Loyalsock Garden Club

09/20/2026

09/17/2026

Your bearded iris may need more than a quick cleanup. 🌸 See the 6 jobs worth doing this September.

08/16/2026

The flowers people admire most often aren’t the best ones to grow 🌿
Many of them spread aggressively and give nothing back to local wildlife. The good news? You can swap them for native plants that look just as beautiful — and actually support pollinators.

🌷 6 Smart Native Swaps (Same Look, Better Impact):

• Purple Loosestrife → Blazing Star (Liatris)
Tall purple spikes, but blazing star supports monarchs instead of taking over wetlands

• Orange Daylily → Butterfly W**d
Same bold orange color, but butterfly w**d feeds monarch caterpillars

• Yellow Flag Iris → Blue Flag Iris
Thrives in wet soil without invading waterways

• Crown Vetch → Wild Lupine
Holds soil while supporting rare pollinators like the Karner blue butterfly

• Lily of the Valley → Wild Ginger
Beautiful shade cover that spreads gently instead of taking over

• Dame’s Rocket → Woodland Phlox
Same soft lavender blooms — but with better fragrance and no aggressive spreading

🌱 How to switch successfully:
• Always check seed mixes — some invasive plants are still included
• Give natives time — roots first, blooms next, then natural spread
• Plant in clusters (3–5) for stronger visual impact and better pollination
• Best planting time: late spring to early summer

✨ Same colors. Same seasons.
But now your garden supports the ecosystem instead of working against it.

Grow beauty that gives back 🌿

🌱

08/16/2026

These native shrubs provide berries and shelter through the coldest months, keeping birds fed when food is scarce.

✨ Plant natives in spring or fall → support birds 🐦, pollinators 🐝, and a thriving backyard ecosystem

1. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) – Zones 3–9 • Bright red berries shine against snow.
🕒 Plant in spring or early fall.

2. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) – Zones 4–9 • Fruits feed robins, cardinals, and thrushes.
🕒 Plant in spring or fall.

3. Viburnum (V. dentatum & others) – Zones 2–9 • Clusters of berries for dozens of bird species.
🕒 Plant in spring or fall.

4. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) – Zones 3–9 • Late-summer fruit stripped quickly by birds.
🕒 Plant in spring or fall.

5. Dogwood (Cornus sericea, C. florida) – Zones 3–8 • Berries plus colorful winter stems.
🕒 Plant in spring or fall.

6. Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) – Zones 3–7 • Waxy berries feed migrating warblers.
🕒 Plant in spring.

7. Chokeberry (Aronia spp.) – Zones 3–8 • Tart berries persist into deep winter.
🕒 Plant in spring or fall.

8. Sumac (Rhus typhina) – Zones 3–9 • Red clusters stand tall even in snow.
🕒 Plant in spring.

9. Juniper (Juniperus virginiana) – Zones 2–9 • Blue berries loved by cedar waxwings.
🕒 Planted in spring or fall.

08/15/2026

🌸 Late-summer pruning is definitely not one-size-fits-all. A little trimming can refresh certain plants, but others are better left untouched.