Newsletters

By Kate Cholakis and Eliza Pennypacker

Rain gardens, a type of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), can provide habitat while reducing the amount of polluted stormwater runoff leaving a property. Why might a rain garden in the front yard be problematic? Acknowledging key differences between rain gardens and the residential “landscape norm” is key to changing perceptions.

By Laura J. Martin

Native wildflower gardening is more popular than ever. But a century ago, this was not the case. Wildflowers persist in the numbers they do today because of the activism and research of a group of women ecologists who in 1901 defied gender norms and founded the discipline of ecological restoration. 

By Leslie Duthie

This gardener decided to kill part of her lawn two years ago when we were encouraged to stay home due to the pandemic. Now in its third spring, follow the journey from surprises to successes to lessons learned. The barren lawn has been replaced with a shade and sun meadow with straightforward, easy steps that even a novice garden can copy. 

By Uli Lorimer

Do you want a garden that makes a real difference? Choose plants native to our Northeast region. The rewards will benefit you, your yard, and the environment—from reducing maintenance tasks to attracting earth-friendly pollinators such as native birds, butterflies, and bees. We must envision a future in which wild creatures of all shapes and sizes are afforded space in our built environment.

I have deer that visit my property and need to use various deer repellents on my native plants. Does this repel the native insects that would like to chew on the leaves of these native plants?

Building a Native Habit on a Retaining Wall

I have a 35-year-old retaining wall running the length of my driveway behind my house. I would like to get rid of the ferns and plant something to attract birds/bees/etc. How can I do this without digging up and disturbing the soil sitting above the retaining wall? 

Which species of native trees and shrubs are best to plant next to one another to take advantage and have them benefit the most from the sharing of their roots…

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Written by: ELA Newsletter Editor-in-chief, Leslie Duthie The Ecological Landscape Alliance is growing, just like the field of ecological landscaping. Last month we introduced you to…

In July 2022 we welcomed new support staff! 

Read more about it here.

Learn about upcoming programs and find out what’s happening within the organization:

• Message from the Board of Directors
• Farewell with a Note of Appreciation

Share Your Expertise! As ELA begins scheduling fall and winter virtual conferences, we’re reaching out to our community for speakers. Our members have thousands of years of combined experience designing,…

Volunteer with ELA Want to share your talents and expertise as an ELA volunteer? Our member-driven organization is always looking for your expertise, guidance, and help. We are looking for…

Migratory Monarch Butterfly Now Endangered- IUCN Red List-Press Release – IUCN A report published in late July shows that the migratory monarch butterfly – Danaus plexippus plexippus – has been…

Enabling ecological change amid climate change is key to preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, says study As the need to address climate change becomes increasingly urgent, so too does the…

We’ve scanned the media – in print and online – for items of interest to ELA’s ecologically focused audience:

• Living Tree Bridges
• The Dark Side of Light Pollution
• Best Mulching Practices
• How to Manage Weeds on Your Farm
• Efforts to Save North America’s Most Endangered Bird Species Are Succeeding
• A Difficult Site Becomes a Lovely Garden
• Amazon vs. Rusty Patch Bumblebee
• USDA Kills Thousands of Native Species
• Piet Oudolf Designs New Garden
• Olmstead’s 200th Birthday
• Iconic Wildflower in Peril
• Invasive Toxic Hammerhead Worm Found in Rhode Island
• Native Garden Tours MetroWest Boston

We’ve scanned the media – in print and online – for items of interest to ELA’s ecologically focused audience:

• Saving the World’s Threatened Trees
• Skills for Bees in Scotland’s Cairngorms
• Birds inspire Art, Awe, and Action
• Noticing What’s Going On
• Navigating Nurseries this Spring
• For Gen Z, Climate Change Is a Heavy Emotional Burden
• No Mow May
• Superbloom in Tower of London
• Support Spring Pollinators: Think Big
• Improvements Still Needed in Lawn Care
• Bringing Controlled Burns
• Developer Buys 10,000 Suns Property
• Are Nature-Based Solutions on Climate Being Overlooked?
• Shop Your Garden First
• Organic Farming Podcast

We’ve scanned the media – in print and online – for items of interest to ELA’s ecologically focused audience:

• Spotted Lanternfly and Nursery Stock
• Become a Xerces Kid!
• How to Tell Apart Sound-Alike Warblers
• Deadliest U.S. Bird Flu Outbreak in 7 years
• Does the ecosystem Hinge on a Single Keystone Gene
• Now for Something Completely Different
• Leave Stems for Native Bees
• Why Gravel Gardens Are Better Than They Sound
• Tree Equity
• Plants in the UK Flower a Month Earlier Due to Rising Temperatures
• Hush, Hus, Listen to the Soil
• Growing Greener Podcast