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Thank you for watching!!

So interesting! It looks like they do need cold moist stratification - I wonder if they’re finicky. I’m curious to see if they manage to self sow. Mine are still blooming, but working on making their little fruits now on the spent blooms. I guess I’ll find out in the next few years!

Lovely indeed! I’m trying to decide where to transplant some to give it a chance to bloom and fruit!

Haha, I hadn’t thought to relate the bird deliveries to their favorite perches, but that makes absolute sense! I’m glad your neighbors serviceberry will live on in her offspring! That doesn’t always happen, so it’s very cool! I spotted a dogwood on the edge of our property that at risk of being mowed by the county - it’s entangled behind a wire fence and has poison ivy on it, but I’m trying to think of a way to safely transplant it!

@@gardenforbirds I would wait until it’s dormant. If you want to take it now before it gets mowed it may survive transplanting best by pruning it back a bit.

Dormant would also mean the surrounding vegetation would drop its leaves, which would be a big help to trying to see what I’m working with!

You could check out Native Habitat Project - they’re on a few social media platforms including CZcams. I believe he has managed to resurrect the seed bank in some portions of his lawn by managing for the non native grasses while the native species are dormant. Not sure this could be done everywhere, but it’s fascinating to watch!

Yes! and Yes!

Oh wow! That’s awesome!! 🙌

That’s awesome! I would love to get out there in the evening to observe! With the kids, evenings are hard to get time - so fun you’re seeing so much life on yours!!

So fun, small world! Curious what color the flowers on yours were! Fleabane is a great one, I’ve transferred that one to a garden bed as well!

@@gardenforbirds my wild ones were also a paler blue whereas my store bought ones were nearly purple. I ended up interplanting them and I’m curious to see if they’ll hybridize in time. I also notice the flowers themselves are tinier on the wild ones than the ones I purchased. Both are small but the wild ones are extra tiny.

Sounds very similar to mine! Very interesting!

I also find it very exciting! Maybe partly because we’re so inundated with invasive species, it’s a joy and a relief when a native plant shows up! I’d say 9/10 weeds in my garden are not from North America, so it can feel a little bleak at times - and wonderful to be able to rehome instead of kill for a change!

I imagine dandelions have saved a lot of little lives - I am grateful they exist, especially early in spring when there’s not much in bloom!

Such a wonderful plant.

I try to grow a lot of native wildflowers and I find that dandelions crowd them out, particularly in the poorly drained areas. They also provide the perfect habitat for non-native slugs who eat my native baby wildflower seedlings. So while I think they are the most marvelous plant in areas where they are native, and that they're better than non-native grass, and I don't move to eradicate them if I have nothing to immediately replace them with -- I don't think they're the best wildflowers because for me I have to expend a lot of effort to control their reproduction. They are out very early, often too early for my pollinators and they reproduce via apomixis which means they don't even need to be pollinated necessarily.

Mine are generally pretty benign except in one set of newly cut beds where they are taking over! It’s interesting to see how they can spread like wildfire in some areas. It’s a part shade garden where I’m struggling with them the most. I bought one of those pullers, which isn’t perfect but at least spares the back a bit! I’m discovering that mulch really struggles to suppress weeds in some areas of my garden. Starting to seek out different native groundcover options in hopes they can do better!

Thank you so much!! And thank you for watching!

I’m constantly road side scanning too 😅 if it’s a safe location to pull over it can lead to some fun discoveries! I often don’t have a safe place to pull my car over, which can be very frustrating! Stay safe out there!

Haha, some battles are worth fighting 😄 I’m guessing you’re dealing with the invasive species, but I was curious to see if there were any North American native morning glories. It looks like there are a few species in the south west, in case you’re in that area! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolvulus_equitans en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolvulus_simulans

@@gardenforbirds yes, we have the invasive kind and are in the northwest. Thanks for the research tho!

Figures! 😅 I figure it’s always worth a check, and at least I always learn something!

Couldn’t agree more, it’s so great to spend even just a few minutes in the garden! (And thank you!)

Thank you for watching! Yes! Gardening is the best!! 😄

It’s heart breaking to watch. I wish it was easier for things to change, but it gives me some comfort to at least do my best in my own garden.

Yay, that’s awesome!! 🙌 I had been meaning to order some, so was excited to discover them! I’ve dug up some of the ones from my lawn to plant in a bed!

Love that! 💓 I was unreasonably excited when this one showed up - my family is very tired now of hearing about my weeds 😂

we have always joked the lawn is the "wild flower garden" instead of weed-infested wasteland

@@mrstacyj9496 Yes!

Haha, we have similar mishaps over here 😅 I really love our mountain mint, it’s a great plant!!

@@gardenforbirds ive seen it planted in my local parks and its amazing how much life they can bring to an area hopefully it cannot grow in a partially shaded area

I am, thank you! 😅 So lovely! It sounds like you’re spending a lot of time out observing - that’s one of my very favorite things to do! It’s great fun to notice what all the little creatures are doing out there, and to see how they’re using the garden!

North America got on fine without daylilies for millennia! Erosion problems are generally caused by human development and degradation, and we certainly don’t have to choose between erosion control and habitat stewardship.

@@gardenforbirds so do you expect us to stop "human development?" We are a part of the ecosystem too. We are not aliens from outer space.

@@willdwyer6782 Not at all! My hope is that we observe the impact we have, take the feedback nature is giving us, and course-correct to do better. In modern culture we treat humans as separate from nature, and it’s not healthy for us or any other species. I think gardeners have a unique opportunity to bridge that gap - to start learning more about the plants, insects and animals from the places where we live, and to seek out more diversity of plant species than what garden centers currently offer. Daylilys are not struggling, but many other plant species are - as well as the insects and animals that rely on them.

Thank you so much!

Yay! Awesome!! 🙌

Haha, I’ll bet! 😅 I’ve not seen it in person but am definitely aspiring to have more dragonflies hanging about!

Hello! Actually the first update didn’t quite go as planned 😅-> czcams.com/video/Gi6cli1PjQg/video.htmlsi=g_42u_LLbPszBaBi But everything is coming alive this spring, so I’m planning on doing a more satisfying update very soon! Thank you for the interest!!

I’m glad at least Spring and Winter Amanda share the same goals 😂 I thought so too - I love shade gardens for all their green, and now I know why!

Absolutely! Fothergilla is a beauty!

Sadly I fear they may not even really know the impact. I don't know much about the training required to be licensed in use of these kinds of chemicals, but I'd be surprised if it included much on environmental impact. I remember seeing somewhere (maybe a podcast, I'll try to dig it up!) that the amount of the mosquito spray that actually goes toward killing mosquitos is so low that it's also just not an economically efficient means of control. I've been meaning to find that source and share the info from it, as they offered several more effective alternatives!

Yes, the standards (if not kept after) can definitely get a bit unruly! I've not worked with the dwarf varieties, but would definitely check if butterfly bush is invasive in your region. It is invasive in my region in the midatlantic: mgnv.org/plants/invasive-plants/butterfly-bush/ Fortunately, there's no shortage of gorgeous natives to swap in for butterfly bush! Thank you for the comment!

Thank you so much, that's extremely kind! Haha, I knew there had to be others like me out there! 😅 Thank you so much for watching!

Thank you so much! Yes, I agree - planting natives has brought me so much more pollinator and bird activity...and just plain joy! 😊💕

Yes, fortunately most of the hybrid varieties don’t seem to invade so far. I’d still prefer to spend my money on some native milkweed, though! 💜

Awesome! Yes, that can be one of the hardest parts of gardening in my experience! Inside my fenced area we only deal with smaller mammals, which so far haven’t been enough to kill any plants. Deer are a whole other story! 😣

Yeah, I do tend to cover material fast - been working on slowing down a bit 😅😬 Thank you for watching!

Haha, I’m not fooling anyone over here 😂 Every spring at least once my husband opens the fridge and says “what’s this box in here?” 👀😅 not to mention all the bags of seeds, the jig is definitely up!

You’re not alone! 😅

Haha, there’s no shame!! 😅

@@gardenforbirds I actually look at it as a health sign - the body speaks truth cause it knows what we need!

Totally!

Thanks so much!

@@gardenforbirds I haven't seen where you are located, I'm in north central IL. I've been planting lots of shrubs and other plants to help birds and insects.

@@gardenforbirds czcams.com/video/aJWF62R8gos/video.htmlfeature=shared

I’m in Maryland! Awesome, always excited to hear others are planting for habitat!! 🙌

Wow, it sounds like you’ve got some amazing plant choices already started! I definitely need to get my seeds out of the fridge, I’m hopelessly behind on that this year! I have felt the same, I’ve found there to be so much depth and meaning in a garden that seeks to provide for all the creatures (including us!) - it’s like a chance to see how everything is connected, really incredible and beautiful to get to witness!

Yes! And it could double as a plant swap! 😂💓

@@gardenforbirds Great idea! Always combine the pleasant with the useful. 🥦⛑

Thank you!

Haha, had some fun with the editing software 😅 Thank you much!

I think a native nursery might be more likely to sell plugs, if you can find one! Ordering online has worked pretty well for me so far, and I’ve received healthy plants that generally have done very well. (I’ve ordered from Prairie Moon Nursery quite a few times, and Prairie Nursery once or twice as well.) I do like the smaller size, as you say,!

Thank you so much! Welcome aboard!

Thank you so much, that truly means a lot!! Really appreciate all the kind words and support! 💓

I know what you mean, I often have the same feeling - but don’t panic! 😃 If you have weeds in your lawn the bees will definitely forage there! Red maples are also very early bloomers, in case you have any of them! (We don’t yet but am planning on it) Glad your cousin was game to help with some lawn excavation - that’s sometimes the hardest part! I often feel the urgency, but try to remind myself that slow and steady wins the race - I think that’s definitely true in gardening!

@@gardenforbirds I do have plenty of maples around me and they are indeed blooming. I noticed that my strawberries are blooming already also. I have all the beds nicely groomed and ready for plants. Now its me that is ahead of schedule! You are right, gardening isn't about rushing. Slow and steady. Thanks for the reminder.

Sounds like you’re ahead of the game! 🙌