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

Pollinators Can't Resist Native Mountain Mint Flowers!

Clustered or short-toothed mountain mint (pycnanthemum muticum) is by far the most popular plant in my yard right now. All day long it is...

ljmarkson

Jun 29, 20214 min read

Be Greedy About Supporting Wildlife in Your Yard!

OR How to optimize the habitat value of your yard. In his book Nature’s Best Hope Doug Tallamy explains how “greedy” he is when it...

ljmarkson

Jun 20, 20213 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

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

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

Plant a Glorious Goldenrod Garden This Year!

OR Do You Think Growing 19 Varieties of Goldenrod is Enough?! I currently have more varieties of goldenrod than any other native plant...

ljmarkson

Jan 10, 20213 min read

Nine Bright and Easy Native Goldenrods to Add to Your Atlanta Naturescape (Natural Landscape)

OR Add Biodiversity to Your Native Plant Habitat with More Goldenrod` OR Can You Ever Really Have Enough Goldenrod? (Edited 12.3.22 to...

ljmarkson

Jan 5, 20214 min read

Why Goldenrod is Native Plant Gold

OR Goldenrod's Many Charms. In my previous post I explain why everyone in the native plant world is talking about goldenrod (solidago). A...

ljmarkson

Dec 31, 20202 min read

Goldenrod (Solidago) is Trending!

OR If You Only Add One Native Plant to Your Yard, Make it Goldenrod! Keystone plant species are what native plant guru Doug Tallamy calls...

ljmarkson

Dec 29, 20202 min read

In Defense of Grasshoppers

OR Without Grasshoppers We Won't Have Birds. On a recent balmy winter day, I walked down a path in my yard and a handful of grasshoppers...

ljmarkson

Dec 12, 20202 min read

I'm An Eco Bag Lady

OR I'm a Naturescape Organic Matter Scavenger Part Two. Much to the embarrassment of my sweet husband, I’m an eco bag lady. When we walk...

ljmarkson

Dec 9, 20203 min read

Can I Have Your Coneflower Seedheads?

OR I’m a Naturescape Organic Matter Scavenger Part One Last month when I saw a nearby neighbor deadheading her large patch of native...

ljmarkson

Dec 8, 20201 min read

Essential Native Perennials for a Winter Seedhead Bird Garden

OR How to Intentionally Let Your Yard to Go To Seed Winter has descended on Georgia and I'm ready for it! Thanks to my ongoing...

ljmarkson

Dec 3, 20202 min read

Plant a Winter Seedhead Garden to Nurture a Natural Bird Habitat

OR Birdseed isn't the Only Way to Attract Birds in the Winter Butterfly gardens are wildly popular because flowers are beautiful and...

ljmarkson

Dec 1, 20202 min read

Why Aren't All State Flowers Native Flowers?

In my quest to learn every little thing I could about passionflower vine, I found out the state flower of Tennessee is non-native iris...

ljmarkson

Nov 29, 20202 min read

Passionflower Vine Drama: Protective Ants, Life-Sucking Soldiers, and Intoxicated Bees

I’m typically an all-in kind of person when something interests me, and passionflower vine is a striking attention grabber. I won’t be...

ljmarkson

Nov 28, 20202 min read

Native Passionflower Vine is a Popular Butterfly Host Plant

In Georgia, native passionflower vines (passiflora incarnata or lutea) are the only host plant for gulf fritillaries, but it’s not an...

ljmarkson

Nov 27, 20202 min read

Is That a Leaf or Chrysalis?

OR Please Don't Cut Down Your Plants in the Fall! One of the golden rules of nurturing native nature is the same as the golden rule in...

ljmarkson

Nov 25, 20202 min read

Nature's Perfect Harmony: Native Passionflower Vine and Gulf Fritillary Butterflies

There’s a fascinating phenomenon I've noticed but haven't specifically read about between native passionflower vines (passiflora...

ljmarkson

Nov 24, 20202 min read