“Icy Golden Alexander” by Richard Hitt

Plant(s): Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
Photo Story: A freezing rain in early February 2023 left lots of plants encased in ice. The double umbel inflorescence of Golden Alexander is outlined by the ice in this photo.
Equipment: Nikon Z7
Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S
Photo ID: 33107

“Chippie and cuppie” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Photo Story: I have photos of butterflies, bees, and birds on the cup plant so was thrilled to add the delightful acrobatics of this chipmunk going for what must be delicious and/or nutritious seeds!
Equipment: Nikon D850 200-500 mm f/5.6
Photo ID: 33108

“Monarda seeds delish” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Photo Story: The goldfinches have been enjoying the seeds from the buffet of native plants in the yard, including the Monarda fistulosa (Bergamot). The tiny seeds are visible on and around its beak! Maybe this is how the bergamot travels so easily around the yard? No complaints from me – it brings an incredible amount of life with it!
Equipment: Nikon D850 200-500 mm f/5.6
Photo ID: 33110

“Lunch” by Gloria Powell

Plant(s): *Asclepias sullivantii (Prairie Milkweed) *Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Danaidae), caterpillar (Monarch caterpillar)
Photo Story: I caught this fat cat munching on a prairie milkweed in the backyard.
Equipment: iPhone 8
Photo ID: 33111

“Acres of fun” by Catherine McKenzie

Plant(s): Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Photo Story: A few years ago my friends planted a couple of acres with native plant seed. They have been enjoying the prairie progression ever since. This year they loved the explosion of pinnate prairie coneflower and they are looking forward to more of the purple coneflowers that started to appear for the first time.
Equipment: Nikon D850 16-35 mm f/4
Photo ID: 33113

“Backyard oasis” by Cathy Stein

Plant(s): Tall coreopsis (Coreopsis Tripteris); Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium); Redbud (Cercis canadensis); Dotted horsemint (Monarda punctata); Virginia Mountainmint (Pycnanthemum virginianum);Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta); Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca); Joe Pye (Eutrochium purpureum); Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa); Blue vervain (verbana;

(Not shown: Wild Lupine (Lupinus L.), and Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa L.)
Photo Story: In 2019, I decided I’d had enough of my boring backyard and had a professional design and install some natives. This is the result two years later (August 2021)
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 33124

“Amaze for Days” by Cathy Stein

Plant(s): Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata); Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Photo Story: Granddaughter picking flowers for her dad.
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 33125

“Clinging to Life” by Olimpia Gutierrez

Plant(s): Tupelo tree
Photo Story: This photo was taken during my yearly spring visit to the Indiana Dunes National Park Heron Rookery. It shows a tree that grew on the bank of the east arm of the Little Calumet River. At some point some of the bank must have eroded leaving the roots of the tree exposed.
Equipment: Iphone SE
Photo ID: 33130

“The Circle of Life” by Olimpia Gutierrez

Plant(s): Mouse, species unknown, Wasps, species unknown
Photo Story: This photo was taken during a walk in Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond, IN. I found it very peculiar for (what i believe are to be) wasps to be harvesting something for a dead mouse. I had never heard of anything like this before.
Equipment: Iphone SE
Photo ID: 33131

“Front yard oasis” by Cathy Stein

Plant(s): Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium); blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta); Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca); J Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa); Blue vervain (verbana; Butterfly milkweed ( Asclepias tuberosa L.); White heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides);purple coneflower (Echinacea); Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Photo Story: I decided to go cold turkey on turf lawn. This was the second year growth.
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 33133

“Backyard oasis 2” by Cathy Stein

Plant(s): Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium);Dotted horsemint (Monarda punctata);Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa L.)
Photo Story: Dog enjoys native plant oasis.
Equipment: iPhone 11
Photo ID: 33141

“My Turn” by Lorraine Possanza

Plant(s): Lobelia with bee and butterflies
Photo Story: Lorraine Possanza, My Turn, taken at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA
Equipment: iPhone telephoto camera 52mm f2.4 ISO 16 118mm
Photo ID: 33180

“Native Plants are Beautiful” by Nathalie Shanstrom

Plant(s): Hibiscus laevis, Smooth Rose Mallow (with Viburnum opulus var. americanum, American Highbush Cranberry, in the background)
Photo Story: Hibiscus laevis, Smooth Rose Mallow (with Viburnum opulus var. americanum, American Highbush Cranberry, in the background) in my back yard
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy 22
Photo ID: 33193

“Summer Splendor” by Nathalie Shanstrom

Plant(s): Many native plants, including Indian Grass, Prairie Dock, White Wild Indigo, iwth Monarch Butterfly on a Blazing Star
Photo Story: Summer splendor at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy 22
Photo ID: 33195

“Dragonfly” by Susan Bahneman

Plant(s): Dragonfly feeding on Verbinum
Photo Story: N/A
Equipment: Iphone
Photo ID: 33217

“Hibiscus Turret Bee” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Hibiscus Turret Bee (Ptilothrix bombiformis) on Eastern Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
Photo Story: I love watching the bees in my garden; many species visit, and I’m still learning their names. One of my favorites is the Hibiscus Turret Bee. This bee is a specialist on Hibiscus spp. I first saw a Hibiscus Bee gathering pollen from my Eastern Rose Mallow in the summer of 2022. She collected pollen differently than I had observed other bees. She used her back feet to roll pollen and nectar into a ball, also called bee bread, on which she would lay an egg in the nest she built in the ground.

I look forward to seeing these bees every summer and learning more about the creatures I share my yard with.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33258

“Purple + Blue Parking” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis) and Northern Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)
Photo Story: Finding this dense planting of Blue False Indigo, Northern Blue Flag Iris, and other native species alongside a back parking lot was a delightful surprise. It’s a great example of often-overlooked space being used to create habitat. Instead of turf grass, mulch, or concrete, there is beauty for us, food, and shelter for wildlife.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33261

“It’s a wonderful life” by Jenny Lynne Elledge

Plant(s): Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa
Photo Story: I was totally delighted to see this little guy right after getting my garden certified as an official Monarch Watch Waystation.
Equipment: The shot was taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark lll w/ Canon 100mm Macro lens
Photo ID: 33263

“Grace Unfolding” by Jenny Lynne Elledge

Plant(s): Monarch Butterfly on Meadow Blazing Star- Liatris ligulistylis
Photo Story: This photo was taken in my native garden. I am always amazed at the beautiful grace and energy of monarchs.
Equipment: The shot was taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark lll w/ Canon 100mm Macro lens
Photo ID: 33264

“Saint Kateri Preserve at Calvary Cemetery” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Prairie planting (early in season), Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) off to the side
Photo Story: Saint Kateri Preserve is a lovely site for the living and the dead. It’s a natural burial site in Calvary Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio. Prairie plants grow throughout, and burial plots are marked with large boulders engraved with a loved one’s name. I am interested in green burial for myself and found it soothing to visit and walk along the pathways in the preserve. Being part of this ecosystem after I’ve died is comforting to me. This small burial ground is full of life rather than a stark reminder of death.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33265

“Ferns at Conkles Hollow” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Unidentified ferns, likely in the Polypodiaceae class
Photo Story: The hike this photo is from is one of the very few I took at Conkle’s Hollow this past spring. The drizzle when we started our hike quickly turned into a downpour. Standing near a tree or cliff overhang provided little shelter, so we powered along the trail, carefully avoiding stepping in deep puddles or slipping on mud or rocks. When we came around a corner to this overlook, I had to stop to get a photo of these gorgeous ferns below. Their bright green in a forest just starting to awaken from its winter slumber was captivating. I wish I had gotten a closer look to identify them, but the rain was too powerful for more than a quick stop to admire them.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33269

“My Moon Garden 2023” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Canada Anemone (Anemonastrum canadense), Tall Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana), Hairy Wood Mint (Blephilia hirsuta), Silvery Sedge (Carex argyrantha), River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), Upland White Goldenrod (Oligoneuron album), Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolim), Clustered Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides), Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Photo Story: My Moon Garden is one of the garden beds I have spent the most time on. I wanted a garden with white flowers, silvery foliage, and habitat for native species. I designed the garden, planted it, let it grow for a year, then re-designed and re-planted it. There are a lot of species packed into a small space. I’m continuing to edit, removing plants that would do better elsewhere and adding new native plants I have found that fit the theme. I have a little yard sign featuring a bee in this garden, but I observe mainly wasps visiting the flowers. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the variety of wasps and other pollinators that visit this garden while I ponder what changes to make next.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33275

“A Sea Of Oats” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolim), Clustered Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) and an interloping Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
Photo Story: River Oats (also called Sea Oats) is the first native grass I planted in my garden. I owe my career as a native garden designer to this gorgeous grass. The single grass I grew was wildly successful in reseeding all along the south side of my house. I wasn’t a new gardener, but I was a new homeowner. My prior gardening experience was with vegetable gardening in pots and community gardens. I had less experience with perennials and wasn’t comfortable letting plants “move” about the yard. So, I carefully weeded the seedlings and potted them up to share in a native garden program at the library where I worked. That program led to more native plant and gardening programs and a seed library. I became more interested in native gardening design and education, which led to my current job with a local landscaping company. This little plant I added to my landscape got more oversized than I expected and spread further than I wanted it to. Because of this, I belong to a community of native gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts. I also now have large, mature River Oats throughout my landscaping, which can reseed in many spots. The largest group is in the center of my Moon Garden. I adore how the gracefully arched stems of seed pods flutter in a soft breeze.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33282

“My Mini Meadow” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Prairie Brome (Bromus kalmii), River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), Lance Leaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Tall Boneset (Eupatorium altissimum), Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella), Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis), Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)
Photo Story: This mini meadow area is one of a few spots where I have seeded a mix of native plants collected from friends or purchased from native plant nurseries. I have also tucked plants I grew from seed into bare patches. Most of my garden beds have a design in mind before I start, but this one is different. I enjoy watching how it grows and seeing what plants come up each year. This spring and summer have been very yellow with many blooms from Lance Leaf Coreopsis, Evening Primrose, Yellow Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, and others.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33288

“Bumble’s Delight” by Lisa Saka

Plant(s): cirsium discolor-pasture/field thistle, bumblebee (I am unsure of the specific type.)
Photo Story: I purchased this thistle from my wild ones chapter, Habitat Gardening CNY last year! The instant this thistle bloomed it became a bumblebee magnet, two bees to a bloom, voracious feeding, creatures covered completely in pollen, bees sleeping on the flowers. It was harder than I thought to capture a pollen-full bee along with a good shot of the flower–this photo is unretouched, not photo-shopped in any way. The stars lined up for this photo!
Equipment: My phone-Samsung
Photo ID: 33297

“Schulenberg Orairie” by Linda Karl

Plant(s): Big bluestem and prairie dock
Photo Story: Am a prairie steward on the Schulenberg Prairie at The Morton Arbortum
Equipment: Samsung 22 ultra phone
Photo ID: 33304

“Sleep over” by christina rutz

Plant(s): Compass plant
Photo Story: Christina-Rutz-bumblebee-Summer-sleepover
Equipment: Iphone
Photo ID: 33308

“Swallowtail” by Monica Manning

Plant(s): Swallowtail on new butterfly weed
Photo Story: Excited to see our new butterfly weed supporting our environment
Equipment: Nikon camera
Photo ID: 33310

“Together” by Linda Knipper

Plant(s): Milkweed
Photo Story: My first monarch in my garden this year
Equipment: Iphone
Photo ID: 33311

“Monarch caterpillar” by Sandra Pufahl

Plant(s): Monarch Caterpillar on native milkweed
Photo Story: Sandra Pufahl member 104934
Equipment: Iphone
Photo ID: 33313