University of Wisconsin Arboretum

On our recent trip to northern Minnesota, we stopped at the Universty of Wisconsin Arboretum in Madison, Wisconsin. There we  viewed and hiked a number of recreated native habitats, prairies, savannas, woodlands and ponds. The visitor's center has been entirely landscaped with native plants. It was a delight to experience and that is where I saw the plant, cream false indigo Baptisia leucophaea. I was particularly interested in this plant because I have tried to establish it here at Habitat Home but have not been successful. It was growing in an area that was much like those at Habitat Home so I will try once again.

Another recent interest was furthered by the purchase of the book Field Guide to Wisconsin Sedgesby Andrew Hipp at the arboretum's bookstore in the visitor's center. My interest in sedges was previously aroused by reading the book The American Meadow Gardenby John Greenlee, in which the importance and prevalence of sedges in recreated meadows was discussed. Since we have a meadow area already started at Habitat Home, I am interested in further developing that area with sedges. So perhaps there will be future photos and information on native sedges...of which there are a lot!