A new use for this old blog; a reference

So I haven’t really been keeping up with this blog and frankly I am not sure of its fate. Since I haven’t been updating it regularly like I once did, this blog has turned into more of a static website, and I think that is fine. I think the value of this blog lies in is utility as reference and as a resource to cover topics in depth, but after eight (!) or so years, I find many of the issues with native plants and wildlife gardening keep coming up, so rather than reposting an old article or updating a subject I have written before,  I am thinking about turning these posts into a book (though I have been threatening that for a while). 



When I started this blog in 2009, social media was really (at least to me) in its infancy.  Now, platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are a more useful tool for updates and news.  As a result, I post garden news and pictures on these platforms, ignoring this blog.  But I do think the in depth articles I have posted are a compliment to a nice Instagram photo.  Having said that, some of the most commonly requested topics are the following:

• How to remove a lawn
• How to build an urbanite path
• How to build a bee house (in 5 minutes!)
• How to build a brush pile (hint: it is easy!)
• Why not to use bird feeders
• Your garden as a bird feeder
• Bird house basics
• Honey bees suck (yes, you read that correctly)
• Pollinator (or whatever) garden
• Should I start my new garden by seeding (the answer is NO)?

In general, "why native plants are important" is always a common topic, and the subject of the whole blog!

I still post unique or timely things, like our Cat of the Year or SponCon projects, but day to day social media seems to suit the general needs of this one time blogger!

So, please follow me on Instagram or Facebook!

A flower a day

Biscuitroot (Lomatium ambiguum)

Follow me on Instagram (montanawildlifegardener) where I am trying to post a picture each day of a species that is flowering in our garden.  I say "try" because we have over 100 species of Missoula area native plants and their flowering time has a lot of overlap.  It has been easy for the last week or so as things are just getting started.  Here are a few examples from this week...

Shooting star (Dodecatheon conjugens)

Golden currant (Ribes aureum)

Spring Clean-up at the Native Plant Garden Pocket Park

Join us Thursday evening April 19 from 6:30-8:00 at the little pocket park my wife and I have been landscaping for the last several years.  Click here to learn more about this project of ours.  We'll be doing some weeding, and general clean-up of old stems and branches.  This is a great opportunity to learn about native plants, and native plant gardening while helping out a little community park.
Also, if you are interested in goings on at the park, "like" our Facebook page!  And, here is the event page for the clean -up night.
If you are interested in coming, bring some gloves and weeding tools if you have them.  I hope to see you there!

Montana Wildlife Gardener is now on Facebook

OK, so I am starting to get the idea that this Facebook thing is here to stay. I am not saying it will last, but apparently as of Feb 2010, over 400 million people were using it. I was not one of them. However, on a recent trip to explore the unique flora and fauna of the remote rainforests of Guyana, I learned my naturalist guide from a village of about 250 people, uses Facebook, I thought my blog and I should probably try it, too. Now you can follow Montana Wildlife Gardener on Facebook. Thanks, Alex Honorio.

Stop by and "like" the page and you can stay up to date with what is happening in my garden.