom or are in fruit in our prairie and savanna gardens. Some species are welcome, … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Supporting Monarch Populations May 31, 2017

  This month’s long days bring the transition from spring into summer. Our native plant garden activities include planting, weeding, edging, mulching, and mowing. We are … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Keeping Up with Spring May 1, 2017

  In May spring gardening is at its peak, with consistently warming temperatures, long day lengths, high sun angle, workable soils, and vigorous new growth. In … Read more

• Gardening with Native Plants: Patterns of Spring Growth March 31, 2017

  In April our gardens come to life. As mud, rain showers, thawing, and drying permit, it’s time for trimming, planting, spring monitoring, and weeding. Plant … Read more

• How to Protect Our Disappearing Bumble Bees March 24, 2017

  “On March 21, the rusty-patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis, officially became the first bumble bee listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act. This designation recognizes … Read more