The Petrichorean

03/31/2026

MADISON (WKOW) -- Did you know you can borrow a state parks pass from more than 150 libraries in Wisconsin? The Check Out Wisconsin State Parks At Your Library program

03/30/2026

A quiet moment of early spring; new growth gathering at the feet of stillness.

Native columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is just starting to emerge, its delicate foliage unfolding in the cool air. In a few weeks, it’ll send up nodding red and yellow blooms that draw in early-season pollinators — especially hummingbirds, long-tongued bees, and even the occasional hawk moth.

What’re the first native plants you’re seeing pop up this spring?

03/28/2026

Known historically as a harbinger of winter’s end, snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are among the first bulbs to bloom each spring — sometimes pushing up right through the snow!

While non-native to North America, they rarely pose a severe ecological threat, typically considered “naturalized” or “non-aggressive” in most gardens, though they can spread via seeds and bulbs over time in woodland settings.

Snowdrops contain an active substance called galantamine (or galanthamine) which can be helpful in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, though the bulbs are very toxic if eaten!

Have spring ephemerals started coming up where you live yet, or are you still awaiting that first sign of spring?

03/04/2026

02/27/2026

Winter sowing season is here. You don’t need a greenhouse. You don’t need fancy trays. You don’t even need milk jugs. Just use what you have.

Clear takeout containers, rotisserie chicken clamshells, bakery boxes, salad tubs — if it lets in light and can hold a few inches of soil, it can work. Poke a few drainage holes, add moist seed-starting mix, sow, close it up, and let winter weather do the stratifying for you.

For anyone gardening on a tight budget: this method is gold. It turns “waste” into mini greenhouses and lets you grow native perennials, herbs, and hardy annuals for pennies.

Seeds want seasons. We’re just giving them a head start. 🌱

What containers would/do you save (or scavenge) for winter sowing?

10/24/2025

09/08/2025

Join Rebecca Seibel of TreeSpirit Consulting for a two-day Women and Gender Minorities Chainsaw Safety Training! In such a male-dominated field, it can often be hard for women and those who identify as nonbinary, transgender, or other gender minorities to feel comfortable learning about and using chainsaws. Dane County Parks is hosting these classes to create space for such folks that would benefit from this class environment and to build community in Dane County, particularly in the fields of ecological restoration, forestry, and other similar lines of work. (*This course is open to anyone who feels it is an appropriate space for them to learn in.) Click here for more details and to register: https://tinyurl.com/DCPChainsaw

[This course is open to any level sawyer, from someone who has never touched a saw to someone wanting to develop their skills in tree felling, limbing, and bucking, to those wanting to improve on their safe use of a saw!]

07/30/2025

Hiiiiiiiiii!

07/23/2025

07/09/2025

At the end of May, while pulling his bag from the trunk, W found a forgotten radish pod tucked away in a corner. Never one to let a good seed go to waste, I did what any plant lover would do —stealthily tucked it into the big planter outside the coffee shop we frequent (while W rolled his eyes at me.)

One week later: sprouts. 🌱
Two weeks later: leaves.
Today? A full-grown snack. 🫜

Turns out a little mischief can grow into something delicious.

Have you ever tried guerrilla gardening in your neighborhood? What did you plant — and where?

07/01/2025

Garden and gleaning — dinner tonight was a sheet pan japache made from garden veggies and foraged mushrooms.