NVBA News Blog
American Robin. Photo: Mick Thompson/Audubon Photography Awards
Welcome to the blog for Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, a wealth of resources about northern Virginia birds, wildlife, habitat conservation and restoration, native plants, wildlife-friendly gardening, advocacy and more.
Designing for Fall Color
Have you ever admired some fall landscapes that just pop with color? Every property can be designed for autumn beauty. All it takes is thoughtfully adding just a few new native plants.
Butterflies Need Our Help
Butterflies are with us once again, moving softly and quietly across the landscape. They’ve been called flying flowers, floating poems, nature’s confetti, and many other appreciative metaphors. But words fall short every time.
Plant the Slant: Tips for Gardening on Slopes
Depending on its position and angle, planting a slope isn’t always easy. But the rewards can be considerable.
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Native Dogwoods are Better for Birds
There are both native and non-native dogwoods available in the nursery trade, as well as hybrid crosses. It is important to know that all dogwoods are not created equal when it comes to their value to wildlife.
Judging a Plant by its Label
Finding natives in commercial garden centers can be challenging. Plant labels, excepting those that Plant NOVA Native volunteers have already tagged in red as “Native,” rarely offer much information and use terms that can be confusing. Here are some definitions and tips to help you find exactly what the biodiversity of the region needs.
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Plant a Butterfly Nursery in the Shade
Everybody loves butterflies, but caterpillars can be less charismatic. However, without caterpillars, we don’t have butterflies.
Their Time to Sleep
It’s March. Spring is coming, but when you glance outside it’s still cold and dark, sometimes snowy. But the marvel of plant dormancy is once again unfolding, unseen.
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: It's Spring! Is it Time to Plant?
Spring arrives on March 20. Those occasional warm sunny days that occur in early spring may signal that it is time to add to your native plant gardens. But don’t move too fast!
The Depths of Winter: What's a Gardener to Do?
February is a daunting, cold month for sure. But winter dormancy is for plants, not humans, and February can be the perfect time to plan additions to your native plant garden. It is also a great time to remove some invasive non-native species.
Be Very Brave: Plant a New Native Shrub This Fall
So, it's the right time of year to plant, and native plants are easier to find than ever before. But . . . something is still stopping you. Hmm. What could that be?
Happy Bees, Happy Yards
Gardening to attract as many bees as possible is more than a rewarding pastime. It’s a blend of purpose, beauty and connection to something grand and greater than we are.
Attracting Hummingbirds (and Convincing Them to Stay a While)
With forethought and some planning, you can have a clear and frequent view of these 3.5-ounce, dive-bombing, backward-flying, shimmering, drama-obsessed, and Ferrari-engine-powered birds. If that sounds like fun, here are some tips to attract them now and get them to linger for the season.
Five Great Reasons to Garden with Natives
As Margaret Atwood once said, “In the spring, at the end of the day, you SHOULD smell like dirt.” It’s very good for us on so many levels.
Early Spring Blooms for the Garden
Our woodlands and meadows are about to awaken and burst into a vibrant display of spring ephemerals, the transient native beauties we love to see, especially after the cold and snowy days of winter.
Clean Water and Native Plants
If your property contains a stream, pond, or any sort of wetland, whether its flow is permanent or intermittent in nature, this article is especially for you!
Community Associations and Environmental Leadership
Community associations are positioned to play a transformative role in ecosystem rejuvenation and health, acting on their common land and inspiring residents to do the same on theirs.
Protect The Wildlife You Attract
Elements of the landscape may pose serious hazards to the very wildlife that we’ve attracted. Are we drawing them closer, only to have them harmed by an avoidable threat to their health and wellbeing?
“Keystone” Plants for Fall Gardens
It’s fall, and most healthy plants are looking rather spent as they go dormant for the winter. But some natives are happily blooming away for the first time this growing season, catching your eye with their intense colors and soothing away year-end gardening blues
Plant Native Vines for Hummingbirds and Beauty
Native vines can be terrific additions to your landscape. The most popular one, Coral Honeysuckle, is a hummingbird magnet! Unlike the non-native invasive vines that we see everywhere killing trees, our native vines seldom hurt them.
Supporting your garden through heat and drought
We all know the climate is getting hotter. The week of July 22 included the world’s two hottest days in recorded history. We can only anticipate more heat and more drought in the future. How can you help your garden thrive?