Dividing Perennials
A perennial border is evolution on fast-forward, a watercolor in the rain, changing weekly as various species segue in and out of bloom – and yearly as its constituents dominate or yield, flourish or...
View ArticleThe New Kansas
Compared to the average human lifespan, Kansas is old. 160 years old to be exact. But before it was a state, it was just one unbounded part of a vast Great Plains grassland landscape. It was home to...
View ArticleDefining Common Horticultural Terms, Part 2
We encounter many enthusiastic new gardeners at FloraKansas who have heard about the importance of planting native plants, but don’t yet have the knowledge base needed to establish a successful...
View ArticleThe first year: Getting native plants established
Originally published on May 27, 2020 The prairie communities we see are diverse and complex. Plants, intricately woven together, crowd out weeds and harmoniously coexist. When you look at a prairie,...
View ArticleWords of Encouragement in a Drought
We have all seen wonderful pictures of lush plants and fertile prairies in magazines, on television, on social media or other websites. These plants seem to be growing effortlessly. They have...
View ArticleNew Native Plants for Florakansas
“New native plants” is a misnomer we use a lot throughout our blogs and newsletters. In fact, they have been here for eons! But we get pretty excited around here when we can add a lesser-known native...
View ArticleMarch Gardening Checklist
While March can still be cold in Kansas and we can get some significant snow and ice, there are still opportunities to spend time in your garden. Here is a March gardening checklist that will prepare...
View ArticleEchinacea Hybrids
I read an interesting article about Echinacea (coneflowers) the other day. It highlighted the highs and lows of the newfangled coneflower cultivars over the last decade or so. You know – the ones in...
View ArticleThe Importance of Diversifying Landscapes
When you look at a virgin prairie (one that has never been tilled), you quickly discover a tremendous diversity of plants. Each square foot has many different species vying for sunlight, moisture, and...
View ArticleBelieving in Plants
With every new year comes a renewed sense of optimism about a whole host of things like fitness and health, relationships with loved ones and friends, your occupation, and maybe your garden. In the...
View Article