Members of the Northfield Garden Club have found the following organization websites to be useful in planning and maintaining their gardens.

 

• Better Homes and Gardens: www.bhg.com/gardening Comprehensive site includes extensive information on garden plants and landscaping and a chat room on gardening topics and landscaping plans.

• Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water: www.bluethumb.org/plants Search for plants for native gardens, rain gardens and shoreline stabilization.

• Dave's Garden: www.Davesgarden.com Built by gardeners, this plant file describes itself as the largest plant data base in the world.

• Master Gardeners of Rice County: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/mgweb/rice/ This group is affiliated with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. According to their website, "Master Gardeners are University of Minnesota-trained volunteers whose job is to educate the public about a variety of horticulture subjects using readily-available, up-to-date research-based information. This educational effort is designed to enhance the public's quality of life and to promote good stewardship of the environment." The website provides information about applying to become a master gardener and the training and service requirements to complete the program. Several members of the Northfield Garden Club are Master Gardeners.

• MN Landscape Arboretum:  www.arboretum.umn.edu The MN Landscape Arboretum, a research and demonstration site of the University of Minnesota, is a valuable resource for information on annual and perennial plants that will thrive in this region. Their public gardens and their educational workshops are great resources for northern gardeners .

• MN Water Garden Society: www.mwgs.org  The MWGS is dedicated to increasing the enjoyment and enthusiasm for water gardening through promotion, education and shared experiences by creating programs and special events. Their website contains a huge amount of information on building and maintaining water gardens.

• MN Dept. of Horticulture: www.sustland.umn.edu Solid Information from the University of Minnesota's Department of Horticulture. Sustainable Urban Landscape Information Series with a search utility for more than 1,200 USDA Zone 4 plants.

• MN State Horticultural Society: http://www.northerngardener.org/ According to the MSHS, their mission is to "encourage and improve the science and practice of northern horticulture through developing the public's enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of plants." They offer classes and manage a library and extensive bookstore from their Roseville location. Members receive their 'Northern Gardener' magazine, which comes out bi-monthly.

• My Northern Garden: www.Mynortherngarden.wordpress.com A blog by Mary Lahr Schier, editor of the Northern Gardener and Northfield resident.

• National Wildlife Federation: http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips.aspx This website will lead you the pages that have detailed information for making your backyard garden into a haven for wildlife, especially for birds and butterflies. Instructions for certifying your garden as a wildlife sanctuary are included.

• Northfield Prairie Partners Chapter of Wild Ones.  www.for-wild.org/chapters/northfield/    The Wild Ones organization promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices through the planting of native species without the use of pesticides. The group is a not-for-profit educational and advocacy organization with a recently established Northfield chapter. They publish a bi-monthly journal with natural landscaping tips.

• Soil Testing Laboratory of UMN. http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/  This branch of the UMN Extension Service will assist gardeners with analysis of their soils, a critical step in developing a beautiful, productive garden.

• University of MN Extension Office: www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo/ygnews/index.html Semi-monthly newsletter from the University of Minnesota on a variety of lawn and garden topics.