Climate Wise Gardening

03/31/2026

The Plantsmen Nursery. Lansing/Groton NY

03/27/2026

completing the circle, natural burial and nature preserve cemetery

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

03/26/2026

Register now to attend Cranes over Illinois. Zoom presentation on April 9, 2026, 7:00 p.m. sponsored by Will County Audubon Society - https://mailchi.mp/illinoisaudubon/cranesovril

03/26/2026

The loss of snowpack and the very very warm winter mean it may be a hot and dry summer for much of the west. Most of the rivers are carrying snow melt all summer.

03/26/2026

Will they find milkweed in your garden? Finds milkweed seeds here: https://mybutterflylady.etsy.com

03/26/2026

We've just heard from our friends at The Species Recovery Trust that the Spiky Yellow Woodlouse (Pseudolaureola atlantica) is through to Round Three of the Uproar Challenge and your votes could help to win funding for this spectacular species!
👇
https://uproar.indianapoliszoo.com/

💛 The "punked up" isopod is up against some stiff competition but your vote could help it move through to Round Four, securing $3000 towards ongoing conservation work.

☁️ Found in cloud forest vegetation, on the island of St Helena, this endemic woodlouse even fluoresces under UV light!

✅ Vote for the Spiky Yellow Woodlouse by following the link below and skipping to Pair Seven.
👇
https://uproar.indianapoliszoo.com/
📷 Spiky Yellow Woodlouse (Pseudolaureola atlantica) ©️ Mike Thorsen

03/26/2026

The most talented singer in North America isn't the mockingbird.

It's the brown thrasher.

→ The brown thrasher knows over 1,100 distinct song phrases
→ MORE than any other North American bird
→ The mockingbird knows ~200. The thrasher knows 5x more.
→ Each phrase is sung TWICE before moving on (the mockingbird repeats 3-5 times)
→ The thrasher rarely repeats a sequence — each performance is unique
→ It composes original songs rather than copying others

And almost nobody knows this.

Because it's brown. And it hides in dense shrubs.

Brown thrasher facts:
→ State bird of Georgia (only state to honor this bird)
→ Fierce nest defender — will attack cats, dogs, snakes, and humans
→ Both parents incubate and feed
→ Ground forager — uses its beak to "thrash" through leaf litter (hence the name)
→ Population declining due to habitat loss (dense shrubby areas being cleared)

RIGHT NOW, in early spring, brown thrashers are arriving back from their southern wintering grounds and beginning to sing from the highest perch they can find.

If you hear an incredibly complex song from a shrubby area — repeated in pairs — that's him.

The most talented musician in your neighborhood isn't on Spotify.

He's on the fence post.

And he's been ignored his entire career. 🎵

03/26/2026

🌱 Good news: Cities like London, Paris, and Barcelona are redesigning streets for people instead of cars. This cuts pollution while improving health, local economies, and quality of life.

🌡️ Not so good news: Rising nighttime temperatures are disrupting sleep worldwide, with cascading effects on health, learning, and productivity—especially for the most vulnerable.

🏡 What you can do: Simple steps like adding window film, choosing reflective roofing, and planting trees can keep your home cooler, save money, and reduce the urban heat island effect, if you live in a city.

I am sorry there are not actually any stories about cats in the newsletter this week. I just couldn't resist this image of a cat trying to keep cool indoors.

Read on for all the details, and don't forget to share what you learn with others!

03/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16zUDe2yru/