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Author Archives: Joanne Toft
Spring has sprung - can you name that flower?
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Minneapolis, Minnesota opened last week (April 15th). It means that spring is really here. It may still be chilly but so much warmer that two months ago. It is time to put on your jacket, … Continue reading
Posted in journals, observation, observational drawing
Tagged hepatica, skunk cabbage, snow trillium, trout lily
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Winter Reflections
This year our winter garden has been almost to cold to go out and visit ( - 50 is really cold). The last few weeks we have been apart of the great Polar Vortex. The winds of winter have kept … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Questions for you
Winter has come to this northern garden. Last year at this time I posted that this blog was going into hibernation for the winter. My teaching schedule was crazy and the garden was closed and locked for the cold … Continue reading
Posted in Garden Learning, Reflections
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How do gardens change? Looking for Cause and Effect
Each year a garden experiences many changes. Just like us it grows and develops. A garden is expected to change each year and so are we. We get taller, stronger and our body change. These changes also happen in the … Continue reading
Posted in observation, science notebook
Tagged cause and effect, changes in nature, ecosystems, observation
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Thinking of Fall - colors, leaves? No Seeds
It is now really fall. The leaves are changing to beautiful reds, oranges and yellows. The weather is cooler and there is a bit more rain. (even some snow if you live in the Dakotas or western mountains of the … Continue reading
Posted in observation, science notebook
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Summer of Bugs
It is August and I am tired of these bugs! I don’t need any more mosquitoes or flies or beetles or spiders or worms! But wait before we get rid of all these crawly things we might want to know … Continue reading
A Walk in the Woods
We often go walking and see plants, trees and animals. What is the difference between a group of trees and a forest or woods? Why do we call a place a forest and what will we find when walking there? … Continue reading
Posted in Garden Learning, science notebook, Uncategorized
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So Many Names for the Garden
The garden can have a lot of names. There is the name that is given to the location by the people who created it or take care of it. The wild garden that I visit is called the Eloise Butler … Continue reading
Posted in Garden Learning, Writing
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Wet and spongy - The mosses are happy!
This June has been one rainy day after another. It was been great for our plants since last summer and fall were very dry. There is one group of plants that is really enjoying all this moisture. It is a … Continue reading
Flowers and Bees and Honey
It is summer and the garden is wild with flowers and green plants. The spring rains have made a big difference but we need more than just sun and rain. We need some friends to help our plants along the … Continue reading
Posted in Garden Learning, journals, observational drawing, science notebook
Tagged drawing, journals, science notebooks
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