Hidden River Prairie Nursery

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the greenhouse,
not a creature was stirring, not even a...

Wait...

seedlings🌱

seedlings are stirring!

Wishing you and yours the very best for the holidays and the upcoming year.
Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for your support this past year. It meant so very much to me. See you in 2025!

Several weeks ago, right before the nighttime temperatures started to really drop, a little orb spider that had been hanging out in the greenhouse doorway moved outside to catch the last of the flying insects of the year. (Or at least I think it's the same spider.😉)

I thought about the possibilities of a message woven in the web the next morning, something like "terrific" or "some pig". But, I also felt an overwhelming sense of sadness, as I watched it work so very hard to build a mighty web for the last day of food for itself. I'm not an expert on arachnids, but from what I have gathered from reading on the good ol' internet, most of them don't make it through the freezing temps of winter. They live for about a year.

Why was this one late to the party? Most of the orbs came out in late August-early September in great numbers. It's that time of year where you may just accidently walk into their intricate web. (And, respond as us humans always do in flailing, unnerving surprise.)

Now, apparently they can live a bit longer in more tropical climates, so I will have to keep my eye out in the greenhouse to see if it didn't just migrate inside somewhere for the time being. Not that it is tropical right now in the greenhouse, but it is just a bit above freezing so it could be tucked in a cozy corner somewhere.

Interesting fact that I read that is worth knowing because nature is incredible and often mind-blowing:

Spotted Orbweavers create their webs at dusk to catch their prey all night and then they eat the web strands in the following early morning hours. Ingesting any dew that has settled on the web as well, they use these nutrients to rebuild another web the next day. And, like clockwork, they start the process again. A brand new web for each day! Charlotte would be proud...

Have a wonderful day and take good care!💜

Check out the lemon paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea var. citrina) blooming in the greenhouse right now! It's such a soft, cozy, pale yellow. I had potted these up into gallons back during the summer and, lo and behold, they decided to put on some color right now. This seed came from native prairie in Kingman County, just up the road. I hadn't ever tried growing them before and being that they are partially parasitic on our native grasses, I decided to try planting Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) alongside the paintbrush to see how they'd do. They seem to be pretty happy except that they're blooming in November.😆🙃

Ah well, much of what I do is trial and error. That's part of learning, right? I also am trying to have two temperature zones within my greenhouse, which isn't working quite as well as I'd like. I have several penstemon species and a few other plants that I recently transplanted for spring that I'm trying to boost a bit with warmer temps. Seedlings will need to be sown in a month or so which also require warmth. However, I have mature, gallon-sized plants that I would like to go dormant and I'm not sure they're going to get the adequate cold I wish them to with the current situation. Sooooo....

I'm thinking about building a cattle panel greenhouse.😆😁 Anyone ever try to construct one? I've been watching a few YouTube videos and I think I've got the idea, but if any of you have any tips or suggestions, I'm all ears!

Take good care, everyone!💜

Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) is a plant in the mint family I found in the native tallgrass prairies of Leavenworth County, where I have had the privilege of wandering the past several years.

As I was moving plants inside the greenhouse for the upcoming winter months, I decided to cut back these plants, wash, and dry the leaves for an herbal tea. I hadn't tried it, but heard it is quite good. AND, it is pretty wonderful in my opinion. A light-colored tea with a mild, lemony-mint flavor. That's what my taste buds picked up anyway. Anyone else ever try this as a hot tea?

Slender Mountain Mint grows in colonies over time spreading by rhizomes. It wouldn't be a good choice for those with small garden spaces, BUT I was reading that it has been planted in pots to use during the growing season. Makes sense, as this mint will grow quickly and a person could clip cuttings for tea right from their front porch while containing it in a large pot.

This plant has been used by Native Americans for teas and as a seasoning, which was once called American Wild Basil because it was used so widely. Additionally, it was used medicinally as a poultice for quite a few illnesses, including indigestion, colds, coughs, colic, and more. As always, any edible plant can cause an allergic reaction in certain folks, so just keep that in mind.

The cool thing about planting Slender Mountain Mint, whether in larger garden spaces or in a patio pot, not only can you harvest leaves for tea, the flowers will draw tons of pollinators. These include beetles, butterflies, skippers, moths, native bees, and beneficial flies and wasps. Many utilize this plant as their host such as the Regal Fritillary, Delaware Skipper, Wavy-Lined Emerald, Hermit Sphinx, Curved Tooth Geometer, To***co Budworm Moth, and Gray Hairstreak Butterfly. It can also repel mosquitoes according to several websites by rubbing the leaves on the skin, so that could be worth a try.

Just wanted to share! We really do learn something new everyday!

P.S. I'll be overwintering these plants in 2.5" pots leftover from this past season. They'll hopefully be ready next spring if everything goes okay the upcoming colder months.

Take good care, everyone!💜

Hiiiii! How are you all?

The cottonwood trees out this direction are really starting to put on a brilliant show. There's something about cottonwoods that soothes the soul. The way the leaves move and catch the light with their glossy green to golden colors from summer to fall. When the wind rustles through the trees, the combination of all the leaves moving sounds to me what I can only describe as Mother Nature's wind chimes.

These giants tower over peaceful back roads and provide jaw-dropping scenes for those traveling these roads...red dirt, vibrant blue Kansas skies, and deep yellow foliage. Many of these cottonwoods are very old and have scars of years past, most likely wind and ice storms, fire, and sometimes lightning, but are still standing proud and tall. There is one on the farm that would take 3-4 people to link arms in order to hug the entire trunk. I know because I have hugged our giant cottonwood and I barely encompass a fourth of it.💜

I really love our native cottonwoods. They feel like protectors, like home.

On another note, for those of you that thought I dropped off the face of the planet😆, I've just been super busy organizing and directing a gravel bike race at the JM Collingwood Barn west of Pretty Prairie for November 2nd. (Yes, I'm a bike nerd, too.)
I've been out getting the route solidified; this photo of the cottonwoods is along the route, the .

Gravel cyclists ride on our back roads, wider tires and a longer wheel base allow them to pedal on our non-paved surfaces. There's a 50-mile race, a 50-mile tour, and a 25-mile tour. If you're interested in cheering these folks on at the start/finish line, let me know and I can get you all the details! It's an excellent vibe and a wonderful community of cyclists.💜

Hope you all are enjoying the fall! Take good care!🎃🍁🍂

It's that time of year again to start the seed propagation process, jars and jars of all different types of our native Kansas prairie plants. Additional plants not needing any pre-germination treatment will follow later in the winter, but for now, we are starting plants like Narrow-Leaved Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia), Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida), Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis var. minor), White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida), Purple and Pale Poppy Mallows (Callirhoe involucrata/alcaeoides), Bunchflower Lily (Melanthium virginicum), Aromatic Sumac (Rhus aromatica), Kentucky Coffee-Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus), Western Buckeye (Aesculus glabra var. arguta) and more. (There's a few in this mix that are new to me this upcoming season, so fingers crossed!🤞)

My good friend and mentor, Betsy, has been visiting from Colorado and she was around this afternoon to help out, along with Holly who's been volunteering the past weeks. As I watched and listened to the two of them talk about the seeds, I flashed back to the time when I first started learning with Betsy 20 years ago. Her passion for native plants was and still is contagious. Extremely knowledgeable and intuitive with this genre of plants, Betsy is also one of the kindest, most compassionate humans you'd ever meet. And, a wonderful sense of humor I might add. We have laughed so much over the years and many hours in the past few decades have been spent talking about all things related to growing native plants. Betsy has become one of my greatest friends and has given me a lifelong gift. Thank you, my friend!

Just a friendly reminder to thank a mentor if you're able.💜😊
Take care, everyone!

Hi there!

I potted up some White Beardtongue seedlings (Penstemon albidus) this afternoon, hopefully for spring 2025 sales. I collected this seed wandering around in native pastureland in Clark County this past summer. The flowers are striking, rising above the red soil at the base of bluffs in little canyons. This was the first time I had encountered this penstemon and wow, were they beautiful! It's a dandy plant, many we found were maybe 12"-15" tall with pinkish buds and newly-opened, intricate white flowers.

I also wanted to mention that I won't be at the Old Town Farm and Art Market this Saturday as I had thought. But, I can still get plants to those of you that are still putting your plants in the ground. I can meet you at the greenhouse or in Hutch or Wichita. Just give me a holler.

Hope you're all doing well! Take good care!💜

Up with the chickens at the Old Town Farm & Art Market this morning!
Stop by and see me, as it's a super time of year to get your native prairie plant buddies in the ground!

Good morning!🌞

You just never know what you might find on or in plants that you purchase from me. I find earthworms in them from time-to-time, roly polies, jumping spiders, wheel bugs, praying mantis, grasshoppers, a soldier beetle that hung out on a sunflower oxeye at a market and came back home with me, and I think a lacewing that sang all the way back from Greensburg the other day on a Maximilian sunflower (a high-pitched sound in the car for an hour and a half.)🙄😆 UPDATE: Almost a leopard frog hitchhiker while loading just now.😆)

Tomorrow, October 5, I'll be attending the Old Town Farm & Art Market from 8a-1p. #74 along N. Mosley. I'll be at this market tomorrow and next Saturday, October 12 and that'll be it for me traveling on weekends. However, I will still be open by appointment at the greenhouse until the end of October. It's an ideal time of the year to get your plants in the ground!😁

Here's a list of what made it on the trailer this week:
*Purple Poppy Mallow in 1 gal
*Pale Poppy Mallow in 1 gal
*Hopi Tea Greenthread in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Serrate-Leaf Evening Primrose in 1 gal
*Orange Butterfly Milkweed in 1 gal
*Blue Sage in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Rattlesnake Master in 1 gal and 2.5"
*American Blue Vervain in 1 gal
*Gray Golden-aster in 1 gal
*Prairie Petunia in 1 gal
*Side-oats Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Blue Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Prairie Dropseed in 2.5"
*Eastern gamagrass in 2.5"
*Big Bluestem in 1 gal
*Slender Mountain Mint in 2.5"
*Soapweed Yucca in 2.5"
*Wingstem in 2.5"
*Dotted Blazing Star in 1 gal
*Gray-headed Coneflower in 1 gal
*American Elderberry in 2 gal
*Chokecherry in 2 gal
*Maximilian Sunflower in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Black Willow in 1 gal
*Old Plainsman in 1 gal
*Black-eyed Susan in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Little Bluestem in 1 gal
*Upright Prairie Coneflower in 2.5"
*Aromatic Sumac in 2 gal (one left!)
*Hoary Vervain/Wooly Verbena-from pale pink variant seed in 2.5" (2 left!)
*Purple Prairie Clover in 1 gal (1 left!)

Take good care, everyone!💜

Thanks so much to everyone who organized and attended the ladies' luncheon today in Greensburg. I enjoyed meeting you all and sharing with you my experiences and enthusiasm with native prairie plants.😊 (P.S. Those of you who were asking about sand lilies, it's Mentzelia, my light bulb went off after I left when I saw them in the ditches!😆)

We also stopped by to check out the 29th Avenue Pumpkin Patch! What a fun, hidden treasure! If you're in the Greensburg area, take a little drive north of town following the pumpkin signs!🎃

I hope I never stop marveling at those who seemingly hold up the sky with their mighty wings...

The white pelicans have been circling overhead the past few days, small groups joining the larger, all eventually coasting in sync with each other with their massive wingspans. As they slowly make their way onwards, a person can still see them in the distance if they look closely. When they tilt during flight, the sun catches the gleam of their white feathers. I'm enamored with them, always have been and always will be...

I'll be in Hutchinson tomorrow morning at the Reno County Farmers' Market from 7:30a-12:30p. Looking forward to seeing you all!
Here's a list of what made it on the trailer this week:
*Purple Poppy Mallow in 1 gal
*Pale Poppy Mallow in 1 gal
*Hopi Tea Greenthread in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Serrate-Leaf Evening Primrose in 1 gal
*Orange Butterfly Milkweed in 1 gal
*Blue Sage in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Rattlesnake Master in 1 gal and 2.5"
*American Blue Vervain in 1 gal
*Gray Golden-aster in 1 gal
*Prairie Petunia in 1 gal
*Side-oats Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Blue Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Prairie Dropseed in 2.5"
*Eastern gamagrass in 2.5"
*Big Bluestem in 1 gal
*Slender Mountain Mint in 2.5"
*Purple Prairie Clover in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Soapweed Yucca in 2.5"
*Wingstem in 2.5"
*Dotted Blazing Star in 1 gal
*Gray-headed Coneflower in 1 gal
*American Elderberry in 2 gal
*Chokecherry in 2 gal
*Maximilian Sunflower in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Black Willow in 1 gal
*Old Plainsman in 1 gal
*Black-eyed Susan in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Little Bluestem in 1 gal
*Upright Prairie Coneflower in 2.5"

With the cooler temperatures moving in and the larger amounts of rain over the past weekend, it feels like all who call this prairie home are breathing a long overdue sigh of relief. (This human included.)

I wanted to say thank you SO very much to everyone who stopped by my booth at Bee Fest last Saturday. Thank you for introducing yourselves, thank you for choosing to spend your dollars with my little business, and thank you for the conversations and always teaching me new things. I am grateful for all of your support and kindness!💜

This upcoming Saturday, September 28, I'll be heading back to Hutchinson to the Reno County Farmers' Market, 7:30a-12:30p at 103 W. 2nd. I'll post my list on Friday of what will be on the trailer this weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all up that direction!

Also, the JM Collingwood Barn Annual Art and Craft Market is this Saturday, from 9:00a-4:00p. Lots of talented vendors, live music, food trucks, and if you'd like, you can check out the native plant gardens we have been working on the past 3 years around the barn and silo. It's a beautifully restored old barn built in 1913 and if you haven't seen it yet, it's worth the trip to see this Kansas gem. The 17,000 sq ft size is jaw-dropping, even to this day for me and I see it regularly.
$5 admission fee helps to fund the Pretty Prairie Community Food Pantry. Link to the group and discussion of vendors attending below:
https://www.facebook.com/events/809523611048321/

Have a dandy week and hope to see you all either here or there! Take good care!💜

Hey there! Just a reminder that I will be at ICT Bee Fest tomorrow, at the Mid-America All-Indian Museum from 10a-1p. It'll be a super way to start your weekend!

Oh, and bugs.😄

Found these funky little friends around the greenhouse, a Spiny Oak-slug Caterpillar and a Hanging Thief Robber Fly. They really do look like something out of a sci-fi movie!👽👽

The Spiny Oak-slug caterpillar, later the moth, has vibrantly colored spines that are venomous to protect themselves from predators. For us humans, it can create irritation to our skin or an even greater allergic reaction in some. So admire its fantastical body without using your bare skin.

The Hanging Thief Robber Fly (its bulgy eyes reminded me of Gonzo from the Muppets when I saw it) eats its prey hanging from its front legs...after it injects the victim with enzymes that dissolves its insides for an easier dining experience.😬🍴🙃 They are considered a beneficial buddy in helping eat pest bugs. But again, don't handle them with bare hands if you see one, as they can inflict a pretty painful bite.

Insects are so cool.😎

Here's a list of what made it on the trailer this week:
*Hopi Tea Greenthread in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Serrate-Leaf Evening Primrose in 1 gal
*Orange Butterfly Milkweed in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Blue Sage in 1 gal and 2.5"
*False Blue Indigo in 1 gal
*Rattlesnake Master in 1 gal and 2.5"
*American Blue Vervain in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Gray Golden-aster in 1 gal
*Prairie Petunia in 1 gal
*Side-oats Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Blue Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Prairie Dropseed in 2.5"
*Eastern gamagrass in 2.5"
*Big Bluestem in 1 gal
*Slender Mountain Mint in 2.5"
*Purple Prairie Clover in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Soapweed Yucca in 2.5"
*Wingstem in 2.5"
*Dotted Blazing Star in 1 gal
*Gray-headed Coneflower in 1 gal
*Wooly Verbena in 1 gal
*American Elderberry in 1 gal and 2 gal
*Chokecherry in 2 gal
*Maximilian Sunflower in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Mint-leaf Beebalm in 2.5"
*Black Willow in 1 gal
*Old Plainsman in 1 gal
*Black-eyed Susan in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Little Bluestem in 1 gal
*Roundleaf Groundsel in 3.5"
*Upright Prairie Coneflower in 2.5"
*Kiss-Me-Quick in 2.5"
*Blanketflower in 2.5"

Take good care!💜

Hey everyone!

First of all, thanks so much to all of you who have stopped by the past weekends to visit me at the Old Town Farm & Art Market! Your support means so very much to a small business such as mine. I was thinking yesterday how what I do is so much a labor of love. Seeing you all take my plants home that I've raised and taken care of feels similar to perhaps watching a pet get adopted. I'm so happy for that plant.☺️ It may sound silly to some, but until you've raised a plant from seed to a full-sized potted plant, you'd not fully know the amount of labor and care that it entails. Most of these plants I start the propagation process in September/October and am now selling many of them in a rooted gallon-size plant, 12 months later. That's a lot of time to spend with these plants day after day.💜 Anyway, it's a wonderful feeling to see them go to their new homes, get out of that pot, and start living the life they are meant to live....

Saturday, September 21st, from 10am-1pm, I'll be heading into Wichita to the Mid-America All-Indian Museum for ICT Bee Fest! I'll bring a good selection of plant buddies for you to pick from. Look forward to seeing you all there!

Send a message to learn more

Friday has rolled around again! Where in the world does the time go? This time of year is super busy for me between selling plants at events on Saturdays, helping get the JM Collingwood Barn ready for upcoming events, farm and land maintenance, and directing a gravel bike race/tour in November. Whew! And, oh wait! Halloween!!😆🎃

I know many of you can relate! I absolutely love the fall though with the cooler temperatures, changing light and shadows, and the many shades of colors with the trees, grasses, and wildflowers.🌻🍂🍁

If you're interested in tucking some native plants into your garden spaces or larger acreage land areas, fall is an EXCELLENT time to plant. Cooler temps allow for less stress so the plant can establish their root system before winter. Photos are of plants in their wild prairie homes that I have available for you to take to your home tomorrow!

I'll be at the Old Town Farm & Art Market tomorrow from 8a-1p, booth #88 along N. Mosley. Look forward to seeing you all! Take care!💜

Here's a list of what made it on the trailer this week:
*Hopi Tea Greenthread in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Serrate-Leaf Evening Primrose in 1 gal
*Green Comet Milkweed in 1 gal
*Orange Butterfly Milkweed in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Blue Sage in 1 gal and 2.5"
*False Blue Indigo in 1 gal
*Rattlesnake Master in 1 gal
*American Blue Vervain in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Gray Golden-aster in 1 gal
*Prairie Petunia in 1 gal
*Side-oats Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Blue Grama in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Prairie Dropseed in 2.5"
*Eastern gamagrass in 2.5"
*Big Bluestem in 1 gal
*Slender Mountain Mint in 2.5"
*Purple Prairie Clover in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Soapweed Yucca in 2.5"
*Wingstem in 2.5"
*Dotted Blazing Star in 1 gal
*Gray-headed Coneflower in 1 gal
*Wooly Verbena in 1 gal
*American Elderberry in 2 gal
*Chokecherry in 2 gal
*Maximilian Sunflower in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Mint-leaf Beebalm in 2.5"
*Black Willow in 1 gal
*Old Plainsman in 1 gal
*Black-eyed Susan in 1 gal and 2.5"
*Little Bluestem in 1 gal

"It's a beaut, Clark!" (Hope all of you Lampoon's fans enjoy the reference.😆)

I cannot get over how majestic the Maximilian sunflowers are around the JM Collingwood Barn property. Bright, cheery yellow flowers with the backdrop of a 111-year-old barn and a big, blue sky. We planted them on the corners on the south side of the barn and also as a backdrop to the silo garden. (Yes, we have a native garden around the silo, too. We wouldn't want it to feel left out! Who knew a silo could be dressed up so well?😆 More pics of that area later.)

Out of the corner of my eye, I am pretty sure I saw a hummingbird visit them yesterday as I was working in the south beds. We have our annual Art and Craft Market coming up on Sept 28, so we are getting everything spruced up. It's a nice drive out just west of Pretty Prairie with lots of talented vendors, food trucks, live music at a beautifully restored, historic old barn. Event link here with vendors in the 'Discussion':
https://www.facebook.com/events/809523611048321

Maximilian sunflowers (Helianthus maximiliani) draw a lot of pollinators and are a fantastic nectar source for the fall months. Butterflies, native bees, wasps, and skippers visit for nectar. Butterflies such as Painted Lady, Bordered Patch, and Checkerspot use it as a host plant. Lots of birds enjoy the seeds into the colder months.

If you have larger garden spaces or acreage (they spread more vigorously by rhizomes), these are an important plant to add for fall blooms for both our little prairie friends and us humans to enjoy, too! There has been minimal rainfall at the barn this summer with well water being low additionally, so these have had minimal irrigation throughout the season, but still have reached heights of about 8-9 feet.

I'll bring these perennial sunflowers, along with many other perennial native plants, to the Old Town Farm & Art Market this Saturday, September 14 from 8am-1pm.

And, here's the remaining schedule for me on the weekends:
*Sept 21-ICT Bee Fest, Mid-America All-Indian Museum, Wichita
*Sept 28-Reno County Farmers Market, Hutchinson
*Oct 5-Old Town Farm and Art Market, Wichita
*Oct 12-Old Town Farm and Art Market, Wichita

Take care!💛

Happy Friday evening to you all!

I had to stop and check out the Spotted Blazing Star (Liatris punctata) in the old pasture today.💜 With the recent rains the past few weeks, the stand that is existing on a little red dirt bluff is really an eye-catcher right now. The vibrant lavender flowers really pop against our big, brilliant blue Kansas skies. And, even in our driest summers, I have been amazed to still find these tough plants blooming.

Spotted Blazing Star attracts many pollinators, such as hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, hoverflies, moths and more. Our bird buddies also enjoy the seeds. Several Schinia flower moths use this plant as its host.

I'll be bringing them tomorrow to the Old Town Farm & Art Market, along with many others from 8am-1pm. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Here's a list of what made it on the trailer this week:
*Orange Butterfly Milkweed in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Blue Sage in 1 gal and 2.5"
*False Blue Indigo in 1 gal
*Purple Poppy Mallow in 1 gal
*Rattlesnake Master in 1 gal
*American Blue Vervain in 1 gal
*Gray Golden-aster in 1 gal
*Prairie Petunia in 1 gal
*Side-oats Grama in 1 gal
*Blue Grama in 1 gal
*Prairie Dropseed in 2.5"
*Eastern gamagrass in 2.5"
*Big Bluestem in 1 gal
*Slender Mountain Mint in 2.5"
*Purple Prairie Clover in 1 gal and 3.5"
*Soapweed Yucca in 2.5"
*Wingstem in 2.5"
*Dotted Blazing Star in 1 gal
*Gray-headed Coneflower in 1 gal
*Wooly Verbena in 1 gal
*American Elderberry in 2 gal
*Chokecherry in 2 gal
*Maximilian Sunflower in 1 gal
*Mint-leaf Beebalm in 2.5"
*Black Willow in 1 gal
*Old Plainsman in 1 gal
*Black-eyed Susan in 1 gal
*Little Bluestem in 1 gal