Tips for Creating a Native Landscape in Iowa

Tips for Creating a Native Landscape in Iowa

by | Sep 29, 2026

Creating a native garden or space seems nice, but how do you actually do it? Here are some tips to help you get started in planting a native garden that not only benefits our wildlife and your mental health, but is also manageable and fun.

Assess Your Site

Note how much sun the site gets

    • Full sun (6+ hours), part-shade (3-6 hours), and full shade
    • South and west-facing slopes are typically hotter and drier
    • North-facing and low-lying areas are typically cooler and wetter.

Dig test holes and feel the soil

    • Is it heavy clay that holds water, a loamy garden soil, or sandy/loess that drains quickly?
    • Do you have seasonal standing water or a high water table?
    • Does it puddle for days after it rains?

What is your primary goal for this site?

    • Is it for pollinators, wildlife habitat, or just to look at?
    • While all of these things can happen in one garden, knowing your goal helps narrow down what species you will plant. For example, more milkweed would be added if your goal is to support Monarchs, whereas if your goal is wildlife habitat, you would plant more grass and shrubs.

Design tips for attractive and functional plantings

Use layers and repetition

    • Tall grasses and asters in the back, mid-height coneflowers and goldenrods in the middle, low sedges and groundcovers in the front
    • Repeat plant groups to create rhythm and a more manicured look

Use transition zones

    • A buffer strip of low natives or mulch help reduce weed invasion from your lawn and creates a nice visual boarder
    • Consider a mown or gravel pathway to define edges. Stones and brick make wonderful edges as well.

Add features

    • Bright, colorful plants surrounded by rocks or mulch adds an exciting touch
    • Water ponds and fountains not only add visual interest, but create micro environments for critters and a drinking source for pollinators and wildlife

Planting

Site preparation

    • Remove vegetation from site
    • For small beds, you can use layers of cardboard or newspaper covered in compost/mulch or sod-strip to reduce weed competition
    • For larger prairie conversions, consider an herbicide treatment to kill all of the existing vegetation

Decide on seed, plugs, or containers

    • Seed mixes are cost-effective for large areas but require more time and weed control
    • Plugs are more expensive but cut down on establishment time
    • Using containers, like pots or raised beds, is a great option if you are living in an apartment or want to move your flowers around

Timing

    • Late Fall seeding mimics natural cycles and often gives higher germination due to many native plants needing cold stratification
    • Early Spring seeding is another option once soils can be worked however it still needs to be cold enough outside that seeds will germinate
    • Plugs can be planted throughout the Spring season as long as the threat of frost is gone.

Planting plugs

    • Plant at the same depth as the nursery pot, firm the soil to remove air pockets, and water deeply
    • Space forbs roughly a foot apart, grass 2 feet apart, and grass to forbs 1.5 feet apart
    • Apply 1-2 inches of mulch in new plantings to reduce weed pressure.
      •  Keep mulch away from stems
    • Water weekly for the first month, then taper according to rainfall.
      • Reduce watering after the first year
A path through tall grass and wildflower plantings

Maintenance

Native plants Sleep, Creep, and then Leap

prairie roots systems

Year One: Sleep

    • Native plants usually have extensive root systems and they start their lives developing these roots
    • Expect slow above ground growth which can lead to more weeds, and the need for targeted weeding
    • For larger areas where hand weeding is not feasible, mow vegetation to 6 inches in height to reduce weed competition and allow sunlight to reach the soil.

Year Two: Creep

    • Plants begin to show growth above ground and form clumps
    • Continue selective weeding
    • Again, for larger areas, mow vegetation but this time to 8 inches in height
pollinator garden

Year Three: Leap

    • You should see blooms and maintenance should be reduced
      • Note that each species is different and can take longer to establish This is a general timeline
    • Leave the stems and skip fall/spring clean up!
      • Stems and leaves provide great overwintering habitat for our native pollinators and wildlife
      • If you must clean up, leave 15 inches of stem standing for native bees to nest. You can rake leaves into a pile to leave
    • Prescribed burning every 2-4 years can rejuvenate growth and control woody encroachment.
      • This is not always an option, so mowing also helps control woodys and simulates grazing
      • Always use certified burn managers and follow local regulations and safety protocols

Takeaways

1. Start small

Convert a front bed or create a rain garden to learn species behavior before scaling up. You can always expand over time.

2. Right species for the site

Dry-loess, mesic prairie, wet rain garden, or shade understory each require different plants.

3. Commit to 3-5 years

Native plants take time. A plan that addresses initial weed control, adaptive interventions, and a mowing/burning schedule for larger plantings makes sure that maintenance is not forgotten.

Planting a native landscape is an investment in beauty and biodiversity. With careful planning, you can create a landscape that thrives in Iowa’s climate, supports native wildlife, and reduces inputs over time.

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Tips for Creating a Native Landscape in Iowa

10 Native Shade Plants for Your Yard

by | Sep 2, 2026

Native plants are a wonderful addition to any landscape. Here in Iowa, we often times focus on tallgrass prairie plants. This is because historically, most of Iowa was just that; a tallgrass prairie. These plants usually require full sun, but in our changed landscape, that isn’t always possible. I am often asked what people can do in their shaded yards, so I made an easy-to-read list to answer this question! 

All of these plants are native to Iowa and bring many benefits to the ecosystem! Some of these benefits are increased water infiltration, providing habitat and food for local wildlife, including pollinators,  and reduced maintenance compared to traditional turf lawns.

Columbine

Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

  • Sun: Full to Shade
  • Soil: Wet to Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Apr-Jun
  • Host Plant: Pink-patched Looper Moths, Columbine Duskywings

This flower is long and tubular, lending itself to wildlife with long mouth parts like long tongued bees and Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. These blooms mean Spring has sprung and welcomes our pollinators with bountiful nectar and pollen when those resources are scarce. These short-lived perennials will readily self seed and adapt to most conditions.

Solomon's Seal by Marek

Solomon’s Seal

Polygonatum biflorum

  • Sun: Partial to Shade
  • Soil: Medium to Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: May-Jul

As a spring ephemeral, it supports our native bees and other pollinators as they emerge from their overwintering habitats. The creamy white blooms dangle below the broad leaves like little bells. Once pollinated, it produces circular blue fruits that songbirds love to snack on.

White Snakeroot by USFWS

White Snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

  • Sun: Partial to Shade
  • Soil: Moist to Dry
  • Height: 1-4 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Oct
  • Host Plant: Clymene Moth, Hitched Arches

This fall blooming plant provides needed nectar resources for bees getting ready to overwinter. The blooms are white, small tubular structures that bees and butterflies alike enjoy. The clusters of flowers provide a nice landing pad for butterflies to rest on.

Campanula americana (Tall Bellflower)

Tall Bellflower

Campanula americana

  • Sun: Partial to Shade
  • Soil: Moist to Medium
  • Height: 3-6 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Biennial

Native bumble bees, leaf-cutter bees, butterflies, and skippers love its nectar! The Tall Bellflower is a stunning addition to any native garden and will steal the show with its many blooms.

Sweet Joe Pye Weed by Charles de Mille

Sweet Joe Pye Weed

Eutrochium purpureum

  • Sun: Partial to Shade
  • Soil: Moist to Dry
  • Height: 4-6 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Host Plant: Plume Moth, Slender Flower Moth, Joe Pye Weed Borer Moth, Bold-feathered Grass Moth

This plant is deer resistant and attracts several butterflies like Monarchs and Swallowtails. it is typically robust and sturdy meaning it will stay upright with no need to stake. They produce huge clusters of nectar rich blooms that attract many pollinators.

Yellow Jewelweed by DM, CC BY-ND 2.0

Yellow Jewelweed

Impatiens pallida

  • Sun: Full to Shade
  • Soil: Wet to Medium
  • Height: 2-5 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Oct

Also known as Touch-me-nots because their seed pods explode when touched! These flowers are annual and will spread seeds readily. While it will grow in a variety of conditions, it prefers mucky soils. They pull pollinators of all types and grow well along streams, ponds, and bogs.

Virginia Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

  • Sun: Full to Shade
  • Soil: Wet, Moist
  • Height: 2.5 ft
  • Bloom: Mar-Apr

Good native habitat has both flowers and grasses. This plant provides important hiding spots for insects and wildlife. It is a native cool season grass found in wet conditions. They are great for erosion control since it has an extensive root system.

virginia bluebells

Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

  • Sun: Partial to Shade
  • Soil: Medium
  • Height: 2 ft
  • Bloom: Apr-May

The blooms provide early season nectar resources for queen bumble bees and other pollinators. These subtle beauties are only around for a short time in Spring and starts dormanc mid Summer. While they are here, they are covered in pollinators from Swallowtail butterflies to huge bumble bees.

Wild ginger Asarum canadense by Peter Gorman used under CC by NC SA 2.0

Wild Ginger

Asarum canadense

  • Sun: Shade
  • Soil: Medium
  • Height: 6 inches
  • Bloom: Apr-Jun

This creates a great ground cover that stays green all season! The very unique brown-purple flowers hide under the foliage. It spreads through rhizomes and seeds. The hidden blooms attract pollinators with a sweet fragrance although the flowers can also self pollinate. It tolerates deer browsing, erosion, and wet soils.

Wild geranium

Wild Geranium

Geranium maculatum

  • Sun: Full to Shade
  • Soil: Medium
  • Height: 1 ft
  • Bloom: Apr-Jul

This woodland flower is found naturally in rich, mesic forests, but will adapt to different condions. It is easy to grow and very showy with its many pink blooms. It is a bushy plant and great habitat for our native wildlife. 

Pollinator Week: Its History & Why it Still Matters

Pollinator Week: Its History & Why it Still Matters

by | May 28, 2026

Bee among bleeding hearts

History

Pollinator Week was started by and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. In 2008, the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked an essential step forward in pollinator conservation.

Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration, including Canada, Mexico, and some countries in Europe! This event promotes the valuable ecosystem services, like pollinating the 87% of flowers that require assistance, provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles, moths, wasps, and flies.

People can participate and help raise awareness about the importance of pollinators by hosting an activity during Pollinator Week. Many have already pledged to Pollinator Partnership to continue promoting pollinator health.

“Through the numerous virtual and in-person gatherings, webinars, planting sessions, garden and farm walks, and monument lightings, Pollinator Week 2026 is geared to be the busiest and best one yet!” – Pollinator Partnership

Hairstreak
Pollinator Week logo from Pollinator Partnership
Bumble Bee in Pollinator Garden

Why it’s Still Important

Pollinator Week is still incredibly important to pollinator conservation. It highlights the role that bees, butterflies, and other insects play in our food systems and everyday lives.  Not only are they beautiful creatures, they also contribute 100s of billions of dollars globally every year by pollinating our food crops. This week is filled with educational events and is full of advocating for wildlife.

Historic Youngville Cafe Along Lincoln Highway National Heritage Byway

There are many ways to get involved!

Many of these events and activities are family-friendly and made for young and old alike. Everyone is invited to participate.

Online

At Home

  • Plant native plants
  • Sign the Pesticide Pledge by Good Neighbor Iowa
  • Provide clean water sources
  • Host/Join a nature walk
  • Build a bee house
    • Guide by Michigan State 
  • Turn off your outdoor lights at night for nocturnal polliantors
  • Leave your leaves for overwintering pollinators

Use Your Dollars

Iowa Women In Conservation

Iowa Women In Conservation

by | Mar 30, 2026

March is not only Iowa History Month, but also Women’s History Month!

While women have not always had recognition for their efforts, they have been involved.

Ada Hayden, 1884 – 1950

Photo from the Ada Hayden Collection, Iowa State University Library Digital Collections

One of the most well-known women in Iowa Conservation, Ada Hayden, was born in 1884 and grew up on a farm as an only child. Her home was in Franklin Township in Story County. She attended Iowa State College, which was later renamed Iowa State University. In 1908, she received a bachelor’s degree in botany. After receiving her master’s in botany from Washington University in 1910, she moved back home and worked toward getting her Ph.D from Iowa State College. In 1918, she was the 1st woman and 4th person overall to recieve a doctorate from ISU.

This was only the beginning of her passion for prairie. After her Ph.D, she worked as an assistant botany professor at ISU. In 1934, she became the curator of the herbarium on campus. She concentrated on prairie plants and is said to have created “possibly the best published native flora survey… of any part of Iowa”. She added over 14,000 specimens to the herbarium, many of which were from her family land.

In the 1940’s she began focusing more on prairie preservation. This however, is far from the first time that she thought about saving prairie. In 1919, she wrote an article about the importance of setting aside prairie for permanent preservation and research. She believed that prairie preserves serve as a living museum and field lab for scientists. In 1944 she helped write a report identifying areas of perservable prairie in Iowa. 

In 1950, at the age of 65, she died of cancer. Today, there is a beautiful prairie and park in Ames, IA, named after her. 

Herma Albertson Baggley, 1896 – 1981

Herma was born in Inwood, Iowa, on October 11th, 1896. She attended the University of Idaho and, while there, received her bachelor’s in botany with a minor in philosophy in 1921 and a master’s in botany in 1929. Over the summer in 1929 and 1930, she worked at Yellowstone National Park, giving talks about Old Faithful. Her entertaining and informative talks would draw in hundreds of people. Because of these talks, in 1931, she became the first woman to become a full-time naturalist with the National Parks Service. She helped design the first trail to Old Faithful, and in her 7 years as a naturalist, she wrote over 20 articles and coauthored Plants of Yellowstone National Park with Walter B McDougal. She also advocated for better living conditions for Park empluees and their families. She argued that improved housing and more benefits would help recruit better-qualified staff. 

Kathryn “Kitty” Hach-Darrow, 1922 – 2020

While not Iowa-born, Kitty did a lot of good work in Iowa. While attending Iowa State University, she met her husband, Clifford C. Hach, and they married in 1943. While working in a water treatment plant, Clifford had the idea for a simplified method of analysis that would allow workers to treat water with powdered formulas rather than the heavy chemical solutions they were using. In 1947, they co-founded the Hach Chemical Company based on this idea. They bought an acre of land in Ames, IA, to build their plant on. They also lived in an apartment on the plant with their 3 children.

As municipal standards for drinking water evolved, Kitty recognized the importance of water plant operators as a market and the need to work closely with them to provide long-term customer service. This drive for excellent service led to her creating a direct mail marketing campaign where she flew a plane with product directly to municipalities of all sizes. While operating this campaign, she flew over 7,000 hrs and became a part of the Ninety-Nines, an international group of women pilots.

In 1957, the Hachs won the American Water Works George Warren Fuller Award for distinguished service in the water supply field. In 1978, they moved their headquarters to Loveland, CO.

Kitty was known as an accomplished pilot and one of the top women business owners. She was also the first woman director of an international non-profit focused on better water quality, the American Water Works Association. Afterward she served on many AWWA committees, including the President’s Advisory Council.

These are only a handful of intelligent, caring, and passionate women who have helped shape today’s conservation. Without them and many others, we may not be where we are today. So thank you to the women of the past, who have paved the way for others. Without your struggle, roughly half of the population would not have the choice to be naturalists or conservationists.

A Year Later, Where Does the Monarch Butterfly Stand with its Listing Under the Endangered Species Act?

A Year Later, Where Does the Monarch Butterfly Stand with its Listing Under the Endangered Species Act?

by | Jan 5, 2026

In December of 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed adding the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) to the threatened species list under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). You can read their press release here. As part of the proposal, the agency also introduced a proposed 4(d) rule and a critical habitat designation focused on key overwintering sites in California. Typically, the U.S. Department of the Interior finalizes ESA listing decisions within one year of a proposal. However, a year later, no final ruling has been issued. Instead, we have less than that, we have a promise that maybe someday they will decide on it, keeping this incredibly important species in regulatory limbo, along with many other species awaiting listing or delisting decisions under the ESA.

This delay is only the latest chapter in a long and complex history surrounding efforts to protect the monarch butterfly. In fact, this iconic pollinator has been under consideration for ESA listing for more than a decade.

This is a flow chart from the US Fish and Wildlife Service showing the process for getting listed under the Endangered Species Act.

The saga actually started in August 2014 when a petition was filed with the USFWS from several reputable organizations, including Xerces Society, the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, and Dr. Lincoln Brower. They requested that the Monarch be listed as a threatened species with a 4(d) rule. Essentially, a 4(d) rule allows for continued conservation activities like monitoring, tagging, and rearing for educational purposes while still having protective actions in place.

 In December 2014 the USFWS released a 90-day finding on the proposal . They “found the petition presented substantial scientific or commercial information that indicated listing the monarch may be warranted (79 FR 78775) and initiated a range-wide status review.” They proceeded to issue 12-month findings on the petitions.

You would think that would lead to a decision in 2015, however more research was requested and they actually took 5 years to create an assessment of population trends, threats, and consult with stakeholders. Granted, collecting data takes time and isn’t always the easiest to sort through or coordinate. While the research was being done, the Monarch was flying its way into the hearts of millions. Classrooms, communities, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) were banding together to create habitat for the beloved butterfly. Many concerned individuals were planting milkweed, reducing pesticide use, tagging Monarchs, and planting flowering native plants.

Over the next five years, USFWS conducted extensive analyses while monarch conservation gained widespread public attention. 

Monarch and Bumblebee on Swamp Milkweed at Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor

Finally in September of 2020, the USFWS published their findings in the Monarch Species Status Assessment (SSA) Report. In this report they assessed the historical and current (2020) distribution of monarch populations, their status and health, identified key drivers of their health/decline, and their resiliency. Three months later, in December 2020, the USFWS announced their decision on listing the Monarch Butterfly under the ESA. They determined that the monarch should be listed as an endangered species, HOWEVER it was precluded due to higher-priority listing actions for other species that were in greater danger of extinction. The Monarch was categorized as a candidate species and the USFWS will review its status each year until it is finalized and published as a notice in the Federal Register, assuming it was still warranted.

In December of 2024, just a little over a year ago, the Monarch Butterfly was once again proposed as threatened under the ESA, along with a 4(d) rule and a critical habitat designation. This would have been a significant step in protecting the monarch butterfly. For 90 days following this proposal (Dec 12, 2024 – Mar 12, 2025) a comment period was open to the general public. Then the comment period was extended for another 60 days, meaning it ended in May 2025. Comments are essential to the proposal process and allows invested parties, such as scientists, organizations, individuals, and volunteer groups. Prairie Rivers, as well as many other conservation organizations,  sent in a comment in favor of listing the Monarch as Threatened. The USFWS received more than 186,000 comments during this period.

USFWS generally has up to one year after a proposal to review comments and data before issuing a final rule. That rule may modify the original proposal or finalize the listing as proposed, after which it is published in the Federal Register and takes effect within 60 days.  This listing would ensure the development of a recovery plan and provide clearer guidance for conservation actions.

As of December 15, 2025, roughly one year after the proposal, no final decision has been made. Recently, the Department of the Interior updated an agency rule list suggesting delays in the timeline for monarchs and other species awaiting listing/delisting actions to the ESA. The final rule for listing the monarch is now categorized as “Long-term Actions”. This means that the agency does not expect to act within the next year. Now, at the earliest, a final decision for the monarch would be the  fall of 2026, at the earliest.

monarch on swamp milkweed

This is a bar graph from Monarch Watch showing the overwintering populations of eastern monarchs. 6 hectares are needed to have a sustainable population. 

To say that this is a disappointment is an understatement. More than ever, monarchs need our help. Their populations have steadily declined and have been under stable repopulation numbers for the past few years. The Eastern population of monarchs (those in Iowa fall in this group)  have declined by 80% since the 1990s. “According to the most recent monarch Species Status Assessment, by 2080 the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56 to 74% and the probability of extinction for western monarchs is greater than 95%.” (USFWS). 

Without timely and decisive action, monarch butterflies could disappear within this generation.

Does Adding a Pollinator Garden Really Save You Money?

Does Adding a Pollinator Garden Really Save You Money?

by | Oct 31, 2025

Most people don’t think twice about what it costs to maintain a traditional lawn, but the numbers add up quickly. Let’s break down how much the average homeowner in Ames spends compared to maintaining a small pollinator garden.

Lawn Maintenance Costs

The average lawn in Ames is about 5,400 square feet, which is roughly the size of a basketball court. Mowing that space with a push mower uses about one-eighth of a gallon of gas per session, which costs around $0.37 each time. During the growing season (March through October), homeowners mow about 23 times, spending $8.51 per year on gas.

Watering Costs

Keeping grass green takes about one inch of water per week. That is roughly 3,364 gallons for a 5,400-square-foot yard per watering session. Depending on rainfall and frequency, watering 10–20 times a year costs between $129 and $329.33 annually in Ames.

Fertilizer and Pesticides

Most people fertilize three times a year, which adds up to $120 annually. Common lawn chemicals—like insecticides and weed killers—cost another $135 per year.

Time Investment

An average of 2.5 hrs a week are spent on lawns with about 26 weeks in the season. Meaning we are spending 65 hours a year on lawn maintenance. 

Total Lawn Costs

1 year: $348.01 to $547.84 and 65 hours

3 years: $1,044.03 to $1,643.52 and 195 hours

5 years: $1,740.05 to $2,739.20 and 325 hours

10 years: 3,480.10 to $5,478.40 and 650 hours

Pollinator Garden Costs

Now let’s compare that to a small 10×10-foot (100-square-foot) native pollinator garden.

Seeds and Plants

Seeds are often inexpensive or free through programs like the City of Ames rebates or the Prairie Rivers of Iowa Native Seed Bank. The seed for such a small area is only $5.

If using native plant plugs at about $4 each, it is recommended to have one per square foot. You would need 25 plants, costing $400. 

Mowing and Watering Costs

In the first year, the area is mowed about four times to control weeds, less than 50 cents in gas for the year.
Watering costs vary. Watering 10–20 times a year ranges from $2.40 to $4.80 the first year, dropping by half the second year, and none the third as plants fully establish.

Time Investment

The first year involves about 16 hours of work total: seeding/planting, and weekly weeding. In later years, maintenance drops to light weeding—around 13 hours per year.

Total Pollinator Garden Cost

1 year: $7.88 to $405.28 and 16 hours

3 years: $9.32 to $407.92 and 42 hours

5 years: $9.32 to $407.92 and 68 hours

10 years: $9.32 to $407.92 and 133 hours

Comparing the Two

You now have the numbers to compare keeping your traditional lawn or adding a pollinator garden. These numbers are vastly different, but keep in mind they are not yet in the same scale. The lawn total is for 5,400 sq ft, while the pollinator garden is for 100 sq ft. Below I will break them down into cost per 100 sq ft to better compare them.

Traditional Lawn

1 year: $6.44 to $10.15

3 years: $19.33 to $30.44

5 years: $32.22 to $50.73

10 years: $64.45 to $104.52

Pollinator Garden

1 year: $7.88 to $405.28

3 years: $9.32 to $407.92

5 years: $9.32 to $407.92

10 years: $9.32 to $407.92

Over time, a pollinator garden requires far less water, chemicals, and fuel than a traditional lawn, saving money and hours while supporting bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. A native pollinator garden pays for itself within a few seasons and creates beauty and biodiversity that benefit the whole community.

An Interview With a Botanical Artist

An Interview With a Botanical Artist

by | Aug 27, 2025

I got the chance to talk with Amy Welch, a local artist, about her beautiful watercolor botanical paintings.

She is a retired Physician Assistant who splits her time between Ames, Iowa, and Austin, Texas.  She has loved art from childhood and took art classes throughout high school. Art took a backseat as she continued her education, had children, jobs, and engaged in her community. After her 40-year hiatus from art, she retired from a long career in mental health and medicine in 2017. With her newfound time, she took up art again, starting with a local class in acrylics, then a workshop in oil, and then watercolor. The real fun started when she took a nature journaling class.  Amy calls this her “gateway drug to botanical illustration”.  She is in the final stretch of a multiyear Diplomate program in botanical illustration through the Society of Botanical Artists in London.  After getting certified, she hopes to teach Nature Journaling and Botanical Illustration.

Below is my interview with her.

What inspired you to focus on native milkweed and pollinators in your latest project?

This painting was created as part of a project for the Central Texas Botanical Artists circle – we are depicting Texas natives and their pollinators.  We hope to exhibit our work for educational purposes.  As for the milkweeds…. I have been obsessed with them for the last few years.  Here in Texas, they start to bloom in March – with the Antelope Horn  (Asclepias asperula) as the most common.  I am mesmerized by their architecture.  There are also stunning Pearl Vine and Plateau, and Star milkweeds here that I just love (the Matalea genus). When we return to Ames for the summer, I am met with the absolutely gorgeous Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) at Ada Hayden and other places around the city.  I was thrilled to see that the City of Ames has planted them at the community pool.  The Common milkweeds have such a tactile component to them – they are simply great to touch!  With your help, I discovered the Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) this summer here in Iowa, and in Colorado, the Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), to add to my project list. I have a few others already as well. My goal is to spend the winter painting all of these and, in the spring, have an educational presentation as well as an  art exhibit titled “The Art and Architecture of Milkweeds.”  

Your paintings beautifully capture the delicate world of native plants. Do you have a personal connection to nature that influences your art?

I have been a docent and regular volunteer at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center for the past 8 years. Our mission is to inspire the conservation of native plants. I spend a part of most of my days there when possible, either in the formal parts of the gardens or out in the remaining 250 acres of “Texas Scrub”. We are the state botanical garden and also the state arboretum but only have natives. As I have progressed in my art career I now pretty much stick to doing native plants whether from Iowa, Texas or wherever I travel. I also love painting seed pods,  diseased leaves,  broken branches,  and other not traditionally “pretty” things.  I  have just recently added insects as pollinators and really want my artwork to tell a story and further the mission of preserving our environment.

Many people think of milkweed as just another weed, but your work highlights its importance. What do you see when you look at a patch of native milkweed? 

When I see a whole field of them I feel that something is going right for a change! I see the cycle of life as it is supposed to be. I look for bees and other insects. I look for eggs or evidence of caterpillars. I see the complicated architecture of the florets and the graceful structure of the leaves. I look at what plants are growing around them or between them. It is kind of embarrassing, but I also talk to them and say things like “hello,  you weren’t blooming last week but look at you now!”   My friends are used to this.  Doing this type of painting allows one to have a special level of intimacy with the subject.

If someone could take only one message away from your art, what would you hope it would be? 

To always take “notice” of the natural world and respect it, and realize we are only a small part of it.  To look at its complexity and beauty, and how it has adapted and evolved to survive.

Your project feels like a bridge between science and creativity. How do you balance the accuracy of depicting pollinators with your own artistic interpretation? 

 I try to depict them as accurately as possible – I use my own photos and make sure I get as much information as possible with them, adding sketchbook drawings and measurements, and color matches.  For the insects, I will look for supplemental photos to help me depict them correctly.   The process is pretty lengthy and involves initial drawing, then tracing over them, and then inking, and then tracing them onto the watercolor paper.  Adjustments are made constantly, and I am always referring back to the original photos or the specimen in front of me.  I wear a head magnifier at all times.   The paper I use is “hot press” and so the process is quite laborious, and I may have 60 total hours in a complicated piece.

How do you see art playing a role in conservation and raising awareness about native species? 

Art grabs people’s attention and then opens them up for a conversation about what is on the canvas.  My greatest thrill is when I am giving a tour or showing a piece of work, and someone will say, “I will look at things differently next time I go for a hike or a walk”.

Do you focus on specific pollinators in your work, and if so, why? 

I have just started with insects.  I am getting ready to take a series of classes on bees and butterflies/moths from a Chicago artist.  I will wait a bit for birds but some of my favorite flowers here are pollinated by hummingbirds and I hope to work on them as well. 

Have you learned anything new about pollinators or native plants while creating these works?

Female bees have pollen sacks on their “hips” to take back to the hives while males just eat it themselves. I am learning the types of Texas bees, butterflies, moths, and insects with the help of the staff at the LBJWFC and the SEEK app.

What’s one fact about pollinators that you wish everyone knew? 

Bees cannot see red,  and love blue.  So…. The florets on a Bluebonnets (the state flower of Texas) turn red as they age and  since they are already likely pollinated the bees will see them as grey and go for the newer blue one!  Very efficient for the flower and the bee.  Also with lupines and some other related plants, the fused wing petals will act as a landing pad for bees who are drawn in by banner petal of other nectar guides.  The weight of the bee will cause the wing petals to open up and the reproductive parts, in a sharp fused keel,  will poke the bee in the belly,  achieving pollen exchange.  That is the sex life of the bluebonnet! 

Do you have plans to expand this project or create other pieces focusing on wildlife and habitat?

I will likely expand to other plant families.

Where can people view, purchase your work, or follow your artistic journey?  

I have a website “Amy Welch’s Kitchen Table Studio” and am on Instagram (amy.welch.64.art) and Facebook. I have giclee prints on display and for sale at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center Art Gallery, and will have a large exhibition from February 1st through April 1st 2026, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames.  These will also be giclee prints and will be for sale through MGMC.  I  can also be contacted directly via email adwelch8@gmail.com.

I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about Amy’s process and background in art. 

Thirsty Wings: How to Add a Pollinator Oasis to Your Garden

Thirsty Wings: How to Add a Pollinator Oasis to Your Garden

by | Jun 26, 2025

Summer is here, and with the rising temperatures, we all need to stay hydrated—including pollinators. These hardworking creatures are busy in your backyard, and being a good Midwestern neighbor means giving them a little help. One simple way? Offer a safe water source.

Adding a water feature to your balcony, patio, garden, or yard is an easy and effective way to support wildlife and help them thrive.

Why Pollinators Need Water

Bees, butterflies, and other invertebrates rely on water to stay hydrated—especially during hot, dry days. Social bees use water to regulate the temperature and humidity inside their hives. Butterflies and moths are often seen sipping from puddles, not just for hydration but also to absorb minerals and nutrients—a behavior known as puddling.

You may even notice small bees or butterflies landing on you to sip your sweat. They’re not just being curious—they’re searching for moisture, salt, and other nutrients. Bees also use water to dilute stored honey and aid in digestion.

What About Natural Water Sources?

Sure, there are natural water sources like ponds and rivers, but for an insect, those look like vast oceans. A bee or butterfly venturing too close to a pond might get eaten by a fish—or drown if there’s no safe landing spot.

Historically, puddles and dewdrops served as safer alternatives. But today, many puddles contain runoff from roads and lawns, often contaminated with pesticides or other toxins. In cities, puddles evaporate quickly on hot concrete, and even moist soil is hard to come by.

What Can You Do?

Creating a safe water source for pollinators is simple and rewarding. Start by choosing a good location—if you’re on a balcony or deck, place your water dish near potted plants. In a yard, look for spots with high insect activity, such as near a log pile, compost area, or bare soil. Use a shallow container like a dish, plate, or birdbath, and fill it with water. To make it safe, add pebbles, marbles, or small sticks so pollinators have a place to land and perch while they drink, preventing them from drowning. Be sure to keep the water fresh by changing it every couple of days, which also helps prevent mosquitoes from breeding. 

Add a Pond

If you have some space, consider installing a pond for a larger-scale impact. A small backyard pond can support a surprising amount of biodiversity, such as birds, frogs, and rabbits.  You don’t need a big yard or fancy equipment to build one. With a bit of planning, some basic materials, and a little time, you can create a thriving mini-ecosystem right outside your door.

Start by choosing a location that gets partial sunlight—too much sun encourages algae, while too little limits plant growth. Avoid areas where rain runoff collects, as it may carry pollutants like pesticides.

Next, dig a shallow hole with gently sloping sides and varying depths (12–24 inches is ideal). Include a shallow shelf or area near the edge where insects and birds can safely access water. Line the pond with a flexible pond liner or use a pre-formed plastic basin. Secure the edges with rocks, bricks, or soil to keep it in place.

Fill the pond with water, ideally rainwater. If using tap water, let it sit for a day or two to allow chlorine to dissipate. Add rocks, logs, or branches around and in the pond to provide perches and hiding spots. Make sure there’s a gentle ramp or slope so animals can get in and out easily.

Include native aquatic plants, like duckweed, pickerelweed, or blue flag iris. They help oxygenate the water, provide shade, absorb excess nutrients (which prevents algae), and create habitat. Avoid adding fish, as they can eat tadpoles, insect larvae, and eggs.

You can also add a small fountain or dripper. Moving water helps keep mosquitoes away and oxygenates the pond. Just make sure it’s gentle—pollinators and frogs prefer calm areas.

Once set up, let nature take over. Within days, you can spot dragonflies, bees, or even frogs visiting your new mini-ecosystem. Keep the pond free of chemicals and avoid over-cleaning—natural debris helps balance the habitat.

A small pond can have a big impact. With just a little effort, you can turn a corner of your yard into a thriving wildlife refuge.

Now get out in your yard and help save the pollinators!

Don’t Pull Those Weeds and Help the Bees!

Don’t Pull Those Weeds and Help the Bees!

by | Apr 18, 2025

You might think it is time to start cleaning up your yard and gardens. The sun has finally come out, and everything is starting to warm up. As little flowers start popping up all over your yard, you might be tempted to pull them, but don’t, or at least hold off for a little longer! 

Did you know that there are over 40 million acres of turfgrass in the U.S., and roughly 2/3rds of that is home lawns. This contributes to the habitat loss that pollinators are facing. The least we can do is let a couple of weeds grow for a while.

Dandelions, Violets, Creeping Charlie, and Henbit are only a handful of blooming weeds that help provide critical nectar resources for pollinators! Leaving the weeds also helps reduce soil erosion and soil compaction. Once other plants and trees start flowering, and it is consistently 50°F or above, you can start getting your yards and gardens ready. This is when insects are out of diapause, something we would think of as hibernation, and there are plenty of nectar resources available.

If you don’t want to leave the weeds, but still want to help the bees, here is one alternative! You can plant native early spring blooming species! This actually helps pollinators more than just leaving the weeds because they provide more nutrients and nectar resources. Our native pollinators coevolved with these native Spring Ephemerals, meaning that they actually seek them out!

Below is a list of great species you could plant in your gardens or even in pots!

Pasque Flower  Anemone patens

Sun: Full

Soil: Dry, native to Loess Hills area

Height: 6 inches

Bloom time: April, May

Plant in rock or dry prairie gardens, goes well with Prairie Smoke, Blue-eyed Grass, and June Grass

Shooting Star Dodecatheon meadia

Sun: Part Shade

Soil: Dry to Medium

Height: Up to 20 inches

Bloom Time: April, June

Grows in prairies and woodland edges, naturally found in high quality sites.

Grows well with Golden Alexanders, Wild Geranium

Prairie Smoke Geum Triflorum

Sun: Full

Soil: Dry to Medium

Height: 1 foot

Bloom Time: May, June

Plant in rock or dry gardens, goes well with Pussy Toes, Nodding Wild Onion, and Golden Alexander

Dutchman’s Breeches Dicentra cucullaria

Sun: Part Shade to Full Shade

Soil: Moist, well drained

Height: 4 – 12 inches

Bloom Time: April, May

Plant in rich soil that gets a lot of shade as this plant is a woodland species.

Virginia Bluebells Martensia virginica

Sun: Part Shade to Full Shade

Soil: Moist to Wet

Height: 1 – 2.5 feet

Bloom Time: April, June

They love sun in early Spring but need a shaded area as Summer begins.  These plants transplant quite well, but not tolerant of sunny dry locations.

All in all, anything you can do to reduce pesticide use, create habitat and nectar resources, or increase nesting sites is a huge help in pollinator conservation. You don’t have to do a lot to have an impact on these small but mighty creatures.

I challenge you to take a walk around your yard, garden, or some green space. I want you to take it slow so you can notice all of the life that depends on the Earth. Look at all of the insects moving around, filling their niches. See all of the birds feeding on these insects and helping control populations. Notice the squirrels spreading the seeds of trees. Observe how the breeze moves the plants or how the plants move toward the sunlight. 

 

It is up to YOU to help keep our environment healthy and thriving.

Create a Native Plant Sensory Garden!

Create a Native Plant Sensory Garden!

by | Feb 24, 2025

Spring is around the corner and that means it’s time to plan our gardens! A fun garden to add to your yard is a sensory garden. A sensory garden involves all of your senses (taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight) making it a great learning opportunity for young children,  adults with mental disabilities, or really anyone! It stimulates your mind and allows you to connect with nature. These are the plants I would use if I wanted to create an Iowa native sensory garden!

Rattlesnake master

Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium

Sense: Touch

This fun-looking plant would be perfect to stimulate your sense of touch, especially as fall approaches and it becomes more prickly. They are the larval host plant for Eryngium Stem Borer Moth and the Flower Feeding Moths. This wildflower is mostly pollinated by nectar eating wasps.

Plant Needs:

  • Full sun
  • Moist to medium soil
Monarch and Bumblebee on Swamp Milkweed

Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Sense: Smell

This plant is the host plant for the Monarch Butterfly and is a brilliant purple when in bloom. The blooms smell like bubblegum! 

Plant Needs:

  • Full to part shade
  • Moist soil
Narrow-leaved purple coneflower

Pale Purple Coneflower Echinacea pallida

Sense: Touch, Sight, Taste

Pale Purple Coneflower is native to most of Iowa whereas Purple coneflower is more of a garden variety and not native to Story County. The brilliant purple petals are used for herbal teas. The seed head is spikey so use caution when touching.

Plant Needs:

  • Full to part sun
  • Medium to dry soil

Bead Grass Paspalum setaceum michx

Sense: Touch

Bead grass is super fun to seed harvest! the little seeds are like seed beads and you can just use your hand to strip the seeds off.

Plant Needs:

  • Full sun
  • Warm season grass
  • Dry soil

Gray-headed Coneflower Ratibida pinnata

 Sense: Smell, Sight

These yellow flowers are the larval hosts of the Wavey Lined Emerald Moth. Long Horned Bees love Gray headed Coneflower and can be seen covered in pollen on top of them.

Plant Needs:

  • Full sun
  • Dry soil
Bee balm

Bee Balm Monarda Fistulosa

Sense: Taste

They are a pollinator favorite and one of the best forage plants for bumble bees. they are the larval host plant of Hermit Sphinx Moths and Snout Moths. They are in the mint family and have a square stem. The petals also taste minty and can be made into a tea.

Plant Needs:

  • Full to part sun
  • Prefers dry soils
Bee balm

Wild White Indigo Baptisia alba

Sense:  Sound

They are the larval host plant of the Slouded Sulpher butterfly, Genista Broom Moth, and Black-Spotted Prominent Moth. Bumble bees are the primary pollinators of wild white indigo.

Plant Needs:

  • Full to part sun
  • Prefers dry soils

Now get out there and grow some native plants! Don’t forget to tag Prairie Rivers in your native gardens on Facebook.