Where Do Butterflies Go in Winter? There is something almost magical about watching a butterfly move through a summer garden. One moment, it rests on a flower, its wings opening and closing in the sunlight. The next, it floats effortlessly toward another bloom, seemingly without a destination or a care in the world. Throughout Michigan’s
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Why You Should Leave Fall Leaves in Your Garden A Moment Before We Begin There is a familiar sound that arrives in Michigan neighborhoods every autumn. Leaf blowers begin humming, rakes scrape across lawns, and bags of fallen leaves appear along the curb. For generations, this has been part of our seasonal routine. The trees
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How to Unravel the Secret Life of a Seed Head What Happens After the Flowers Fade There is a moment in the fall garden when something subtle changes. The flowers that held our attention through summer begin to fade. Petals loosen. Colors soften. Stems turn from green to gold and brown. And where a flower
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Why Morning Dew Is One of the Garden’s Greatest Gifts Nature Notes | No. 7 | Published Sep 10, 2026 There is a moment in the garden that belongs almost entirely to morning. Before the sun climbs high enough to warm the leaves, before bees begin moving steadily from flower to flower, and before the
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Educational Series No. 6 | Publication Date August 25, 2026 How to Save Native Flower Seeds for Next Year There comes a point in late summer when the garden begins to change its language. The flowers are still there, but not all of them are blooming anymore. Some petals have fallen. Some stems are turning
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What Happens in Your Garden When the Sun Goes Down The Garden Doesn’t Go to Sleep As the sun begins to sink below the trees, many gardeners head inside. The watering can is put away. The tools are returned to the garage. One last glance at the flower beds, and the day feels complete. But
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What’s Blooming Across Michigan Right Now 🍃 A Seasonal Journey Across the Great Lakes State Nature Notes • Educational Series Published July 2026 Late July is one of Michigan’s richest moments. Across the state, native wildflowers are reaching their peak, pollinators are busy from sunrise to sunset, and every garden has a story to tell.
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Why Native Bees Are the Garden’s Most Important Pollinators 🌿 Previously in Nature Notes Issue No. 3 – How to Create a Pollinator Habitat in Michigan In our last Nature Notes, we explored how even a modest garden can become a welcoming habitat for butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects. This month, we’re slowing down for
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What’s Blooming Across Michigan Right Now A Seasonal Journey Across the Great Lakes State Nature Notes • Educational Series Published June 2026 Before We Begin… Before reading any further, I’d like to invite you to do something. Step outside. Take a slow walk through your yard, your neighborhood, or a nearby park. Listen for birdsong.
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How to Create a Pollinator Habitat in Michigan: It’s More Than Just Flowers The Missing Piece Many Gardeners Don’t Realize Every garden has a story. Nature Notes helps you discover it. Welcome to Nature Notes from Michigan Garden Design, an ongoing educational series exploring the remarkable relationships between Michigan’s native plants, pollinators, birds, amphibians, and
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