Saturday, December 19, 2009

Introducing Nature Art

My nephew, Jim Rataczak, is a fantastic Nature Artist, outdoor lover, wildlife biologist, family man, and all-around great guy ! It's cool to know that he is able to paint birds and scenes from nature professionally. I still have to hold down a "9 to 5" (sort of) to keep me able to garden the native plants I enjoy. Take a look at his work on his website here.

Monday, December 7, 2009

North American Pollinators in Decline


A study by the National Research Council, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, released in 2006, shows populations of pollinators in North America declining for various reasons. A link to the brief of the report is here. Another reason to plant gardens with native plants is to provide native pollinators with more of the food and habitat that only native plants can provide. Here's a shot of a local bee enjoying a little sustenance on a Missouri Evening Primrose bloom in my front yard.