Clik here to view.
Pathways in Your Garden
On a cool crisp morning in October, I meandered through the Prairie Window Project here at the Arboretum. The frost was clinging heavily on all the plants. I would have been wet if not for the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Native Grasses in the Garden
One of the more exciting trends in gardening today is the use of grasses, not for lawns, but as ornamental plants. Even though they do not have showy blooms, grasses can add graceful beauty to gardens...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Water Conservation in the Home Landscape
Over the past few years, there has been a renewed emphasis on water conservation. An ever increasing number of communities in Kansas and elsewhere are realizing that water is a finite resource. These...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Imperfect Garden
In our Prairie Notes blog, we have talked extensively about the need to utilize native plants in the landscape. The benefits of having native plants are obvious and many. We have shown you pretty...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Garden for the Dogs
As a horticulturist and a dog lover, life can be a little ‘ruff’. I dream of a beautiful, lush landscape of gorgeous plants and well-tended lawn, but we all know how dogs wreak havoc on our outdoor...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Landscape Design Principle: Lines
A native plant design is a highly subjective project. The plants you like may not be the ones I would choose and vice versa. Your garden area is unique to you. Sun, soil, moisture conditions can...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Landscape Design Principles: Plant Placement, Proportions and Scale
Plant placement, proportions and scale – these three elements of a successful design are really straight forward, but often overlooked. They hinge on a certain level of understanding regarding plant...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Design by Time and Color
The construction of our new HUB (Horticulture and Utility Building) meant a lot of new sidewalk installation to go with it. And whenever there is cement work around here, there is always a lot of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Trusted Plants for Kansas Landscapes
It has been an interesting year weather-wise, to say the least. We have seen monsoon flooding and sweltering heat. I would like to say that this is another typical year in Kansas, but I don’t know...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Encore Blog: Do You Want A Native Front Yard?
Posted on August 8, 2019 by Scott Vogt (Originally published on March 29, 2017) Something interesting is happening to our front yards. They are slowly shrinking. The typical large expanse of green...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Concentration of Blooms
When I recommend native plants for a particular landscape, I’ve learned to focus on the fact that people and the insects they are hoping to attract are conditioned to desire seeing a concentration of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sumac in the Garden
Sumac might not be what you imagine when you think of an outstanding garden plant. Native sumac often grows on roadsides or prairie draws, and would be unruly in the home landscape. But there are two...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Do Pollinators Need?
One of my favorite past times during the fall season is watching pollinators work on the many wildflowers in bloom. This morning there were dozens of different pollinators crawling all over the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Front Yard Native Landscaping
As a new homeowner, there are a thousand projects around the house vying for my attention. But none call to me more than landscaping. After a few weeks working on the basement, I needed a break! I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Short and Sweet: Short Plants for the Prairie Garden
Prairie gardens can sometimes be seen as messy. I have heard it many times while discussing garden plans with Arboretum members. They don’t want it to look too wild. This is a very natural tendency;...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Landscape Design Principle: Lines
A native plant design is a highly subjective project. The plants you like may not be the ones I would choose and vice versa. Your garden area is unique to you. Sun, soil, moisture conditions can...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Landscape Design Principles: Plant Placement, Proportions and Scale
Plant placement, proportions and scale – these three elements of a successful design are really straight forward, but often overlooked. They hinge on a certain level of understanding regarding plant...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Design by Time and Color
The construction of our new HUB (Horticulture and Utility Building) meant a lot of new sidewalk installation to go with it. And whenever there is cement work around here, there is always a lot of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Trusted Plants for Kansas Landscapes
It has been an interesting year weather-wise, to say the least. We have seen monsoon flooding and sweltering heat. I would like to say that this is another typical year in Kansas, but I don’t know...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Encore Blog: Do You Want A Native Front Yard?
Posted on August 8, 2019 by Scott Vogt (Originally published on March 29, 2017) Something interesting is happening to our front yards. They are slowly shrinking. The typical large expanse of green...
View Article