Environmentally-conscious books for humans of every age! This month, the Nature Works Land Care Blog is offering something a bit different: reading recommendations! Escaping to a great book is a time-honored summer tradition. It supplies us with enjoyment and restoration while (potentially) expanding our consciousness. Whether on the beach or in your backyard, reading about...
If you know a little bit about ecology, interdependence is a familiar idea. Everything––plant, animal, water, insect, bacteria––is mutually reliant on other organisms in the ecosystem. No species exists in a vacuum, and change for one affects all. The reality of interdependence means that even seemingly small changes can have gigantic effects, for better or...
Whether you’re a conservationist, birdwatcher, or simply a human who wants to ensure that our ecosystem won’t entirely collapse, there are endless reasons to transform your backyard into a pollinator paradise. It is an investment in our collective future, and a harmonious aesthetic that has the potential to balance your mood while providing environmental benefits...
The term “invasive species” can stir up sinister imagery and vaguely unsettling feelings. But what are invasive species, exactly? What do they mean for your local landscape? What can we learn from them? How can backyard gardeners avoid causing harm, and help foster healthier ecosystems? WHAT ARE INVASIVE SPECIES? According to Merriam Webster, invasives are...
In early spring, water abounds. Melting snow, dripping icicles, and rainstorms turn what was recently solid ground into a muddy sponge. Here at Nature Works Land Care, we welcome the wet season and all it brings. But muck and runoff can be costly––even dangerous––when not managed properly. WHAT IS WATER MANAGEMENT? On a municipal level,...
This February, many of us are cocooned at home in the wake of snow and ice storms. We are drawn to activities that nurture the land and our families. But outdoor projects in are limited and garden care isn’t at the top of most people’s minds. Aside from the annual delight of daydreaming about––and strategizing...
Short days, cozy nights & the constant threat of snow: Winter Solstice approaches! In the holiday season, we are reminded to draw our friends and families close. The impulse to express our affection with gifts is strong, but many of us don’t want more “things.” Some of us want to counteract consumer culture. Others simply...
As winter approaches, we prepare plants for the cold. Generations of gardeners have added a light layer of mulch to protect less hardy species during the colder months. Climate change brings increasingly unpredictable weather––frequent thaws, frigid lows, min-springtimes in January––and gardens are up against new threats. A bit of mulch on a few plants just...
It’s leaf-peeping season and nature’s multicolored masterpiece does not disappoint! Along with fiery vistas, ombre palettes, and pumpkin-spice beverages comes a plethora of newly fallen leaves. The annual conundrum has arrived: to rake or not to rake? THE CASE FOR CLEANING UP Blowing or raking the leaves away now looks tidy and keeps the...
Harvest season: that magical time when plants team with fruits, foliage and flowers. But when plants are weighed down by their own blooms, knocked to the ground in stormy winds, or simply overgrown, could your garden be…too full? If it looks less like Eden and more like a botanical blunder, it’s time to take action!...
