Author: Stephi

Hummingbirds and Monarchs

While I've planted a lot of flowers and plants that attract pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies at home, my WI garden is much more natural, but equally full of attractive plants. This wild columbine at the woods' edge is a natural attractant, while other native and cultivated flowering plants can be found in the garden. … Continue reading Hummingbirds and Monarchs

Welcoming Pollinators to the Garden

Every year I wonder if any pollinator friends will visit my gardens.  I usually can count on the bees arriving early, but how about butterflies, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths? I've tried to plant mostly pollinator friendly flowers and over the years I've seen a steady improvement in the number of pollinators in my yard.  Bee … Continue reading Welcoming Pollinators to the Garden

Harvesting Garlic Scapes

Last year I ventured into the world of growing garlic for the first time (Planting Garlic and Warding Off the Vampires).  It was great having homegrown garlic all winter, and even into early spring. I am totally sold on how much better homegrown is than the store bought variety, and it couldn't be easier to … Continue reading Harvesting Garlic Scapes

What’s In My Door County Garden?

As a gardener, one of the fun things about our new cabin in Door County WI is seeing what is going to come up in the gardens this spring and summer.  I love taking a walk around the property to see what's changed since the last time we were there.  I know the previous owner … Continue reading What’s In My Door County Garden?

Spring Leeks (aka Ramps)

This past spring while wandering my Door County, Wisconsin woods, the ground was covered with beautiful, light green leaves. I knew it wasn't trout lilies, since the leaves weren't mottled, but I also knew it looked familiar.  Without a flower, I wasn't sure what this plentiful plant was.  I sent a photo to my expert … Continue reading Spring Leeks (aka Ramps)

Checking On the Bird’s Nests

I was able to get back up to our cabin in Door County sooner than I thought and checked on the Black-capped Chickadees nest in our nest boxes.   In my previous post, Who's In My Nest Boxes, I discovered that chickadees had laid their eggs in the boxes intended for bluebirds.  In the first … Continue reading Checking On the Bird’s Nests

This Year’s Garden Planters

Each year I head to the local garden store to pick out flowers for the planters.  The results are rarely the same from year to year since I just pick what I like at that moment.  Sometimes I might like yellows, other times maybe purples, sometimes more upright, others lots of vines.  This year for … Continue reading This Year’s Garden Planters

Who’s in My Nestboxes?

A few weeks ago I wrote about putting up two bluebird nestboxes at our Wisconsin cabin in "Putting Up Eastern Bluebird Nestboxes".  I couldn't wait to come back and see who might have moved in! We came back up two weeks later and checked out the boxes. The first one clearly had a new resident, … Continue reading Who’s in My Nestboxes?