Monarchs have begun their long journey to Mexico after spending the summer on the East Coast. With luck, a new generation will return next summer. What better way to prepare to welcome them back than to plan a garden of milkweed and other flowers?

Monarchs’ numbers have been dramatically declining. The causes are complex and not fully understood. Scientists, conservation groups and individuals have been working to save them. Gardeners can help too by providing them with nectar and host plants.

Milkweed

Continue reading Prepare for the Monarchs’ Return →

Monarch butterflies were released into the wild by children at a free workshop at the Eldersburg Library recently. It was the culmination of a series about native butterflies that was open to the public. It began in May and ended in September.

The butterflies, as well as a dozen or so chrysalises, were visible in delicate breeding cages during the final workshop. The Monarchs had been bred in University of Maryland (UMD) Extension Carroll County Master Gardeners’ (MG) homes during the summer in preparation for their release. Continue reading Monarchs Take Flight →

As summer blooms fade, it’s tempting to tidy up.

Resist!

Cutting off flower heads is like emptying the pantry before Thanksgiving. Birds depend on seeds and berries to survive the fall and winter.

Grasses provide birds with food as well as cover from blustery winds. The leaves in your garden have been converted into winter homes for many insects including butterflies in various developmental stages.

Continue reading Serve Your Birds a Feast of Native Plant Seeds →