I am in search of some barley straw bales to inhibit algae growth in a pond. I have searched high and low but cannot seem to find a seller. Might…
Mystery Plant Identification
Plant Identification Challenge Solved Thank you to the many readers who responded to the June Plant Identification Challenge. Glenn White, New Jersey, was the only entry to correctly identify Ixeris stolonifera,…
Can Permaculture Go (More) Native?
by Dan Jaffe Permaculture is on the rise. Like small-scale, local farming in general, permaculture is fueled by increasing reports of damage caused by industrial-scale agriculture – pollution of land…
Native Plants for Ecology and Horticulture
by Peggy Olwell The United States has a rich native flora of over 18,000 native plant species. Plants color our distinctive and inspirational landscapes and provide a multitude of ecological…
In the Shade: Gardening with Native Plants from the Woodland Understory
article by Heather McCargo photos by Heather McCargo and Lisa Looke Reprinted with permission from The Wild Seed Project. There are many beautiful and resilient plants from the woodland understory…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Heirloom Apples
We are located in the South Shore area of Massachusetts and are looking for some heirloom apple trees. Do you know of a good source in our area?
Namcook: A Breezy, Coastal, Summer “Cottage”
by Shawn Mayers While the property at Namcook is more than 10 acres in total, the landscaped area for the home (which groundSwell Designs was asked to focus on) is…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Using Wood Chips as Mulch
I had a pile of wood chips delivered to me at the end of last summer and want to use it as mulch in my flower and shrub garden this…
Ground Rules: Soil Health in the Urban Landscape
by Chuck Sherzi, Jr. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Nature never hurries….” The same, I might add, holds true for the soil. Since I can remember, I have always been…
Mulch Composition and Potential Benefits
by David Ropes What more can be said about the benefits of mulch in the developed landscape? In her wonderful 2007 article “Impacts of Mulches on Landscape Plants and the…
Practical Applications of Biochar in the Landscape
by Dr. Hugh McLaughlin and Keegan Pyle There’s a lot of buzz about biochar these days. And for good reason. Incorporating quality biochar into soil increases the abundance of soil…
Book Review: Understanding Roots
Written by Robert Kourik Published by Metamorphic Press, August 2015 Reviewed by: M.L. Altobelli The books of Robert Kourik should be in every land manager’s library. Understanding Roots is his…