top of page
All Blog Posts


ljmarkson
Dec 8, 20248 min read
Nature Doesn't Create Trash
When we moved to our home 20 years ago our yard looked like all the other yards in my upscale neighborhood centered by a lawn and...


ljmarkson
Sep 30, 20245 min read
Supporting Wildlife Habitat Where we Live is Not a New Idea
When decluttering a closet recently, I found a time capsule in the form of a garden journal I made in the early 90s. The last entry was...


ljmarkson
Sep 3, 20245 min read
Connecting the Dots: Southern Pink Moths, Native Lyreleaf Sage, and Pesticides
When we create a safe and welcoming wildlife habitat, we are also supporting the natural cycles and systems we may not even be aware...


ljmarkson
Aug 17, 20245 min read
Gardening with Nature at the Garden Club
This week I spoke to my first ladies garden club. I was a bit worried about how receptive they would be to my presentation called...

ljmarkson
Jul 23, 20244 min read
Native Partridge Pea and Invasive Chamberbitter Look Similar yet are Worlds Apart
(and how to tell the difference...) Partridge Pea is native to most of the Eastern half of the United States and supports habitat in a...


ljmarkson
Jul 14, 20246 min read
Native Evening Primrose as a Habitat Support Plant
In an ecologically focused landscape, common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is an example of a native plant that offers habitat...

ljmarkson
Apr 21, 20246 min read
Native Plants are Not Yard Ornaments
The transition from ornamental gardening (plants as ornaments) to ecological gardening (native plants as a functional part of an...


ljmarkson
Mar 19, 20243 min read
Nurture Native Nature - Spring Habitat Yard Events!
I'm sharing spring events Nurture Native Nature is hosting or cohosting in the next few months in Atlanta. At some point I need to figure...


ljmarkson
Oct 9, 20234 min read
Nature Loving Strangers are Kindred Spirits
I was recently looking through my lengthy list of ongoing blog ideas and catchy titles for articles yet to be written and came across...


ljmarkson
Jul 30, 20237 min read
Ways to Add Water for Wildlife to Your Yard
I didn’t always have over a dozen water sources in my intown (Morningside) Atlanta yard. Back in 2019 when I went through the process to...


ljmarkson
Jul 16, 20234 min read
Why You Need to Remove Invasive Plants from Your Yard
I like to boast that there are no weeds in my rewilded yard – meaning there are no plants I don’t want growing in it. Some of my favorite...


ljmarkson
Jun 18, 20234 min read
Native Pasture Thistle Drama
Last fall a thoughtful friend who somehow remembered my ongoing plant wish list brought me a native pasture/field thistle (Cirsium...


ljmarkson
Apr 28, 20233 min read
Native Plants as Edging Plants
In the spring I’m often outside adding, moving, editing, and potting up plants until it’s so dark outside that I can’t see my hands. I’m...


ljmarkson
Feb 18, 20233 min read
Yard Restoration and the Battle to Remove Invasive and Non-native Plants
I often go outside to work in my yard with a plan of action yet end up doing something completely different. Recently, my idea was to...


ljmarkson
Feb 5, 20236 min read
S**t Happens - and Opens up Possibilities!
One of the main lessons in my daily guided meditation is how our suffering comes from not being able to align our inner expectations with...


ljmarkson
Feb 2, 20232 min read
Native Crossvine is a Habitat Plant
I thought crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) was indestructible. It climbs by tendrils then attaches to trees with even more with roots to...

ljmarkson
Nov 18, 20223 min read
To Save Insects and Birds the Future is Now
It turned out to be a great idea for the Intown Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia native Plant Society to squeeze one more event into this...


ljmarkson
Sep 7, 20226 min read
Intown Atlanta GNPS Native Plant Swap & Share FAQ
I'm helping organize the Intown Atlanta GNPS Native Plants Swap & Share as part of the Annual Meeting. Since this is the first time we're...


ljmarkson
Jul 7, 20226 min read
Nurturing a Firefly Habitat Also Helps Restore Nature
In the context of creating a healthy yard ecosystem fireflies are just another insect we need to provide habitat for. Yet 2,000 firefly...


ljmarkson
Jun 28, 20224 min read
Building a More Vibrant Intown Atlanta Native Plant Community
On a hot June Sunday afternoon a varied group of around 50 or so people interested in native plants came together for a panel discussion...
bottom of page