The Art of Ecology
Building visual connections between people and nature.
Tag: native plants
Sustainable Crafts: Part IV
Celebrate National Pollinator Month with some all-natural and sustainable crafts, designed specifically for native pollinators! Below are some ideas that can support butterfly populations, protect declining bee populations, and increase the amount of pollinator-friendly native plants found in your community. This is part 4 of my “Eco-friendly” & sustainable art projects. Find more projects and …
Blueberries – More than a Tasty Snack!
Summer is here, and many of us love nothing more than a big carton of deep blue-ish purple blueberries! Wherever we can get them from the grocery store, farmers markets, or local community agriculture programs is so exciting, but did you know that blueberries are native to the eastern United States? We can go out …
Attract Fruit-eating Birds to Your Backyard
They may seem ultra-exotic and tropical, however fruit-eating birds do live in North America along the East Coast. In fact, while kayaking along the Delaware River in Philadelphia the other week, I had the incredible opportunity to watch a Baltimore Oriole creating a nest! Not all fruit-eaters are mango or papaya-loving tropical birds. Some are …
Exploring Flora & Fauna for Invasive Species Week
During Invasive Species Awareness Week, we ask the question, “What does it mean to be an invasive species?”, and “What can we do about them?” Fortunately, both questions are relatively easy to answer. What is an Invasive Species? First we need to define Native Species. These are plants and animals that are indigenous to a …
In Peril: WILD ART 2021
As part of the Wild Art 2021 November Challenge, put on by Zoe Keller, I illustrated two pieces focusing on the theme, “In Peril”. Each month, I will focus on two pieces – one highlighting flora, the other highlighting fauna. This month, the first is a flower who brought me great joy picking them as …
Start Planning Your Garden NOW!
It may be a little chilly out still, but it’s finally the time of year to start planning out your garden! As the winter fades into spring, we can think about seed starting, and drawing up plans to ready your home/garden for new plants. How do we start the planning process though? Ultimately, think about …
Intertwine: Wild Art 2021
As part of the Wild Art 2021 February Challenge, put on by Zoe Keller, I illustrated two pieces focusing on the theme, “Intertwine”. It’s always exciting to see how other artists interpret the challenge and create art. Some artists focused on the twisty nature of snakes, and others focused on octopus arms. Each month, I …
Creating a Safe Haven for Feathered Friends
So far, we’ve discussed creating a backyard habitat, attracting butterflies and other pollinators, and creating a haven for snakes and beneficial predators, but we haven’t talked about how to get birds to your garden! Aside from the obvious of sticking up a feeder, there are some other great ways to attract your feathered friends! By …
Keeping our Feathered Friends Happy – Especially in the Winter
Birds are amazing – and if you read my previous winter bird blog, you’ll know that birds can definitely take care of themselves, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t feed them and give them a little help! After all, just because I can cook for myself and know how to grow a veggie garden …
Keep your garden happy all year long by overwintering!
If you’re a gardener, you understand how much time and effort you put into your plants and hate seeing it go to waste come winter! Fortunately, there are ways to keep your beauties alive, even if they’re not winter hardy! The best way to keep your tender garden plants alive is to bring them inside. …
