Greauxing Wild; Native Plants for Habitat Gardens

08/04/2026

08/01/2026

A W**D IS AS A W**D DOES

As I ease back into my activities as a Master Naturalist and founding President of Wild Ones Greater Baton Rouge from Grandma duty, I’m revisiting my personal mission as outlined in the article in the Summer Wild Ones Journal.(see comments) My hope to shift perspectives on native plants and insects and what it means to truly be stewards of the environment is as strong as ever, even when I pivot directions in life.

This is buttonweed -Diodia virginiana
It shows up in bare patches in lawn or the edges of flower beds most often in my yard. People who love lawn, hate it. It’s not until you understand its place in the environment that you can truly appreciate this plant. It’s one of those plants they call pioneer species * because they take the horrid growing conditions in stride. Not only does it fill in bare patches that are prone to erosion by holding the dirt , it also is the host plant for this beautiful moth. Buttonweed is actually one of its only wild native host plants in our region.
I have never found it challenging to remove this plant from areas where I don’t want it, but more importantly I know that where it is thriving not much else would. So many plants given the name “weed” actually serve important environmental functions more than cultivated plants ever could and without any help from us besides allowing them to do their job.

* Diodia function as pioneer species in secondary ecological succession because they aggressively colonize highly disturbed, open areas. They excel at thriving in poor or barren soils where competition from larger, taller vegetation is temporarily eliminated.

07/14/2026

Been away being a first time grandma to a newborn for a month. All the plants in the Nursery loved the rain while I was away and whoa it’s definitely a jungle out there. I’m accepting inquiries on availability. The inventory I made in May was updated after the sale.

06/02/2026

Reds.. whites and pink, yellow and blue
Names in captions

06/01/2026

05/23/2026

Canna flaccida is loving this rain
Looks like I will have more divisions to pot up in the fall. The two I had available this year went early.

This species did not get rank like the tropical, nonnative cannas that often over grow their welcome. When it died back after the first freeze last year it dropped completely to the ground and disappeared quickly.

Many of the plants I offer for sale are propagated or divided from plants that are thriving in my yard. I feel this gives me confidence that these plants are easily grown in our native soils and conditions.

05/19/2026

Strolling the backyard sanctuary this morning

05/18/2026

So thankful to friends who came and sat a while during our plant sale Saturday.
We got to enjoy sharing a bit of our experience in the sanctuary.

So much life in our backyard and nursery.

Today we released a female tiger swallowtail. She was raised on black cherry. Tiger swallowtails also use tulip poplar in our sanctuary.

Cherry trees support several species of colorful butterflies and moths in our area. Young cherry trees have the most tender leaves and can fit in an enclosure.This is why we pot up seedlings. We had several 2 year old saplings available for sale (a few remain.)

The second subject of this post, a male prothonotary warbler is part of why we occasionally raise caterpillars in protective enclosures.

We currently have a nest of eastern bluebirds feeding a brood as well as a female prothonotary warbler sitting on 3 eggs she’s laid in a small watering can.. the male brought her a spider breakfast this morning.

I had noticed the male warbler making a few nests around the sanctuary. But when he began one in this watering can I had on a low shelf steps from our backdoor, I decided to make it more safe by hanging it from the eaves of our covered walkway. The female decided it was a great spot.

We do our best not to disturb her. It helps that the opening is facing away from our backdoor.

This story brought to you by a yard full of native plants. This is Greauxing (the) Wild

05/09/2026

UPDATE 5/12

Link to inventory- it will change before Saturday so speak up if your heart is set on something. These plants need to find new homes first and foremost.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m1rNswDXCxenYfYSI1RuwG5R0hpUS1Gz3HtHyuC2urk/edit?usp=sharing

In one week.. for one day only.. only one of some varieties

-East Baton Rouge ecotypes
-Aquatic plants
-Host plants for less common butterflies
-Proven woodland shade species for pollinators

Inventory available soon-subject to rapid change as quantities are very limited.

Pictured counter clockwise from top: elephants foot, native canna, pink spiderwort,blue eyed grass, blue water hyssop, herb of grace, obedient plant, black cherry.

05/05/2026

Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) thriving in a low spot, mixed with native canna lilies