When we think about fall color, we usually think first of trees or shrubs that have foliage that change colors, like red maples or burning bush. Perhaps flowering perennials like Goldenrod or Asters come to mind. They should as they are among the best for late season interest (and pollinator benefit). Here are 3 native perennials for fall interest you may not be aware of and yes I am including a Goldenrod and Aster, but lets start with one that's not. … [Read more...]
About Jim
Anderson Natural Landscapes
It's a new month and time for a new adventure. This month I officially start Anderson Natural Landscapes to offer Naturalistic Landscape design, plant installation and landscape gardening services in the McHenry, Crystal Lake, Woodstock and the surrounding areas. … [Read more...]
How will you celebrate Earth Day?
Today is the 48th Earthday, so how will you celebrate? You might think about taking a walk in a nature preserve or maybe taking a kayak ride. While those are great things to do (I hope to get to them both), perhaps you could do something a little more meaningful and longer term. How about making a commitment to take care of that portion of the earth you are responsible for in a more responsible way? … [Read more...]
Seven things landscapers do that tick me off
Whenever I hear the phrase the "Green Industry" when people are referring to Nurseries and Landscapers, I cringe. Here are just a few of the reasons. … [Read more...]
Backyard with a Prairie and a Pond Part 2
Last post, I started a backyard landscape design with a Prairie and a Pond. Today, we finish it by adding shrubs, perennials and accessories. … [Read more...]
Ecological Landscape Design with a Prairie and a Pond Part 1
Today, we start a backyard Ecological Landscape Design with a theme, a prairie and pond. This should be fun, as we are going to put together a design with a strong form and a lot of plants. This design would provide a ton of ecological value compared to the existing lawn that is currently at this site. Not only will the backyard have a small prairie, but we will retain a large portion of lawn as this family has kids and wants a large play area. … [Read more...]
My names not Annabelle! It’s Haas Halo Hydrangea!
It has been a while since I wrote about a plant, the last one was the North Star Sour Cherry. That was a plant I had at my previous house and was quite familiar with. It is also a pretty old cultivar, certainly not the latest and greatest. Today, I want to talk to you about a new cultivar of an old friend, the Haas Halo hydrangea. Most people know the Illinois native Smooth Hydrangea because of the softball sized mophead white flowers of it's most widely planted cultivar, the Annabelle … [Read more...]
Pondless Waterfall Renovation
When I purchased my house in McHenry, IL a couple of years ago, it came with a pondless waterfall in the front yard. Most people, especially passers by walking their dogs, seemed to like it. But to me it looked like water spewing volcano! Time for a Pondless Waterfall Renovation. It looked less like a natural feature and more like a glorified fountain. You see water in nature flow in the valleys, not from the high points. Here is what is looked liked all decked out with red geranium pots … [Read more...]
Keeping Deer Ticks out of your Landscape
Why would I want to make a post about Keeping Deer Ticks out of your Landscape? Besides the near epidemic of Lyme disease in parts of the country spread exclusively by deer ticks, there are also other really nasty diseases that can be spread by ticks like Powassan virus that are even scarier. Plus this year is expected to be a really bad year for ticks. … [Read more...]
A (mostly) Native Perennial Plug Planting Twelve Months Later
Last year, I posted about a new perennial plug planting I did in June of 2016. In that post, Planting Plugs is a Cheap and Easy Way to Plant a Landscape, I showed how a 300 sq ft perennial bed could be prepared and planted using less work and money. … [Read more...]