Page 23 2025 Spring Home and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April 2025 Natural Resources, offered additional reasons during his main session presentation at the Logan County Master Gardeners Russel Allen Garden Day on March 15 in Lincoln. His list includes: 1. To replace turf grass, which is a monoculture that does nothing to support local ecosystems and requires heavy maintenance and harmful chemicals, 2. To enhance the curb appeal of your home, 3. To feed the wildlife and critters in your neighborhood, 4. To cultivate a beneficial hobby, 5. To create something beautiful, 6. To improve mental health, 7. To get exercise and promote physical health. One of the best parts of planting native plants is that they are perennials, so once established, they require minimal labor. Plants native to the region containing nectar and pollen are best for attracting pollinators. Native plants do not have to mean a “wild garden.” They can be interspersed with ornamentals and can be planted for height and color within the general plans of the home’s landscaping. There are many very useful resources available to help design, prepare, and plant the right pollinator garden for your space. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources education links at https:// dnr.illinois.gov/education/plantlists.html and the Illinois Extension of the University of Illinois provide a number of helpful webpages. The Conservation Inclusive Construction and Development Archive (CICADA) website is another valuable source of creating landscapes with native plants: https://cicada-idnr.org/ residential/plant-management/landscape-withnative-plants/ The Pollinator Partnership https://pollinator. org/ is a non-profit organization devoted to protecting pollinators and their habitats. These and other sources offer information for establishing and maintaining native plants, as well as discovering which plants are considered native to Illinois. When selecting native plants, it is important to identify the taxonomic name because the common name of various plants and flowers can vary. For example, Monarda fistulosa is called wild bergamot, eastern bergamot, bee balm, as well as other names Sometimes the common name of a flowering plant may refer to a completely different plant in different parts of the country, so knowing the name used in plant taxonomy is crucial. Taxonomy is simply the scientific technique of classification. Plants identification uses the binomial nomenclature of the genus and the species of the plant. The genus is listed first and is capitalized; The species is listed second and is generally written in italics. Choose true native plants and avoid cultivars and hybrids as the qualities that attract pollinators may have been bred out of that particular cultivar. The majority of pollinator-friendly plants will need a location with full sun or a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight. Native plants prefer loose, well-drained soil, but can be grown in most soil types. For designing a Pollinator Habitat, Bauer suggests: 1. Plant in blocks of color, 2. Be diverse, 3. Have enough host plants, 4. Plan for season -long bloom, 5. Herbs can be host plants, 6. Be careful of pesticide use, 7. Avoid invasive species, 8. Water at planting until established, 9. Use mulch, but leave some bare ground for ground bees, 10. Make the plantings deliberate. Some of Bauer’s favorite native plants include golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea), foxglove beardstongue (Penstemon digitalis), spiderwort (Tradescatia spp.), butterfly weed (Asclepias Continued --
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