As the leaves start to change colors and the air becomes crisp, the store shelves full of festive and fun decorations are hard to resist! Here are some considerations when getting in the spirit of autumn. Sustainable Fall Decor Natural Elements: Leaves, pinecones, acorns, and branches can be gathered from your own yard. Arrange them […]
PLANT CARE TIPS Thank you for supporting our plant sale! Here is some information on how to ensure your plants are happy in their new home! If you cannot plant immediately, keep them watered and in a protected spot out of direct sunlight. Add compost or humus to the planting bed. Keep your new paintings […]
Winter Sowing Winter sowing is an easy way to kick-start your native garden for next year. We’ll show you how to pot native seeds in the late fall or winter and allow those seeds to stratify naturally. Here are the basic steps: Gather the ingredients….plastic pots (or cut-down milk jugs or cartons), native seeds, labels, […]
All About Milkweed By Mary Gannon, NCSL Volunteer A wonderfully fragrant perennial native plant, milkweed is the one and only host plant that supports monarch butterflies. Monarchs depend upon milkweed now—more than ever—as monarch populations have declined 80% in recent years. It’s only natural that milkweed should become one of the cornerstone plants in native […]
There are two species of mink (part of the weasel family) native to the Northern Hemisphere. The European mink (Mustela lutreola) and the American mink (Neovison vision). They are notoriously valued for their luxurious dark fur and have been common in Ohio long before settlement. They still can be found in every part of Ohio. […]
Native Garden 101 by Alexandria Yurosko, Marketing Content Manager If you’ve been following the Nature Center, you’ve probably heard or seen the term “native plants” once or a hundred times. As we head into our plant sale and gardening season, here are some native garden basics! Once you learn what to look for, it gets […]
The Do’s and Don’ts of Tree Planting Adapted from Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District Trees are critical for our health, economy, and environment. A healthy forest canopy reduces flooding, absorbs stormwater, interrupts runoff, and is essential for clean water, healthy streams, rivers, wetlands, and lakes. Trees help reduce energy costs when strategically planted around […]
Making the Switch Nature Center Phases Out Gas Power Equipment By Nick Mikash, Natural Resources Manager In line with our mission of conservation and stewardship, the Nature Center has been transitioning away from gas power equipment where possible. Since 2018, the Nature Center has purchased battery-powered tools in an effort to move away from gas. […]
Aya (Age 4) Nature Nursery What is your favorite thing to do at the Nature Center? I like to go creek walking! What do you learn about? Fishies! We see fish in the creek. I like to watch fish eat. They eat mosquitos. Amara (Age 4) Nature Nursery What is your favorite thing about the […]
Rain, Rain Go Away…to the Nature Center! Alex Yurosko, Marketing Content Manager August 11, 2021 Shaker Heights and the surrounding neighborhoods are no stranger to flash floods during heavy downpours like the one today, but have you ever wondered where all that water goes? It may surprise you to find out that much of that […]
