Natural Elements, LLC

04/05/2026

03/24/2026

Today’s beauty- spring is arriving.

03/21/2026

Common Blue Violets (Viola sororia var. sororia) are a familiar sight this time of year. Also called Dooryard Violets and Wooly Blue Violets, they’re native to the eastern and central US and show up in yards, disturbed areas, and bottomland forests. Some people also plant them as a ground cover in woodland gardens.

These violets bloom from February to May, a time when small bees and flies occasionally visit them as a nectar source. However, most seed production doesn’t come from pollinators, but from small, self-pollinating (cleistogamous) flowers produced in summer. These self-pollinating flowers appear at ground level and they don’t even open!

There are several varieties of Viola sororia that differ in flower color. One variety found in the South is the us Confederate Violet (Viola sororia var. priceana). It often grows alongside the more typical purple form (V. sororia var. sororia). Long ago, someone apparently thought their light gray flowers resembled the uniform of a Confederate soldier, and the name stuck. Some folks also call it the ‘bi-colored form’ of the Common Blue Violet. Dark stripes on the bottom petals may act as a nectar guide for pollinators.

The caterpillars of several species of fritillary butterflies feed on the heart-shaped leaves of Common Blue Violets. People eat them too. The young leaves and petals can be placed in salads or candied. As always, though, you must be 100% confident in your identification before eating any wild plant.

03/21/2026

Patches of American Field Pansy (Viola rafinesquei and often still called V. bicolor) flower from February to April in yards, roadsides, and fields. Also called Johnny Jump-up, they’re thought to be native to eastern North America. American Field Pansies and are a great late winter to early spring wildflower to let bloom in your yard. They’re an early nectar source for bees and the caterpillars of several fritillary butterflies feed on their leaves.

03/21/2026

https://mgnv.org/restoring-nature/restoring-nature-action-3-identify-and-add-keystone-plants/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQrZgBmZGlkFlA13In-Np8yIU1OHkS9xj7LPTeaeqVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xNzM4NDc2NDI2NzAzNzAAAR5gapZZJj2mU5AIK651Dc-y7MOziH-P4dAVQ6nh4thPvRHvOx0l3LLsJw9uHg_aem_TdKKeAHflG-1SSk_PWN9YQ

Discover how keystone plants boost biodiversity and support wildlife in your garden, even in small spaces. Start your restoration journey today!

03/16/2026

Today’s beauty - the diminutive but beautiful Iris Verna. This native iris grows 3-6 inches tall and is one of the first spring blooms.

03/12/2026

RESTORING NATURE: Keystone species are the most important native plants on your property! Studies conducted by entomologist Dr. Douglas Tallamy have shown that certain plant species are especially supportive of our Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) whose caterpillars, in turn, play a critical role in the food web. A recently published book, Nature’s Action Guide, provides a handy list of the top-ranked keystone plant genera.
• The top 20 genera of woody plants range from Quercus (oaks) which support 534 Lepidoptera species to Castanea (chestnuts) which support 125 species.
• The top 20 perennials range from Solidago (goldenrods) to Lobelia (Cardinal Flower and Great Blue Lobelia) which support 4 species.
• The woody plants clearly support more species of moths and butterflies, so it is especially important to include them in our home landscapes.
Three handy tools can help you determine exactly which species in each plant genus are native to your area:
• National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Keystone Plants by Ecoregion and Host Plants by Ecoregion
• National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder
• Biota of North America Project (BONAP)
See section Action 5—Identify your keystone plants in Nature’s Action Guide for helpful details on using these resources.
(Keystone plant chart provided courtesy of Sarah F. Jayne, author of Nature’s Action Guide.)

03/11/2026

Today’s beauty

03/04/2026

Hellebores are starting to open.

02/25/2026

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/riparian-buffer-and-soil-conservation-workshop-for-landowners-tickets-1982197699679?aff=efbevent

02/24/2026

Snowdrops

11/10/2025

The final blooms of the season.