Hedgerows are an ancient gardening technique that is currently undergoing a revival around the world thanks to the many benefits hedges provide.

In the Midwest today, hedges are most commonly used as simple privacy screens consisting of one or two species of shrubs. However, a traditional hedgerow incorporated a variety of trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers that served as a fence, a windbreak, a haven for beneficial insects and birds, and many other uses. Many of the plants incorporated into a traditional hedgerow were also edible for humans.

Modern gardeners can …

In the Midwest, when cold weather lasts for 6 or more months a year, it’s very important to design your garden so it is beautiful in winter as well as summer.

One way to add winter interest to your garden is to choose deciduous trees and shrubs with beautiful bark. There are almost as many bark textures as there are trees and shrubs in the world. Smooth bark, ridged bark, bark that looks like puzzle pieces, peeling bark, shaggy bark… And though most people think of bark as brown, bark is …

With autumn in full swing throughout the Midwest, it is time to start thinking about making leaf mold. Leaf mold, also known as leaf mould, is simply fallen leaves that have been composted into a dark, crumbly soil amendment.

Many homeowners discard their autumn leaves, unaware that leaf mold is one of the best soil amendments available to gardeners. Unlike ordinary compost, leaf mold does not add many nutrients to the soil, but it is an outstanding soil conditioner that improves soil structure and provides food and habitat for earthworms …

The best way to learn how to plant and maintain a vegetable garden is to find an experienced gardeners to help you. If that isn’t possible, the second best way is to learn from a book. There are hundreds of great vegetable gardening books available, but I consider these three to be the best for beginners:

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, by Ed Smith. My favorite vegetable gardening book focuses on organic gardening techniques designed to produce high yields with a minimum of labor and expense, and to improve the long …

The native tallgrass prairie was once the dominant ecosystem of much of the Midwest region and gardeners can recreate some of the beauty of this lost “sea of grass” by planting native grasses. Not only are they beautiful, they are also hardy and drought tolerant, and many provide food or shelter for birds and other wildlife. Many native grasses make excellent forage for deer, cattle, and other large mammals as well.

The following species are well suited to ornamental use in gardens, as well as large scale habitat restorations:

Tallgrass Species

Big Bluestem …