Monarch butterflies like to eat various species of milkweed, which have a bitter juice, that makes their caterpillars unappealing to predators.

Milkweed and the Monarchs

Focus on Flowers is a weekly podcast and public radio program about flower gardening hosted by master gardener Moya Andews.

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Scientists are concerned that the use of toxic pesticides and the decreasing amount of wild habitat may be affecting flower pollination. They studied wild pansies growing in fields across Europe that are generally pollinated by bees but can also use their own pollen to self-fertilize, using its own genes to produce new seeds, which is more limited than sexual reproduction that mixes DNA.

Flower Sex

All of May, cranesbill geranium 'Bevan' is covered in pink flowers, and the rest of the year, he has lovely fresh-looking green leaves.

Bevan

A quote by Vita Sackville West about ground covers.

Carpeting

Dandelions light up our lawns each spring with bright yellow flowers.

Spring Dandelions

Before the invention of photography, illustrations of uncommon plants were crucial. Women were thought to be especially well suited for drawing specimens accurately. They were seen as patient, careful, and willing to work for little pay.

Milkweed and the Monarchs

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