Summer Raingarden Maintenance
I hope you’ve been enjoying your time in the garden this summer and if you just haven’t had the time to do much maintenance yet (gasp!) it’s about time you… Read More →
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East Calhoun Neighborhood Of Raingardens
Last weekend, 14 families in the East Calhoun neighborhood of Minneapolis spent some time getting dirty and helping out the environment. What were they doing? Planting their raingardens of course!… 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 →
Oxeye Sunflower
Family: Asteraceae Scientific Name: Heliopsis helianthoides A native perennial in Minnesota, most often found in full sunlight and dry to moderate soil conditions in prairies, roadsides, edges of fields and open woods.… Read More →
Springtime Raingarden Maintenance
Now that the sun is finally beginning to shine a little longer and our days are getting a bit warmer (I said a bit, not a LOT warmer yet), we… 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 →
Don’t Let Spring Melt The Erosion And Sediment Controls On Your Site
First published by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Erosion issues are at their worst in the spring with melting snow and lots of rain. Before snow melt or rainfall, make… 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 →
Switchgrass
Family: Poaceae (Grasses) Scientific Name: Panicum virgatum Native warm season perennial grass favoring dry to moist habitats, especially along shores, but occurs naturally on prairies, oak and pine woodlands, and… Read More →
Biography Of The Month
To kick off a new year of staff, board and volunteer biographies (that’s right volunteers, I’m coming for you next) I interviewed Bryan Pynn, Metro Blooms’ director of design and… Read More →
Rock For Raingardens Re-Cap
Last Wednesday Metro Blooms’ Rock for Raingardens event took place at the Fine Line Cafe in downtown Minneapolis. Metro Blooms board members and staff, friends of the bands, landscape design… Read More →
Rock For Raingardens
It’s that time of year again, you know, the time to dance, be entertained by good music and funny landscape architects and celebrate raingardens! In other words, it’s time for… Read More →
Minnesota Daily
U profs to sing for sustainability
Southwest Minneapolis Patch
Metro Blooms “Rock for Raingardens” at Fine Line Music Cafe
Biography Of The Month
Metro Blooms’ biography for the month of November (I know it’s really December, but only by three days!) is highlighting our executive director, Becky Rice. Becky may be the only… 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 →
Garden Awards 2012
Metro Blooms hosted their annual Garden Awards last Thursday evening at Columbia Manor to recognize those who beautify our city and protect our environment with their gardens. The awards were… Read More →
Hurricane Sandy Affects Water Quality
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy flood water has been contaminated with everything from raw sewage to floating debris to small ocean dwelling organisms. You have to wonder, “where will… Read More →
Biography Of The Month
Metro Blooms has been thinking, “wouldn’t it be nice if the people we work with and outreach to knew us on a more personal level so we could really connect?”… Read More →
Wild Columbine
Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family) Scientific Name: Aquilegia canadensis Native and hardy early spring perennial which favors a variety of habitats including dry or even low woodlands, meadows, roadsides, peat bogs and bluffs… 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 →
A Visit To The Garden State
Sometimes it’s nice to see the flowers of another region. Nick, our MN GreenCorps member recently took a trip to New Jersey. Lucky enough, it was right when fields upon… 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 →
Culver’s Root
Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort) Scientific Name: Veronicastrum virginicum Native, colonizing wildflower from 3-6′ tall that grows in rich woods and moist prairies. Has a central taproot as well as underground running… Read More →
A Summer Of Garden Awards!
Mpls– It’s time for the Garden Awards! Nominations are being collected until August 6th: Anyone can nominate a garden on our nominations page. Everyone knows a garden or two they pass on… Read More →
Blooming Schoolyards
S. MPLS– This Spring, Metro Blooms has been submersed in the world of Environmental Education. To develop the Blooming Schoolyards program, we teamed up with Minneapolis Public Schools and STEM… Read More →
Splash Rocks And Dry Creeks
As water flows into a raingarden, the entrance point often receives the most stress from the incoming force of water. If water is coming off the street or driveway, this is also… Read More →
Prairie Smoke
Family: Rosaceae (Rose) Scientific Name: Geum triflorum Native Early Spring perennial favoring sunny, dry fields, prairies and open woodlands Watch for: Bunches of red/pink flowers bursting into a fuzz-like “smoke”. Leaves… Read More →