We’re Growing!
Just after the close of our first investment campaign with Honeycomb, which successfully met 100% of our funding goal, many of you continued to reach out to ask about future investment opportunities for our Perch Point endeavor. We were so inspired by the amount of interest and support shown leading up to, throughout, and even... Learn More
Putting Nature to Work: Fresh Coast Interns Dig Into Green Infrastructure
On Tuesday Mike Marek led his 12th training of the MMSD Fresh Coast Interns. This partnership with Clean Wisconsin and Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District has been a long running success story with now close to 100 student interns trained on the basics of Green Infrastructure. This was a group of 8 students that are studying... Learn More
Our Restoration Ecologist, Jamie, is moving on to her dream job!
We want to wish Jamie Van (Jamie VandenLangenberg) a joyful farewell and a huge THANK YOU as she flies north to her natural habitat. She has landed herself her dream job as the Water Program Director at North Lakeland Discovery Center and we know that it was meant to be. She and her amazing family... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Calopogon tuberosus
Plant of the Week! This isn’t a spring-blooming plant, but we could all use some bright flowers right now. The Grass-pink is a native orchid found in high-quality bogs, fens, and wet meadows. It grows a single long, linear leaf and a raceme of 2-15 magenta (or rarely, white) flowers. It is a small but... Learn More
Plant of the Week! Wisconsin’s Hepaticas
Plant of the Week! It’s a little bit early now, but soon we will be seeing native ephemeral wildflowers emerging from last year’s leaf litter. One of the plants you might be lucky enough to encounter is Hepatica (Anemone acutiloba or A. americana). The two species here in Wisconsin are Sharp-lobed Hepatica and Round-lobed Hepatica,... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Invasive Epipactis helleborine
Plant of the Week! It’s the most interesting invasive species you’ve (maybe) never heard of! Epipactis helleborine is an invasive ORCHID. Orchids seem like fragile plants with super specific needs, not something to be compared with Garlic Mustard and Dame’s Rocket. Well, in this case both characteristics are true! Helleborine orchids rely on specific fungi... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Parthenosissus quinquefolia
Plant of the Week! It’s everywhere- you might even have it in your yard without realizing it. Parthenosissus quinquefolia, Virginia Creeper, is a widespread and aggressive woody vine that grows over the ground, up trees, and on flat surfaces, including buildings. It’s often considered a weed, particularly when the vines climb up and cover trees,... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Toxicodenron vernix
Plant of the Week! An uncommon shrub that doesn’t get much positive attention given its name, Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) is actually a really cool plant to encounter, provided you keep some distance! Poison Sumac only inhabits high quality wetlands, so seeing it means you’re probably in a pretty special place. It looks much like... Learn More
Plant of the Week: Wisconsin’s Native Aralia
Plant of the Week! New year, new Perennial of the Year! If you haven’t heard, Aralia ‘Sun King’ has been named 2020’s Perennial Plant of the year by the Perennial Plant Association. It’s fast-growing, hardy to zone 3, and has bright gold foliage, making it an attention-getting plant, to be sure. Here at Marek Landscaping,... Learn More
Plant of the Week: A Brief History of Invasive Barberry
Plant of the Week! A brief history of the invasive Barberry. Two types of Berberis sp., Berberis vulgaris (Common) and Berberis thunbergii (Japanese) have escaped cultivation and caused damage to crops and native species for generations. Common Barberry is native to parts of Asia and was brought to the United States with European settlers in... Learn More