One leaf at time
Lowland rice, a staple food for billions, thrives in flooded fields! This amazing plant is more than just dinner; it provides habitat for diverse creatures. What’s special? Its roots can breathe underwater! Growing rice paddies also help control water flow, reducing erosion. Next time you enjoy rice, remember this fascinating and vital plant. Lowland rice … Read more
The beech tree, a woodland beauty, offers more than just stunning autumn colors! Its smooth, gray bark and plentiful nuts provide food and shelter for wildlife, making it ecologically vital. We use beech wood for furniture and firewood. Interestingly, beech trees can also communicate through their roots, sharing resources and warnings with their neighbors! Beech … Read more
The charming Forget-me-not, with its sky-blue petals and sunny yellow center, is more than just a pretty face! Often gifted as a symbol of remembrance and love, this tiny wildflower attracts vital pollinators. Its delicate blooms provide early nectar for bees and other insects, while helping to stabilize soil in damp areas. Legend says it … Read more
Meet common fireweed, a vibrant plant known for its stunning pink blooms that paint landscapes after fires. More than just pretty, its leaves are used for teas and salves. As a colonizer of disturbed areas, it helps restore ecosystems and provides food for wildlife. Its ability to quickly establish itself makes it a crucial and … Read more
Meet the Common Juniper! This hardy evergreen shrub is a familiar sight across many landscapes. Its berries flavor gin and add zest to culinary dishes. Ecologically, it provides shelter and food for wildlife. Uniquely, junipers can be male or female, with only the females producing those recognizable, flavorful berries. This versatile plant is a gift … Read more
Red fescue, a grass you’ve likely seen in lawns and meadows, is a real workhorse! It’s commonly used in turf mixes for its fine texture and hardiness. Ecologically, it stabilizes soil and provides habitat for wildlife. Uniquely, it can tolerate shade and poor soils, making it a champion in tough spots where other grasses struggle. … Read more
Ivy, that familiar leafy climber, is more than just a pretty face! It adds a touch of wild charm to walls and gardens, offering shelter to birds and insects. While it can be a decorative plant, helping to regulate the temperature in buildings, it’s also important to note that ivy can be poisonous if ingested, … Read more
Meet Crampbark! This helpful shrub, easily spotted with its vibrant red berries, is a traditional remedy for, you guessed it, muscle cramps! But it’s more than just a natural pain reliever; Crampbark provides food and shelter for wildlife. Its unique, three-lobed leaves add a splash of color to woodlands, making it a beneficial and beautiful … Read more
Meet the Alpine strawberry, a tiny but mighty plant! Unlike its supermarket cousins, these woodland gems offer intense flavor in petite packages. Perfect for jams, desserts, or snacking straight from the garden, they’re a favorite of both humans and wildlife. They also help stabilize soil and provide food for pollinators, making them garden heroes. Plus, … Read more
Meet Garlic Mustard! This plant smells like garlic and mustard, hence its name. While tasty in salads and pesto, it’s also an invasive species that threatens native wildflowers in woodlands. Despite its culinary uses, Garlic Mustard’s rapid spread crowds out other plants, disrupting the delicate balance of forest ecosystems. A double-edged herb, isn’t it? Garlic … Read more