Trillium Natives

09/08/2026

Some more love for the purples and blues today, since there's so much white and yellow out there right now! Blue mistflower, purple giant hyssop, blue lobelia, and anise hyssop.

09/07/2026

The beautiful purple flower spikes of obedient plant

09/05/2026

Although I think running in any form that doesn't involve chasing a ball is ridiculous, I will be running alongside our two older kids at the fairgrounds tomorrow.

Still time for you to sign up and join us (oh what fun!) - Trillium is also a sponsor, and this is a great way to support some of our local 4H clubs 🏃‍♂️

The Race at the Fair is on Sunday September 6, 2026. It includes the following events: 5k and Fun Walk.

09/02/2026

It's goldenrod and aster season here in NE OH.

Both asters and goldenrods are keystone species, which is just a formal way of saying that they're really important.

We have over ten different varieties currently available, so if all you know are the Canada goldenrod and New England aster, here's your chance to learn a few more (Ohio has dozens of native asters and goldenrods!), and make your yard a little more pollinator-friendly 🐝

08/25/2026

We'll be back open this Saturday, 8/29, from 10-4. The weather has been much better for planting, the plants are rocking right now, and going into fall is the best time to get stuff in the ground.

If you plan to stop by, use the driveway at 7885 Mayfield (I'll have a sign out) - check the website for updated availability, and hope to see you Saturday!

08/23/2026

Something lighter for the weekend - this is a blunt, yet accurate, summary of our obsession with lawns.

Grow more natives 🌻

Credit to Thomas Collins

08/20/2026

Nope, not native, but the bumblebees are going crazy over the hosta flowers lately. While they don't have much benefit to local wildlife (except maybe as deer salad), the bees love to browse them for a few weeks each year.

Remember, you don't need to be a purist, and you're not a failure if you have some non-native ornamentals (though keep in mind that non-native is not the same as invasive). The bumblebees love the hostas here, but I know we also have other seasonal sources of food and plenty of habitat for nesting, so I'm not worried about being 100% OH natives.

Sometimes it's okay to stop and smell the roses (of Asian origin). As long as you throw in some asters too.

08/12/2026

Everyone seems to be posting pics of their monarch caterpillars, so here's something different for your feed.

Found a couple viceroy caterpillars on some of our willows. They're a little more camouflaged than the monarchs (but still look pretty cool) , so I must have walked past several times before I noticed them.

And a friendly reminder that we don't spray or treat any of our plants to fight off "pests." Having viceroy caterpillars hosted on our willow is exactly what we're going for!

Of course, that DOES mean that any plant you take home may not look perfect - some of the willows (and oak, and basswood....) have a few pretty ragged leaves, but guess what? That's the whole point of planting natives!

So I guess if you're looking for pristine, untouched plants, you may want to stop elsewhere. But if you're looking to attract some fun wildlife to your yard, even if that wildlife nibbles on your leaves, come on down (and if you're lucky, you may even find a plant with a hitchhiker or two that you can take home) 🌳🐛