Garden Experiments

How to Tell a Moth from a Butterfly

Butterflies and moths belong to the same scientific order Lepidoptera, which means “scale-winged” in Greek. Their wings are covered in thousands of tiny scales that overlap, creating colors and patterns. While they share some similarities, such as their winged appearance and life cycle, they also have many differences. Here’s a breakdown of their similarities and

The Native Sassafras Tree

I often see sassafras growing along the trails, in the forest breaks, and in old fields. However, it’s the mitten-shaped leaves that stand out to me. If you break off a twig of a sassafras tree and smell it, you get the distinct smell of root beer. My dad used to do this for us

Succulent Window Planters Idea

If you have a shallow window sill, about 3.5 or 4 inches, you can still add some plants to brighten up your room. The window sill in one of our bathrooms is wide enough for a very small pot; it’s the perfect size for succulents that don’t require a lot of watering or grow too

How Do Frogs Survive in Winter? By Freezing!

Have you ever wondered what happens to the frogs in your backyard in winter? From 64 degrees during the day to 20 degrees at night, the following day is a dramatic change. Frogs are cold-blooded animals and derive their body temperature from the air surrounding them. So, at 20 degrees, will they freeze and die?

How to Grow Blue Mistflower – Get Lavender Flowers in the Fall

In late summer, pockets of lavender color begin to appear along the sides of roads, at the edge of streams, in old fields, and in wetlands or other moist-soil areas. These fuzzy lavender-colored flowers belong to the blue mistflower, also known as wild ageratum, a plant native to the central and southeastern U.S. Adding blue

MAKE YOUR GARDEN SPECIAL

Find the gardening information and guides to create backyard habitat for wildlife, butterflies, and hummingbirds; learn more about native plants; or find the perfect plant to fit in your garden using the links below.

NATIVE PLANTS

BACKYARD WILDLIFE

WILDLIFE HABITAT

PLANT FINDER TOOL

PROJECTS & IDEAS

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