A traditional lawn is a homogeneous area composed of non-native grass species. With a uniform appearance that provides a specific aesthetic, lawns are appropriate for recreation or social space. However, they can be more demanding on the ecosystem and those trying to maintain them. If you’re looking for an alternative to a traditional lawn, a […]

A native meadow is a vibrant landscape filled with grasses and wildflowers that are indigenous to a specific region. They support local ecosystems by serving many distinct purposes including providing food and habitats to pollinators, enhancing biodiversity, and even improving soil health. For those interested in making a positive environmental impact while enjoying a low-maintenance […]

Pollinators are organisms that transfer pollen from the male structures of flowers (anthers) to the female structures (stigmas), facilitating plant reproduction. This makes them vital to the health of our ecosystems. Common pollinators like bees and butterflies have seen their numbers threatened in recent years. Various factors cause this, but any gardeners or landscape architects […]

Since before there were any humans around taking note of it, pollinators have played an invaluable role in maintaining the natural environment. They’ve evolved alongside the native plant species they feed on and help pollinate, which means the two are so intertwined they cannot live without each other. This codependency means that anyone interested in […]

Landscape architecture professionals understand that the best projects don’t just marry design with science, they come to life thanks to the dedicated people behind them. For more than 50 years, Ernst Seeds has combined creativity with technical expertise to assist firms large and small to create environmentally thoughtful landscapes, from wetland restoration areas to pollinator-friendly […]

Wetland conservancy is making a comeback. For our country’s first two centuries, wetlands across the United States were viewed as a waste. As a result, the U.S. lost an estimated 53 percent of its total wetland area from the colonial times through the 1980s. Wetlands were dried, drained and eliminated as the country expanded, which […]

America loves a good lawn. A lush green lawn is a symbol of the American Dream; it’s been that way ever since the country’s post-World War II economic expansion. As the suburbs boomed, so did the idea of trying to grow the best lawn in the neighborhood. Any company that had a lawn usually hired […]

by Rachel Sohmer Given the current realities of pesticide use, habitat destruction, parasites and disease, climate change and air pollution among yet other stressors, there is no denying that conserving bees is a complex problem demanding complex solutions. Poor nutrition, linked to widespread declines in both the abundance and diversity of flowering plants, has profound […]

Allergy sufferers often curse the golden sea of blooms from goldenrods that appear in fallow fields, landscapes and along roadsides from July to November. Sadly, these complaints are based on an unfortunate case of mistaken identity. Both members of the aster family (Asteraceae), goldenrods (Solidago genus) are often errantly identified as allergenic ragweeds (Ambrosia genus). Though there […]

A post by Guest Contributor, Rob Davis Filmmaker Scott Mason returned to his hometown of Meadville, PA earlier this year and produced a beautiful video about how the national trend of pollinator-friendly solar is creating community and economic opportunity in Pennsylvania. Touring the Ernst Conservation Seeds farm last fall, and hearing from native and naturalized […]