Nurture Native Nature

Creating Healthy Local Ecosystems

Welcome to Nurture Native Nature, a blog about my ongoing journey creating a wildlife sanctuary in my own small piece of our precious earth. Hopefully I can help

make it easier for you to do the same.

oakleaf hydrangea, chipola river ticksee

Native Georgia Aster is a Rare Southern Belle

October is aster time so I’m starting off my list of ten October native plants with the stunning Georgia aster (symphyotrichum...

ljmarkson

Oct 6, 20214 min read

Boneset is a Thoroughly Valuable Native Plant

My September native plant pick #4 is common boneset (eupatorium perfoliatum), also called thoroughwort because of the way the stems go...

ljmarkson

Sep 13, 20212 min read

Native Climbing Boneset is Loved By Pollinators!

My #3 September native plant pick is a rambling perennial vine I've only noticed growing at a nearby nature park in my intown Atlanta...

ljmarkson

Sep 8, 20212 min read

Flowering Spurge is an Overlooked Native Plant

I just realized the summer is disappearing and I haven’t shared much about the native plants growing in my little wildlife sanctuary...

ljmarkson

Sep 3, 20212 min read

My Moth Week Miracle

There seems to be a special place in all secular and religious belief systems for the idea that things happen for a reason. A few days...

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Jul 26, 20213 min read

Why I'm a Fan of Common Native Plants

The traditional gardening world often fetishizes exotic and rare plants. The latest trends trickle down to homeowners. Big box and...

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May 9, 20213 min read

Add a Mini Nature Center to Your Wildlife Habitat Yard

OR How I created the Homestead Nature Center with a little help from my family As restorative as my naturescaped yard is for the...

ljmarkson

Apr 26, 20213 min read

Add Purple-Hued Spring Native Plants to Your Naturescape

Getting people to slow down and appreciate the often nuanced and diminutive delightfulness of native plant flowers, particularly in...

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Apr 2, 20213 min read

Dear Neighbor: Your Mosquito Control is Environmentally Hostile

Spring in Atlanta means the return of the war on insects. If I combined everyone in my area into one person, this is the snarky letter...

ljmarkson

Mar 26, 20214 min read

You Can Only Have a Native Violet Bouquet if You Grow It

Non-native roses are widely admired. Native violet’s value is underestimated. But if you grow violets in your yard. Nature will be...

ljmarkson

Mar 22, 20212 min read

We Can Teach Our Children How to Interact with Nature One Squirrel, Earthworm and Ladybug at a Time

OR Teaching Our Children How to Appreciate Nature Using the Peter Parker Principle. I was in earshot of hearing a neighbor’s young child...

ljmarkson

Mar 16, 20213 min read

Squirrels: Ambassadors for Coexisting with Nature in Our Yards

Our house is our human nest but once we step outside, we share space with wildlife. Just because we’ve destroyed habitats to build our...

ljmarkson

Mar 11, 20213 min read

The Daffodil Dilemma in My Wildlife Sanctuary

In early spring my yard becomes a carpet of naturalized daffodils thanks to the hundreds of bulbs I strategically planted years ago. So...

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Mar 7, 20213 min read

Clean Bird Feeders = Healthy Birds

I don’t want to be the reason a bird gets sick or even dies so I’m diligent about keeping my bird feeders clean. A dirty feeder can host...

ljmarkson

Mar 1, 20214 min read

There's a Certification For Every Kind of Eco-Friendly Yard!

Whether you consider your yard a pollinator habitat, native plant habitat, wildlife sanctuary, wildlife habitat, green landscape, native...

ljmarkson

Feb 23, 20215 min read

The Prime Directive and the Owlet Looper Caterpillar Dilemma

OR Coexisting with nature is as complex as trying to follow Star Trek’s Prime Directive. In anticipation of the first hard freeze back at...

ljmarkson

Feb 11, 20213 min read

Native Wild Strawberry Fields Forever

On the interactive National Wildlife Federation site you can punch in your zip code and learn the top butterfly and moth host plants in...

ljmarkson

Feb 5, 20213 min read

Replace Non-native Shrubs With High Impact Native Shrubs

Rewilding a semi-urban yard to create an eco-friendly sanctuary is more emotional than I anticipated. Almost a year and a half ago after...

ljmarkson

Jan 31, 20213 min read

In My Yard Hellebores are Pernicious Weeds!

OR Why I Anticipate HELLebores Will Eventually Earn a Spot on Georgia’s Exotic Invasive Species List Predicting which non-native plants...

ljmarkson

Jan 27, 20212 min read

Native Plant Seeds are Ideal for Winter Sowing

OR Tips for Winter Sowing Native Plant Seeds Using Foil Roasting Pans With Lids. Winter sowing is a way to germinate seeds by mimicking...

ljmarkson

Jan 14, 20213 min read