image of frame, empty flower bed
What a blah image

Still waiting… (It’s spring, but doesn’t feel like it yet)

March 21, 2023

Spring has sprung, but progress has slowed. I waited all winter for March. Now it’s here and all I want is for it to be April.  Slow progress isn’t no progress, though, and I’ve been battling rabbits, coaxing seedlings to life, and smothering sod for a new bed.

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My wild garden dusted with snow

Wintry mix: first signs of spring

February 16, 2023

Welcome 2023! It may not seem like it now, but spring is on the way. I kickoff the new season with a recap of what I’ve been doing since I last posted in December, and what I’m planning for the new year.

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Saving pollinators, one yard at a time

December 15, 2022

Recently I happened upon this article from the New York Times. “They Fought the Law. And the Lawn Lost” describes a Maryland couple’s fight against their homeowners’ association over their pollinator garden. Guess what happened?

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Certifiable: Why you should get a sign for your garden

November 8, 2022

People are more likely to appreciate native plantings if they recognize that they’re intentional. For this reason, experts recommend presenting unfamiliar plantings with familiar elements, called “cues to care.” 

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Inspiration for a new bed

Dig, till, smother: removing sod for a new bed

October 18, 2022

Everybody loves the idea of a secret garden, but I’m not exactly sure what one is. What makes a garden secret? How is that different from private? My husband says ours is almost a secret garden because it’s in back and passers-by don’t realize we have such a profusion of flowers and wildlife back here. That’s about to change, though.

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ragweed

Pollen count: ways to beat seasonal allergies

September 14, 2022

Fall planting season is underway, and I’ve ordered a passel of plants to pick up at Saturday’s Missouri Prairie Foundation plant sale–but I can barely bring myself to think about them, I’m so tired. I have seasonal allergies. Maybe you do, too?

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Earlier posts


Mary Bunten
Mary Bunten

Writer and enthusiastic novice gardening in the Kansas City area, mostly with native plants.