Comments on: The Call of the Prairie http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:10:55 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrea Kramer http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797&cpage=1#comment-7898 Andrea Kramer Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:33:54 +0000 http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797#comment-7898 Thanks everyone for your comments and support! It is so exciting to have spring finally returning to Chicago, and my prairie plants are starting to show signs of life! I just finished reading a great book about gardening with native plants to sustain wildlife; if you haven't read it yet and are interested in this subject it is definitely worth seeking out. The book is called Bringing Nature Home, and was written by Douglas Tallamy. Happy reading! Thanks everyone for your comments and support! It is so exciting to have spring finally returning to Chicago, and my prairie plants are starting to show signs of life!

I just finished reading a great book about gardening with native plants to sustain wildlife; if you haven’t read it yet and are interested in this subject it is definitely worth seeking out. The book is called Bringing Nature Home, and was written by Douglas Tallamy. Happy reading!

]]> By: Owen http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797&cpage=1#comment-7890 Owen Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:24:35 +0000 http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797#comment-7890 Hey Andrea! I think what your doing is great! Keep up the good work! I live in London, and would love to have a proper prairie like you have in my garden, and encourage Humming Birds into the garden! Sadly we don't get these beautiful birds over here in the UK! We get foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs and bats- but no Hummingbirds! I have a mini meadow with Echinacea and Rudbeckias and some Stipa grasses- more ornamental than anything else! (And I mean its mini! Only 1m by 1m!) I also planted up a butterfly and bee border this year- and look forward to see what species I can encourage into the garden! Let us know how the year goes for your prairie! Owen Hey Andrea!

I think what your doing is great! Keep up the good work!

I live in London, and would love to have a proper prairie like you have in my garden, and encourage Humming Birds into the garden! Sadly we don’t get these beautiful birds over here in the UK! We get foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs and bats- but no Hummingbirds!

I have a mini meadow with Echinacea and Rudbeckias and some Stipa grasses- more ornamental than anything else! (And I mean its mini! Only 1m by 1m!)

I also planted up a butterfly and bee border this year- and look forward to see what species I can encourage into the garden!

Let us know how the year goes for your prairie!

Owen

]]> By: Andrea Kramer http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797&cpage=1#comment-7859 Andrea Kramer Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:36:26 +0000 http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797#comment-7859 Hi Lisa, Thanks for your message; your question is a great one. Depending on where you live, it is not always easy to find and purchase prairie plants from local suppliers. The good news is that it seems to be getting easier to find them every year. And if your local nursery doesn’t provide native plants, you should let them know what they are missing out on! Your local botanic garden should be able to help you find nearby suppliers, and in some cases will even sell native plants. For example, the Chicago Botanic Garden has a plant sale next month, and a number of prairie wildflowers and grasses will be available (check out http://www.chicagobotanic.org/bloomin/index.php for more information). The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also has a fantastic online tool that allows you to search for garden centers and nurseries that sell native plants near your home (available at: http://www.wildflower.org/suppliers/). My prairie plants came from suppliers around the Chicago region listed on this website, and from the yards of friends whose garden prairie plants are producing seeds and seedlings with nowhere to grow. Last year was the first year I was able to repay this favor, as my butterfly milkweed produced a number of seedlings that I potted up and shared with family and friends in the area! Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your message; your question is a great one. Depending on where you live, it is not always easy to find and purchase prairie plants from local suppliers. The good news is that it seems to be getting easier to find them every year. And if your local nursery doesn’t provide native plants, you should let them know what they are missing out on!

Your local botanic garden should be able to help you find nearby suppliers, and in some cases will even sell native plants. For example, the Chicago Botanic Garden has a plant sale next month, and a number of prairie wildflowers and grasses will be available (check out http://www.chicagobotanic.org/bloomin/index.php for more information).

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also has a fantastic online tool that allows you to search for garden centers and nurseries that sell native plants near your home (available at: http://www.wildflower.org/suppliers/). My prairie plants came from suppliers around the Chicago region listed on this website, and from the yards of friends whose garden prairie plants are producing seeds and seedlings with nowhere to grow. Last year was the first year I was able to repay this favor, as my butterfly milkweed produced a number of seedlings that I potted up and shared with family and friends in the area!

]]> By: Mr. McGregor's Daughter http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797&cpage=1#comment-7858 Mr. McGregor's Daughter Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:41:06 +0000 http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797#comment-7858 I love Sumacs too (all of them except Poison Sumac) but I'm too afraid to plant them in my garden because of their expansionist tendencies. It seems that they would be best in a large garden where they can thicket at will. Of course if I had any guts at all, I'd yank out the stupid Burning Bush that came with the property & stuff in a Staghorn Sumac there. I love Sumacs too (all of them except Poison Sumac) but I’m too afraid to plant them in my garden because of their expansionist tendencies. It seems that they would be best in a large garden where they can thicket at will. Of course if I had any guts at all, I’d yank out the stupid Burning Bush that came with the property & stuff in a Staghorn Sumac there.

]]> By: Diane McCarthy http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797&cpage=1#comment-7830 Diane McCarthy Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:50:43 +0000 http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797#comment-7830 Hi, Andrea! Fancy finding you here! :) I think your prairie looks lovely and gives me hope that mine will do as well. I am so envious that you've had monarch eggs and caterpillars! I get the adults but then they go somewhere else to lay their eggs (probably your yard!). I hope you find a place for your sumac. It is definitely a tree with a lot of character. Hi, Andrea! Fancy finding you here! :)
I think your prairie looks lovely and gives me hope that mine will do as well. I am so envious that you’ve had monarch eggs and caterpillars! I get the adults but then they go somewhere else to lay their eggs (probably your yard!).

I hope you find a place for your sumac. It is definitely a tree with a lot of character.

]]> By: Lisa at Greenbow http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797&cpage=1#comment-7827 Lisa at Greenbow Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:16:37 +0000 http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=4797#comment-7827 Hi Andrea, I am excited to see your post. I love prairie plants and I try to incorporate "wildflowers" into my garden. I hope that you write more about your journey of turning your garden into a prairie setting. It would be nice to hear where you purchase your plants. Hi Andrea, I am excited to see your post. I love prairie plants and I try to incorporate “wildflowers” into my garden. I hope that you write more about your journey of turning your garden into a prairie setting. It would be nice to hear where you purchase your plants.

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