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Critters and Bugs
Ecology
Flowers
Garden How To
Herbs
Nature
Ponds
Veggie Fun
WonderWeb
CRITTERS AND BUGS
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BATS!
Facts about bats from folks who should know: Bat Conservation International. Lots of interesting explanations including bat basics like echolocation. This site even includes directions for building and locating back yard BAT HOUSES.
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...The Butterfly Web Site
This site has lots of detailed information about butterfly farming plus it offers BUTTERFLY HOUSE PLANS and how to make a QUICK AND EASY BUTTERFLY REARING CHAMBER from recycled household stuff!
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Great Back Yard Bird Projects
Looking for more ways to enjoy the birds in your back yard? This site includes the details on the Audubon sponsored Project Feeder Watch and offers Ten Ways YOU Can Protect Birds in Your Neighborhood!
Very practical advice and tips, plus a fascinating live transatlantic natural history adventure (electronic field trip) for those of us who are tired of looking at our own back yards.
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See the World Through the Eyes of A Bee!
How do other creatures see the world? This site shows the world through simulated honey bee vision. A neuroscientist developed this interactive series of patterns and photographs so you can view images, other bees or spiders. Take your pick! Bee and spider photographs by the Smithsonian Institution.
ECOLOGY
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Going Native at Home!
The currently in vogue exhortation "Go Native!" is a great idea, but how ARE we supposed to do that at home? Put in a prairie, or what!!? This project is designed to test the hypothesis that pleasing, stable and low-maintenance (eco)systems CAN be developed using indigenous, prairie plant species.... "A Sense of Place: Native Plants for Locally Appropriate Landscapes" describes an ongoing project from the Chadwick Arboretum at the Ohio State University.
You should look at this one, even if you don't have a prairie!
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Biodiversity Primer
This article is thought-provoking and very interesting, but the title is totally intimidating. I still think it is worth reading. "The Role of Ecological Restoration In Biodiversity Conservation: Basic Issues and Guidelines" by Kenneth Towle and published by the Evergreen Foundation. Geared for professionals in the fields of ecosystem biodiversity, conservation biology, and restoration (naturalization) ecology, this article highlights both positive and negative impacts of our efforts. Join in examining the methods we use in the search for genuinely positive solutions to one of the biggest challenges we face!
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Reclamation and Restoration: Urban & Residential Land Included!
On-line issue of the "Restoration and Reclamation Review" from the University of Minnesota. Extensive articles about topics from urban and residential landscaping to large-scale reclamations, restoration of agricultural land, drastically altered land, areas with low resiliency...
who knew the land was so fragile?!
FLOWERS
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Perennials Par Excellence: The Buds Home Page
This extensive site from Buds of Toronto offers substantial information to help both beginning and experienced flower gardeners. The "tutorial#101" is excellent, the "flower finder" feature is good and there is a very thoughtful and intelligent guide to perennials for shady spaces.
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Ithaca Gardens Home Page and Plant Finder
Ithaca Gardens offers two useful plant finder tools, one for perennials and one for herbs. This site is growing and adds new features often.
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Wildflowers in the Garden
Pictures plus wonderfully factual descriptions of wildflowers suitable for the garden. This is a solid reference of performance plants. Check your hardiness zone and then dig through this list for some real winners!
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Water Wise Perennials
Searching for drought tolerant perennials? Here's a great tool! This information was compiled for gardeners in Nebraska, but it covers many widely adapted plants.
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The Wildflower Site As Introduced by Lady Bird Johnson
The National Wildflower Research Center is building a site to offer not only information about their own work, but also to serve as a compendium of information about native plants, as well public gardens, organizations and web sites oriented toward native plants. Please help them update their calendar and listings!
GARDEN HOW TO
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Earth-friendly Landscape, Garden and Rose Care
If you are wondering how IPM could possibly fit into rose care, or need to check your USDA zone, or want to use xeriscape principles but aren't sure where to start, this is a good place to visit. Although this site is based in Texas, all gardeners will find lots of excellent practical information here!
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Composting Primer Including RECIPES!
Beginning and experienced compost devotees will find great information in this great guide "Succesful Composting Made Easy", a Better Gardening Bulletin from Gardeners' Supply Company. If you need to know about carbon and nitrogen ratios, or if you really need to know about psychrophiles and mesophiles, you'll find it here! Clear and simple instructions for getting started and comprehensive discussions of various phases of composting are included, along with basic "recipes" for gardeners who want to be absolutely sure they are doing it right. You can even order copies of the bulletin to keep for handy reference!
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Hydroponics Primer
This site is full of good information. Did you know hydroponics started in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Now you do! This site includes a section devoted to frequently asked questions plus a general overview and a few links.
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Lawn Mowers Plus
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, the manufacturers' trade association, has developed some good general safety and maintenance tips for much of the power equipment homeowners are likely to own. There is also a section entitled "Earth Friendly Yard Care Tips". They look at all types of equipment from mowers to chipper shredders to tillers.
The OPEI people also include links to many manufacturers' sites. Now you can check out the equipment golf course managers use!
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Shrub Pruning Primer
Check here BEFORE you prune your shrubs! This simple how-to guide discusses how, when, how much, and how often to prune, and what results to expect. CLEAR SIMPLE DIAGRAMS plus a good dose of common sense complete the overview!
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Vermicomposting (Worm Compost) Made Simple
Vermicomposting is simply using worms to make compost. This site explains how it works. If you enjoy the book called "Worms Eat My Garbage", this site is for you!
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Xeriscape Primer
Seven Simple Steps to Saving Water in the Landscape! This site introduces the xeriscape concept with a "bare bones" approach. You can follow many of these steps whether or not you experience water restrictions in your area!
HERBS
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Henriette's Herbal Home Page
Incredible indepth site with links to herb contacts around the world. Henriette even runs a "name that plant" contest!
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A MODERN HERBAL
Modern -- NOT! Fantastic -- YES!
classic herbal with lots of wonderfully entertaining lore going way back. Written in England in 1931 by Mrs. M. Grieve. Be sure to read (hypertext) editor E. Greenwood's intro. Includes both common name and word search capabilities.
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Botanical.com Home Page
This site offers some offbeat herbal, medicinal and botanical links along with some useful tools such as measurement conversion charts. Also offers the Modern Herbal!
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Medicinal Herb Garden Tour
The University of Washington Medicinal Herb Garden is a fascinating reference tool . Take the tour!
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Algy's Herb Page
This site is delightful! Something to suit every herb interest from beginning gardener and cook to experienced herbalist. Well organized, too!
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HerbNET Home Page
This is a service provided by the Herb Growing and Marketing Network. Broad ranging site complete with names and addresses of herb merchants of all kinds!
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American Botanical Council
The American Botanical Council(ABC) home page. The stated purpose is to disseminate factual accurate information on herbs and herbal research including phytomedicinals (medicines from plants). Emphasis on protecting endangered and threatened plants for their potential medical value and to maintain biodiversity. The ABC supports the Herb Research Foundation and together they publish the journal HerbalGram. Interesting links to USDA, among others.
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National Herbalists Guild
American Herbalists Guild home page. The AHG's overall purpose is education for herbalists who specialize in the medicinal uses of herbs.
NATURE
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National Wildlife Federation
Get the scoop on gardening for wildlife in the Backyard Habitat Program! Schoolyard and Workplace Habitat Programs are now available, too! This is a wide-ranging site, with offerings as diverse as programs suitable for classroom use to alerts for action on current issues and calendars of events of special interest.
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Welcome to the Forest! How Sharp Are your Eyes?
National Geographic wows us again! This is an almost surreal but very informative interactive habitat exploration. Enjoy!
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Journey North: Tracking The Seasonal Migrations
Desperate for Signs of Spring in your own back yard? Check this site for the latest information on where the robins are and the NEW LEAF REPORT!
This site monitors the annual trips of diverse creatures such as monarch butterflies, whales, bats and hummingbirds... and robins.
On Groundhog Day, they started tracking the north bound trip. They will also log the south bound trip as it happens. People send in reports from all across the continent!
This site is presented by the Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project, and is supposed to be geared for groups of school age children. I think adults will love it, too.
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Natural Heritage Network Central Server
Operated by the Nature Conservancy, this Network began in the 1970's and is now the largest collective ongoing effort to gather standardized data on endangered species, animals and ecosystems in the Western Hemisphere. "Biodiversity and the Web of Life" is but one of the many areas covered on this extensive site.
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"The Resource for Practical Conservation" from naturenet (UK)
From the United Kingdom, a self-described "resource for practical conservation". A good-natured and folksy site complete with an "Ask the Ranger" section, but also packed with useful technical information about topics such as biodiversity in the UK, what the various nature conservation rankings and designations mean, discussions of countryside issues, a guide to nature sites in the UK and some good links.
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Reconnect and Enjoy Nature at Home and School
The Evergreen Foundation is dedicated to reconnecting people with nature through the enhancement of healthy natural areas on school grounds and in communities across Canada...dynamite site full of all kinds of good stuff.
PONDS
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Northern Pond Links Galore
Northern Pond maintains what is probably the most extensive collection of links to water garden sites. Northern Pond proper is also a lovely site in its own right!
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Pam's Puddle: Wildlife and Water Gardening
Pam's Puddle is an excellent water gardening site, and has begun to expand into wildlife topics. It also serves as a contact for the free and uncommercial Internet Pond Society.
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The Guide for Water Gardens
Van Ness Water Gardens presents an impressive site where you can find tips on nearly every form of water garden and/or pond along with some nice photographs. The discussions on frequently asked questions (FAQ's) and Ecological Balance are especially helpful.
VEGGIE FUN
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HOT HOT HOT Chile-Heads Home Page
Every topic a chile pepper fan could ever need, from culture and recipes to preservation and even a mailing list. Need a positive photo identification of an obscure variety? Check here! Guaranteed to warm any chile-head's heart!
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Tomato Primer by TEAM TOMATO and Texas A&M
This step by step guide uses pictures to illustrate tomato growing techniques from seed to serve. Especially helpful is the rogues' gallery of pests and plagues!
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Absolute Ultimate Tomato Page
tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes ....
WONDERWEB
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!!!FROGLAND!!! She morphs -- and other cool stuff!
I hesitated about listing this site, but only because I couldn't categorize it.
It epitomizes the potential of what's available on the WEB, and yet the topic (Frogs, in case you haven't guessed) isn't necessarily of interest to all gardeners.
Well, frogs are an indicator of environmental health and as such should be of interest to all of us, along with toads and other hyper-sensitive critters.
But for gardening buffs who would like to know if they're hearing a bullfrog (or WHAT!), this site might help. And for all of us who thought the only sound frogs make is like a bullfrog well... we NEED this site.
This is a "MUST VISIT" in many senses of the word. It pushes the entertainment envelope AND is informative in terms of real technical information. Sort of the way I wish school could be.
You NEED to SEE it. (The designer morphs herself into a frog on demand.) And HEAR it. (This takes a while and can scare you late at night if you forget you clicked for sound.) And PLAY with it. The graphics and design are gorgeous, regardless of whether or not you like frogs.... As the lady says, she had to kiss a lot of ... whatevers...and since she did it, you don't have to!
If I were a movie review pair, I'd give this a TEN!
And if you're wondering how to take care of a PET FROG, that's here, too!
Copyright 1997 i5ive communications inc.
For help, E-mail Julie Bradshaw at julie@suite101.com.
E-mail bug reports/suggestions to Sunny Hirai at sunny@suite101.com.
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