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Baking Soda or Coffee Grounds for Blue Hydrangeas: Fact or Fiction? Many gardeners are fascinated by the chameleon-like qualities of hydrangeas, particularly their ability to shift bloom colors from pink to blue. This change is often attributed to soil pH, leading to a common question: can household remedies like baking soda or coffee grounds effectively alter soil pH for these beautiful shrubs? We asked our National Garden Bureau expert mem… Read more

Anyone in close sympathy with flower and tree and shrub and has a general acquaintance with Nature’s moods could tell the time of year without any reference to a calendar” Gertrude Jekyll, Home, and Garden, Magazine 1900 What is Phenology? Phenology is the study of natural life cycle and seasonal events in the plant and animal world. These are influenced by the local environment, especially weather, temperature, seasonal cha… Read more

Birds can be divided in 4 categories in Michigan. Birds that live here: year-round, during the breeding season and leave in fall, during the nonbreeding in winter and temporarily during migration as they are passing through. This list of birds consists of year-round birds in purple and nonbreeding birds in winter in green. 1. American Goldfinch – is a foliage gleaner that eats seeds almost exclusively. At feeders prefers nyjer and sunflower… Read more

Lavender is a versatile plant that is a medicinal herb that is an ornamental perennial. This pollinator friendly plant features a lovely fragrance and evergreen foliage. Lavender is from the Mediterranean region where it grows wild. This plant is low-maintenance and easy to care for if you have it in the right spot and will bloom all season. Lavender needs full sun with well-draining soil. Gravel or sand may need to be added to improve drain… Read more