Gratitude Gourmet

How to Rewild Your Lawn and Restore its Biodiversity Joanna Hall, CEO of Wilder Places, and Murray Fisher, a partner in the company, join TODAY to discuss the Less Lawn More Life Campaign to restore nature to our own backyards. They also share how small changes you can make to rewild and restore nature to your lawn.

Drop a ❤️ if you agree!

No Caterpillars 🐛 , No Birds 🐦

If the heat bothers you, plant a tree. If water bothers you, plant a tree. If you like fruits, plant a tree. If you like birds, plant a tree. And if you like life, plant a tree.

Want to turn your yard into a bird sanctuary? It’s easier than you might think!

🐦 Plant native trees, shrubs, and flowers that provide food, shelter, and nesting sites.
💧 Add a birdbath or shallow water source and keep it clean.
🍒 Leave seed heads, berries, and some leaf litter for natural food and habitat.
🚫 Avoid pesticides that can harm the insects birds depend on to feed their young.
🌳 Create layers in your landscape with groundcovers, flowers, shrubs, and trees to support a variety of bird species.

Every yard, no matter the size, can become a safe haven for birds. By gardening with nature in mind, you’ll enjoy more birdsong, more wildlife, and the satisfaction of helping local ecosystems thrive.

Taking Care of Our Native Bees’ Needs

California is home to 1600+ native bee species that range in size from less than a quarter inch long to more than an inch and a half. What may come as a surprise to many is that none of them make honey or live in hives like the ubiquitous European honey bee. However, they are all critical to the future of our state’s environmental health, the pollination of our food as well as the reproduction of plants in California’s natural areas.

“Honey bees get all the attention,” says Ellen Zagory, director of public horticulture for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. “We love them and want to make sure their populations are healthy for a variety of reasons. The problem is that many people assume honey bees are similar to every other species of bee, but native bees’ needs are quite different.

What can you do?
1) Improve your plant diversity
2) Prepare mulch-free zones
3) Provide wood cavities (cavities can be found in dead wood, hollow plant stems, or man-made structures. About 30% of native bee species are cavity nesters, and they include bees like carpenter bees, mason bees, and leafcutter bees). See Xerces link below for more info.

More info:

https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/blog/taking-care-native-bees-needs

https://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/nesting-resources #:~:text=Cavity%20Nesting%20Bees,pieces%20of%20bamboo%20for%20nesting.

Photo: native bee (Mountain/Foothill Carpenter bee) enjoying pollen and nectar from Salvia ‘Pozo Blue’

If you love creating beauty at home, I just released my digital book, The World of BLUEM. It’s called the Slow Down. Link in bio. For everyone asking, these are the exact steps I take: 1. Remove everything from the refrigerator. 2. Disinfect and wipe down all shelves and drawers. I use a homemade botanical spray (the recipe is in a previous reel). 3. Gather your favorite vessels and fill them with fruits, vegetables, herbs, or greens. 4. Add flowers or cut greenery from outside if you can. I personally prefer using things from the garden rather than buying flowers from the grocery store. 5. Place the items you use most often toward the front and the things you reach for less frequently toward the back. A few extra details: • I like to line my drawers with paper towels or decorative paper napkins to help keep them clean throughout the week. The lemon napkins are Emma Bridgewater. • Don’t focus on “decorating.” Focus on creating little moments of beauty. • Group together colors, textures, and things that make you happy. • It could be blueberries in a teacup, herbs in a little vessel, your favorite mug, a pretty bottle, or simply produce in colors you love. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s creating a space that makes you smile every time you open the door. 🤍 Welcome inside the world of BLUEM. #LivingInBeauty #BeautyInTheOrdinary #CreateBeautyEveryday #WhimsicalLiving #homerituals

Edible Flowers for the Bay Area Garden: Beauty You Can Taste | Over the Fence (Alameda County) Image