What Is Blooming Alleys All About?
Blooming Alleys is a program of Metro Blooms that aims to protect waterways, create habitat, and transform communities by working with blocks of residents to re-imagine what their alleyway looks like… Read More →
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Searched for: summer
2014 Triumphs And Lessons Learned
Wow. I know I said last year was busy, but 2014 was so busy we hardly had time to blog about, well, anything. Over the last 12 months we’ve worked… Read More →
Seasonal Raingarden Maintenance Practices
Seasonal Raingarden Maintenance Practices Each season has a small list of tasks associated with good raingarden maintenance practices. By staying on top of maintenance each season, problems can be avoided… Read More →
Green Streets For Blue Waters
Hello All, We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the participants of the Bloomington Green Streets for Blue Waters program for taking part in this important project and give… Read More →
Blooming Alley Tour & Happy Hour
Written by Aleli Balagtas Come see Metro Blooms’ first Blooming Alley, and rediscover back alleys. The idea is to look beyond garbage cans and garages and envision alleys as inviting,… Read More →
Lake Nokomis Alley Get-Together
On April 12th, 2014 more then 35 neighbors from two blocks in the Lake Nokomis watershed got together to reimagine their alleyway. Why? How? Where? Was there food? you may be… Read More →
Prairie Dropseed
Family: Poaceae Scientific Name: Sporobolus heterolepis This perennial prairie grass is native to the Central and Eastern United States and Canada. It requires full sun and prefers well-drained soils. For that reason,… Read More →
Volunteer Spotlight: Mark Pedelty
For our first Volunteer Spotlight, we have Mark Pedelty, a University of Minnesota professor whose involvement with Metro Blooms stems from some really interesting experiences. You might ask why a… Read More →
2013 Triumphs And Lessons Learned
As 2013 winds to an end, we find ourselves spending a lot of time planning for NEXT year. At Metro Blooms we’re writing work plans for 2014, anxiously awaiting the… Read More →
Queen Of The Prairie
Family: Rosaceae Scientific Name: Filipendula rubra Queen of the Prairie is a rare, native perennial that favors high quality habitat. Named filum for “thread” and pendulus for “hanging”, this plant’s name refers to some species’… Read More →
Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle
Family: Caprifoliaceae Scientific Name: Diervilla lonicera A fast-growing deciduous shrub, the Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle is insensitive to changes in light and is found in woody, shaded sites as well as exposed, rocky sites.… Read More →
Neighborhood Of Raingarden Installations 2013
Throughout the summer and fall of 2013, Metro Blooms has been working hard with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa to install raingardens in five different neighborhoods in Minneapolis.… Read More →
Warm Season Weeding
Weeds. They can be daunting at times, especially when you’re looking at your garden or yard thinking, these can’t ALL be weeds, can they?! Weeds can be tricky to identify,… Read More →
Blooming Schoolyards 2013
Many Metro Blooms supporters have not heard of Blooming Schoolyards, Metro Blooms’ K-12 outdoor classroom education program. And what a shame that is because I can tell you from experience… Read More →
Ohio Spiderwort
Family: Commelinaceae Scientific Name: Tradescantia ohiensis Native early summer perennial favoring slightly dry to moist habitats. Often found along the south side of ditches, in prairies and in meadows. Watch for:… Read More →
The History Of Lake Nokomis
This past Tuesday, myself, Mark Pedelty (a professor at the U of MN), and three of his students had the pleasure of learning about the history of Lake Nokomis from… Read More →
Raingardens And Beyond Workshops, Soon To Be At A Community Center Near You!
Schnazy new title, and some new information too. This year Metro Blooms’ classic Raingarden Workshops are doing just what the new title says…they’re going beyond the do-it-yourself approach to raingarden design… Read More →
Lake Nokomis Water Quality Survey
Metro Blooms has recently taken on its largest survey yet. Throughout February we’ve been prepping, administering and entering oodles of data from our first ever KAP study (KAP stands for… Read More →
End Of The Year Update
As the end of 2012 approaches Metro Blooms is looking back on some of the big moments we had this year. As always we started the year out with a… Read More →
Blue Flag Iris
Family: Iridaceae Scientific Name: Iris versicolor Native emergent summer perennial favoring marshes, wet meadows, forested wetlands and shorelines. Watch for: Large blue to blue-violet showy flowers from May to July. Flowers often contain… Read More →
Create A Compost Pile With Your Fall Leaves
Now that our warm summer has ended and our trees have all turned yellow, orange and red, we know what inevitably comes next. I’m sure by now you’ve wondered a… Read More →
Compass Plant
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower) Scientific Name: Silphium laciniatum Course, hairy perennial herb with large woody root stocks, 3 to 10 ft tall, usually with a single, unbranched stem. Likes open prairies, and roadsides in… Read More →
Cool Season Weeding
As mid-May surprises us with it’s vigor and business, so does the Spring weeds! Here’s some tips and pics for starting the year in control of the gardener’s ancient nemesis. Watch for… Read More →
Asters: Purple Dome/ New England
Family: Asteraceae Scientific Name: Aster novae-angliae As a prime example of a native plant which is highly cultivated, this entry will look at both. New England Aster is a very… Read More →
Boneset
Family: Asteracea (Sunflower) Scientific name: Eupatorium perfoliatum Native perennial wildflower from 2-4 ft tall. Prefers low, moist to wet soils with plenty of organic material, with full to partial sun.… Read More →
The High Line: A Harmony Of Plants, Materials, And Space
NEW YORK– This Thanksgiving, I chose to visit the High Line, a world famous park built on top of an abandoned elevated train line above Manhattan’s West Side. The park… Read More →
Butterfly Milkweed
Family: Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed) Scientific Name: Asclepias tuberosa Perennial herb found on roadways, abandoned farmlands, open woodlands, and prairies. Sandy, loamy, or rocky limestone soils. Watch for: Lance-shaped alternate leaves smooth… Read More →
Blazing Star
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower) Scientific Name: Liatris punctata Perennial herb of prairies and native pastures. Dry, course soils. Watch for: Purple star-shaped flowers arranged in spikelike groups at the ends of stems.… Read More →
Big Blue Stem
Family: Poacaea (Grass) Scientific Name: Andropogon Gerardii Prairies (clay, black soil, sand), savannas, grassy fens (wetlands), well-managed native pastures, roadsides. The most common grass of the native tall grass prairie.… Read More →
Powderhorn Leaf Raking 2011
When it comes to late fall in Minnesota we’re all lucky to get a perfect warm sunny day that lands on the weekend! Last Saturday (11/12), Metro Blooms and local… Read More →