eBotanical Prints – August 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in August – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   There are 14 volumes of Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft (Communications of the German Dendrological Society) published from 1893 to 1925 followed by 6 books that continue the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters; there are 4 volumes per year, so this month includes 2021 to 2022; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in September.

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,423 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from August’s 20 books to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the August 2026 eBotanical Prints!

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1925 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1925

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1902 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1902

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1899 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1899

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1915 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1915

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1921 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1921

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1905 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1905

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1906 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1906

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1905 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1905

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1918 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1918

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1893 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1893

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1912 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1912

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1896 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1896

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1895 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1895

Mitteilungen der Deutschen dendrologischen gesellschaft 1924 * Deutsche Dendrologische Gesellschaft * sample image * 1924

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.50:no.1 (2021)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2021

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.50:no.2 (2021)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2021

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.50:no.3 (2021)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2021

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.50:no.4 (2021)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2021

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.51:no.1 (2022)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2022

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.51:no.2 (2022)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2022

Zooming - August 2026

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August was a good month to be outdoors…even though it required effort to avoid the hottest parts of the day. The photos I selected for this post were taken at Lake Springfield, along Bull Creek southeast of Springfield, in my Nixa MO yard, the Roston Native Butterfly House at the Springfield Botanical Gardens, the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, and Lewisville, Texas. As always – plants dominate but there are caterpillars, dragonflies and butterflies too!

eBotanical Prints – July 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in July – all are available for browsing on online (mostly on Internet Archive).   15 of the books are a continuation of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters; there are 4 volumes per year so this month includes 2017 to 2020; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in August. There were a few miscellaneous volumes at the beginning of the list – with a wide range of publication dates (1787 – 2025).

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,403 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from July’s 20 books to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the July 2026 eBotanical Prints!

The Philosphy of Botany * Thornton, Robert John * sample image * 1799

Cours de botanique * Alyon, Pierre Philippe * sample image * 1787

Boccone Museum rariorum plantarum : nominibus linnaei specificis * Cabrini, Aloysio * sample image * 1791

Hortus Cliffortianus plantas exhibens quas in hortis tam vivis quam siccis, Hartecampi in Hollandia * Linne, Carl von * sample image * 1738

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.46:no.2 (2017)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2017

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.46:no.3 (2017)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2017

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.46:no.4 (2017)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2017

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.47:no.1 (2018)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2018

Native Plants for Stormwater Management Projects - Species Selection for the Lower Midwest * Shaw, Daniel; Schmidt, Daniel * sample image * 2025

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.47:no.2 (2018)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2018

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.47:no.3 (2018)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2018

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.47:no.4 (2018)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2018

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.48:no.1 (2019)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2019

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.48:no.2 (2019)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2019

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.48:no.3 (2019)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2019

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.48:no.4 (2019)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2019

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.49:no.1 (2020)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2020

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.49:no.2 (2020)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2020

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.49:no.3 (2020)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2020

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.49:no.4 (2020)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2020

eBotanical Prints – June 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in June – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   16 of the books are a continuation of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters; there are 4 volumes per year so this month includes 2013 to 2017; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in July. There were a few miscellaneous volumes at the beginning of the list – with a wide range of publication dates (1660 – 2001).

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,383 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from June’s 20 books to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the June 2026 eBotanical Prints!

6 Maine Trees * Goodale, Rebecca * sample image * 2001

JARDIN DE RARES ET CURIEUX FLEURS FAICTES * Geest, Julius Francois de * sample image * 1660

Sketch book of flowers in watercolor * Dabney, Beatrice Penati Adams * sample image * 1960

Practical directions for learning flower-drawing. Illustrated by coloured drawings * Syme, Paterick * sample image * 1810

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.42:no.1 (2013)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2013

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.42:no.2 (2013)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2013

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.42:no.3 (2013)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2013

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.43:no.1 (2014)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2014

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.43:no.2 (2014)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2014

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.43:no.3 (2014)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2014

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.43:no.4 (2014)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2014

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.44:no.1 (2015)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2015

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.44:no.2 (2015)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2014

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.44:no.3 (2015)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2015

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.44:no.4 (2015)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2015

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.45:no.1 (2016)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2016

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.45:no.2 (2016)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2016

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.45:no.3 (2016)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2016

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.45:no.4 (2016)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2016

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.46:no.1 (2017)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2017

Ecological Practices with Native Plants

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My first lecture associated with the Missouri Master Naturalist state conference was Jean Ponzi’s Ecological Practices with Native Plants. It followed my morning at the Zoo and Center for Hellbender Conservation tour. It was good to spend the afternoon indoors!

I remembered that I could use my phone to photograph some of the key charts. The first was to remind me that Grow Native! has a model ordinance about native plants and urban landscape design. It is unfortunate that is necessary – but modern urban/suburban yard ‘rules’ tend to skew toward shallow rooted turf and result in relatively sterile outdoor spaces….not what we want to sustain the planet. The second photograph was the definition of ‘green infrastructure.’

Doug Tallamy’s work was cited….and the https://homegrownnationalpark.org/ was talked about. I had heard of it before and, now that I am reducing the turf in my yard – maybe I should look into it more.

One of the quotes I liked from this speaker: “Turf is living concrete!”

Missouri Botanical Garden – Part 2

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We checked into the hotel and had a light dinner before returning to the garden. We arrived while it was still light and was easy to get a parking spot close to the Visitor Center. My daughter had bought our tickets and had had them on her phone for the garden staff to scan for our entry. We visited some close gardens and smaller conservatories that we hadn’t seen earlier in the day.

And then it got dark enough for the lights to give the geometric sculptures a different look…with light coming from within.

I experimented with different angles and zoomed images…also noticing the patterns of light and shadow (or reflection) at the base of the sculptures. These were my favorite images:

Field Trip Reconnoiter

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I’ve been busy working on the curriculum of the core training to be offered next fall by my local Missouri Master Naturalist chapter. One of the field trips we had added to the curriculum was unfamiliar to everyone….but had been one the places featured in a 2025 Ozark Public Television production called Wild Ozarks. Four of us participated in a reconnoiter trip to the place last week.

Wow! It is a great place for a field trip.

Easy to get to from Springfield

Springs and sinkholes

Remediated riverbank…and ash trees (dead or dying) replaced with other tree species

Tree cavities

Some invasives but not overwhelming

Road or mowed trail for hiking

Pawpaw patch

And much more!

I loved the handmade tree signs!

We modified the plan to divide the students into 4 groups rather than 3 (so 6-7 students/group) and the topics will be: forest ecology, geology (karst), tree identification (using dichotomous key), and nature journaling/nature observation.

I am looking forward to seeing the place in the fall….and observing the students discovering this special place.

eBotanical Prints – April 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in April – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   16 of the books are a continuation of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters; there are 4 volumes per year so this month includes 2004 to 2008; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in May.

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,343 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from April’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the April 2026 eBotanical Prints!

Alpen-Flora für Touristen und Pflanzenfreunde * Hoffman, Julius; Friese, Hermann * sample image * 1904

Ocean flowers and their teachings * Howard, Mary Matilda * sample image * 1846

Algae and corallines of the bay & harbor of New York * Durant Charles Ferson * sample image * 1850

A popular history of British seaweeds : comprising their structure, fructification, specific characters, arrangement, and general distribution, with notices of some of the fresh-water algæ * Landsborough, David * sample image * 1857

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.33:no.2 (2004)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2004

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.33:no.3 (2004)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2004

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.33:no.4 (2004)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2004

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.34:no.1 (2005)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2005

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.34:no.2 (2005)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2005

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.34:no.3 (2005)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2005

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.34:no.4 (2005)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2005

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.35:no.1 (2006)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2006

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.35:no.2 (2006)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2006

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.35:no.3 (2006)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2006

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.35:no.4 (2006)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2006

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.36:no.1 (2007)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2007

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.36:no.2 (2007)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2007

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.36:no.3 (2007)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2007

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.36:no.4 (2007)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2007

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.37:no.1 (2008)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2008

Pawpaw and Elderberry Seedlings

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I ordered Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) and Elderberry Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) seedlings from Missouri’s George O. White State Forest Nursery (a service provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation)….and they came last week! There were 10 seedlings for each species – the plan was for me to plant half of them in my yard and my daughter getting the rest for hers.

The box came in the evening, and I opted to plant the next day. They came in a box wrapped in paper backed plastic held in place with ties. The tops of some were showing at the top.

There was an instruction sheet that got a little damp even though it was outside the wrapping. The seedlings themselves had been packed with damp moss. They were labeled – the pawpaw is the darker bark/roots and the elderberry – aside from being lighter in color – had leaves beginning to emerge.

Digging the 10 holes was work; the day was cool but very humid. I planted 3 elderberry in the front yard native plant garden (these were the only easy holes because they were in mulch!), all the pawpaw in an area of my backyard that will become my pawpaw patch (it already had one plant that I purchased last fall), and the other 2 elderberry at two places in my back yard. It had rained not long before I planted, and rain was in the forecast, so I packed down the soil around them and let nature take over.

I finished up and took the remaining seedlings to my daughter…left her to dig her own holes. It was an exhausting day.

I hope at least half of what I planted survive….would be thrilled if more did. Getting seedlings this way was less expensive than buying that many plants from at native plant sales, but I am not as confident about their survival.

eBotanical Prints – March 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in March – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   I continued working my way through the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters; there are 4 volumes per year so I only browsed late 1999 to 2004 in March; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in April.

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,323 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from March’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the March 2026 eBotanical Prints!

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.28:no.2 (1999)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1999

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.28:no.3 (1999)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1999

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.28:no.4 (1999)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1999

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.29:no.1 (2000)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2000

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.29:no.2 (2000)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2000

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.29:no.3 (2000)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2000

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.29:no.4 (2000)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2000

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.30:no.1 (2001)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2001

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.30:no.2 (2001)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2001

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.30:no.3 (2001)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2001

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.30:no.4 (2001)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2001

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.31:no.1 (2002)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2002

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.31:no.2 (2002)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2002

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.31:no.3 (2002)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2002

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.31:no.4 (2002)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2002

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.32:no.1 (2003)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2003

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.32:no.2 (2003)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2003

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.32:no.3 (2003)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2003

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.32:no.4 (2003)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2003

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.33:no.1 (2004)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 2004

Album of flowers and birds

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My ‘book of the week’ selection is a manuscript of 50 tempera, water- and bodycolor drawings. The original is held by the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Upperville, Virginia and is available online at Internet Archive; the foundation is evidently working to digitize the collection accumulated by Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon in the Oak Spring Garden Library.  This manuscript is not dated and the authors are unknown but it has Chinese circular red stamps on the first drawing and the back endpaper so is attributed generically to ‘Chinese School.’

 Images of plants and wildlife (insects, birds) always appeals to me. I like the artistic techniques of the collection as well. Enjoy browsing the book online!

 Album of flowers and birds

Our Missouri Yard – March 2026

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The dry days of March are great for working off my ‘to do’ list for the back yard. It does not include doing anything with leaves. I’m pleased that the wind has blown the leaves into two corners of the backyard where they can stay! I will leave them alone and allow whatever insect cocoons are there to empty. Most of the leaves are oak. My goal is start mowing parts of the backyard in May…but I will be mowing less this year than last because of the way the yard is developing.

The Fragrant Sumac I planted a few years ago now has shoots in the yard and is taking more space in the flowerbed as well. The ‘to do’ in that bed is to pull/cut Japanese honeysuckle frequently.

Getting the forsythia and Japanese barberry cut down are high on the ‘to do’ list. The pruning chainsaw will make it a bit easier.

I’ll buy 1 or 2 more paw paws to plant near the one I bought last year since I don’t think the seeds I have in pots are going to sprout.

The more significant list is for the front yard where I will be planting into the large mulch bed I created last fall. I have done one round cutting back the existing crape myrtles that had gotten too tall (I enjoy photographing their empty seed pods). There is some clean up there but the big ‘to do’ before the planting in April is to take dead cedars out of the corner flower bed and clear more rock from around the hens/chicks so that the plant can continue to expand. Trimming the boxwood is not high on the list but I might do the top to keep it from getting too high to reach comfortably.

There is plenty to keep me busy in March….on the dry days!

eBotanical Prints – February 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in February – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   I continued working my way through the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters; there are 4 volumes per year so I only browsed late 1994 to 1999 in February; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in March.

I couldn’t resist 2 books I happened upon from the early 1800s by Elizabeth Warton….no photographs in those vintage books!

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,303 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from February’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the February 2026 eBotanical Prints!

British Seaweeds * Warton, Elizabeth and Margaret * sample image * 1827

British Flowers * Warton, Elizabeth and Margaret * sample image * 1811

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.23:no.3 (1994)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1994

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.23:no.4 (1994)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1994

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.24:no.1 (1995)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1995

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.24:no.2 (1995)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1995

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.24:no.4 (1995)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1995

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.25:no.1 (1996)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1996

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.25:no.2 (1996)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1996

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.25:no.3 (1996)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1996

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.25:no.4 (1996)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1996

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.26:no.1 (1997)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1997

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.26:no.2 (1997)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1997

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.26:no.3 (1997)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1997

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.26:no.4 (1997)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1997

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.27:no.1 (1998)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1998

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.27:no.2 (1998)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1998

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.27:no.3 (1998)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1998

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.27:no.4 (1998)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1998

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.28:no.1 (1999)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1999

Kousa Dogwood

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Our Missouri house came with a kousa dogwood – an Asian dogwood. It does not fit my ‘plant natives’ goal but I’m leaving it. During the winter, when its leaves are gone, I always notice that it has a nest or two in it, so it does provide shelter for breeding birds. I also like that it flowers and produces interesting seeds.

This spring I happened to take some closer looks at the terminal buds – noticed that they have a covering that splits in the spring – forming a little hat on the buds!

The hat eventually falls off, and the buds begin the process of enlarging and eventually opening. I’ll try to catch a series over the next few weeks to show what happens to the buds.

I am not doing formal phenology logging on the tree, but my monitoring for eastern redbuds, common hackberry, American beautyberry, and red buckeye has increased my awareness of the phenological phases of other plants. For example – my hybrid maple is blooming right now!

eBotanical Prints – January 2026

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in January – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   I started working my way through the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters in December; there are 4 volumes per year so I only browsed late 1980s and into the 1990s in January; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in February.

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,283 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from January’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the January 2026 eBotanical Prints!

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.14:no.4 (1985) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1985

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.15:no.1 (1986) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1986

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.15:no.2 (1986) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1986

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.16:no.1 (1987) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1987

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.16:no.2 (1987) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1987

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.16:no.3 (1987) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1987

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.16:no.4 (1987) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1987

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.17:no.1 (1988) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1988

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.17:no.2 (1988) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1988

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.17:no.3 (1988) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1988

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.17:no.4 (1988) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1988

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.18:no.1 (1989) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1989

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.18:no.2 (1989) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1989

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.18:no.3 (1989) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1989

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.18:no.4 (1989) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1989

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.20:no.3 (1991) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1991

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.20:no.4 (1991) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1991

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.21:no.3 (1992) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1992

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.22:no.3 (1993) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1993

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.23:no.2 (1994) *California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum*sample image*1994

Lake Springfield – January 2026

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There was an ‘eagle’ event at the Lake Springfield Boathouse last weekend. The temperature was in the 20s and a little breezy…but I bundled up and headed out. The parking lot still had plenty of spaces when I got there. The spotting scopes were set up on the lakeside deck of the boathouse…but they were on ducks rather than bald eagles! Evidently there had been a couple of eagles sighted before the event started – from a nearby lookout, not visible from the boathouse. After watching the ducks for a little while, I opted to switch my photography to plants.

The sycamore at the edge of the lake was catching the light.

I walked around to look for seed pods…and anything else interesting in the plantings around the boathouse. The beautyberries were shriveled but still retained some color. A bush trimmed to keep it within the bed displayed a cracked stump. The browns and off-white colors dominate in winter but there were some green leaves of some bulbs coming up in one bed.

It was a short foray into the cold – testing out my gear from some winter wellness hiking over the next few weeks.

Our Neighborhood – January 2026

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I took a walk around our neighborhood last week…looking for anything of interest in the winter landscape.

It easier to see abandoned bird’s nests in trees, buds on otherwise bare stems, seeds and pinecones in the winter because there is not a lot of other vegetation to distract the eye.

The occasional bright green of moss growing in muddy areas is a pop of color.

Lichens and bark and shelf fungus have color and texture to offer.

The temperature had gotten into the 60s but I didn’t see any turtles. There was a lone pair of mallards on the pond; they have ducklings every spring, but the turtles are too numerous for the young birds to survive. There was a Cooper’s Hawk that swooped over the pond and landed on one of the bridge railings; I think it is a resident of the neighborhood since I’ve seen in it my yard periodically.

Phoenix Vicariously

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My daughter was at a conference in Phoenix last week and I enjoyed seeing her pictures of the area near the convention center. She went early for a workshop and managed to see a basketball game in the arena that evening!

She sent pictures of desert creature sculptures

And the sign for a pollinator garden – that obviously still has some plants blooming (daisies and lantana) – an urban garden.

My favorites were the images of architecture and murals. The one showing the white roof (along with a mural) was taken from her hotel window. I wondered how often the white needed to be refreshed to maintain its ability to reflect heat.

It’s been over a decade since I was in Phoenix and then I did more in the outskirts rather than the downtown area. Winter would be the time I’d pick to visit again!

Loess Bluff National Wildlife Refuge

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We got to Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in the early afternoon on the day after Christmas. It was sunny and relatively warm – no coat required. We made a slow drive around the loop and side road. The next morning, we drove the wildlife loop again in the fog before heading home.

There were lots of birds to see and hear!

Trumpeter Swans

Snow Geese

White fronted Geese

And Bald Eagles

There were more eagles than when we had visited Loess Bluffs last March…but similar numbers of snow geese and trumpeter swans. The muskrats were not active outside their mounds, so we didn’t see any this time.

Unfortunately, another difference we noted were dead birds in the water; I recognized snow geese and trumpeter swans. Some looked like they had been dead for some time. Pre-Covid, the carcasses of dead birds were collected as one refuge we visited (to determine why the birds were dying and to minimize the contagion in the water); perhaps they no long do that because it isn’t effective, they know it is bird flu, or there are not staff to do the work. The area where most of the dead birds were located was not near where the bulk of living birds were; maybe water movement acted to collect the birds in the shallows along the shore (mostly) away from flocks.

I’ll end this post on a positive note with the botanical pictures! Seeds and pods and brown foliage dominate…but there was one green plant that had a lot of water droplets.

The wildlife refuge is a great place to see bald eagles in the winter….and other things too!

eBotanical Prints – December 2025

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Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in December – all are available for browsing on Internet Archive.   I started working my way through the Carnivorous Plant Newsletters in December; there are 4 volumes per year so I only browsed the first ones from the first half of the 1980s; I’ll continue browsing this periodical in January.

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,263 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from December’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the December 2025 eBotanical Prints!

Hortus Lindenianus : recueil iconographique des plantes nouvelles introduites par l'établissement * Linden, Jean Jules * sample image * 1859

Indicateur de Maine et Loire V2 * Millet de La Turtaudière, Pierre-Aimé * sample image * 1864

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.10:no.1 (1981)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1981

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.10:no.2 (1981)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1981

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.10:no.3 (1981)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1981

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.10:no.4 (1981)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1981

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.11:no.1 (1982)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1982

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.11:no.2 (1982)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1982

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.11:no.3 (1982)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1982

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.12:no.1 (1983)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1983

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.12:no.2 (1983)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1983

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.12:no.3 (1983)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1983

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.12:no.4 (1983)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1983

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.13:no.1 (1984)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1984

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.13:no.2 (1984)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1984

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.13:no.3 (1984)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1984

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.13:no.4 (1984)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1984

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.14:no.1 (1985)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1985

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.14:no.2 (1985)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1985

Carnivorous plant newsletter v.14:no.3 (1985)  * California State University, Fullerton. Arboretum * sample image * 1985