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Mrs. Andrea Keller

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mrs.andreakeller

| Native Nerd | Owner: Andrea Keller Native Plants & Design | Lepidoptera Lover | Photographer | Community Garden Coordinator

We’re in full up potting mode as of lately and thi

We’re in full up potting mode as of lately and things are filling up in the greenhouse. It’s been a very busy spring and I’m so excited that we’ve almost made it🥳

I think I switched my domain properly but I guess it can take 5 days to move so website for the nursery is still in process. Hopefully soon-though it’s just going to tell you that I’m open by appointment only right now. 🥹

I am hoping to have plants ready for Mother’s Day weekend but we’ll see. I want decent more established plugs vs seedlings so some will be ready and some won’t. Closer to Memorial Day and that first part of June is sold for sure though.

I’m going to try to do more posts in addition to the stories because I’ve got a ton of upcoming Native Nerds News, Events, and other opportunities coming up with the community garden, make room, and so much more 🫶🏻

IT’S HERE!!! The @wildonessouthbend native plant g

IT’S HERE!!! The @wildonessouthbend native plant guide is finally available. I’m positive this was the most attended meeting yet with nearly every chair filled and people standing in the back! Tonight was so much 🥳

This will be such an amazing resource for so many people and the team did such an amazing job on it! So thankful for everything I’ve learned from this amazing organization and group of people🥹

I’m not able to get a case just yet but will have copies of this for sale at my nursery 🤗 I HIGHLY recommend you get a copy.

LAST DAY TO ORDER! I just highlighted all of the

LAST DAY TO ORDER!

I just highlighted all of the shrubs for sale at the @kosciusko.conservation tree and shrub sale in my stories. You don’t want to miss out on these!

I’m excited to be helping @makeroom_today 🥹🌱 Can

I’m excited to be helping @makeroom_today 🥹🌱

Can you make room in your garden this year? I’m looking for 8 people to help grow extra produce this year for kids that need food security over the summer months.

Together we can make sure that kids don’t go hungry and have healthy, fresh, local produce 🍅 🥒 🍓🍎🌶️🫑🌽🥕🫜

Mr Keller doesn’t like stories so here are the sto

Mr Keller doesn’t like stories so here are the stories 😂. I tried to post something yesterday but I don’t think it worked.

We’ve decided to start a nursery 🌱🌱🌼🌸🌼

So we’ll be transforming this part of the yard for just that. I’m so excited for all that this year is going to bring. It’s going to be so much fun 🥹

No fooling here…👀 We’re starting a nursery! 🌱🌼🤗🥹

No fooling here…👀

We’re starting a nursery! 🌱🌼🤗🥹

I can’t wait to show you the transformations that are going to take place and the experiences we’re creating. Big things are coming soon 🫶🏻

One of my sweet neighbors stopped by the other day

One of my sweet neighbors stopped by the other day while walking her dog and said, “We drove by and saw you killed the grass and said Oh boy! They’re up to something else, ha!”

We are up to something🤗. Last fall we sprayed our yard with glyphosate. Our first time using chemicals outside of some problem spots in our driveway. This is completely new to us and it’s slightly terrifying but I’m starting to get a clearer picture of what kind of manicured meadow I want.

Trying new things can be scary. If you’ve ever wanted to try it I encourage you to follow along. I don’t gate keep anything. Everything I learn I try to share with others. I will tell you if I end up hating it or what my challenges are along the way, things I’d do differently, etc. Also if you want to help haha stop on by 🤪

That last photo is a before image. Big things are coming to that other side of the yard and I cannot wait to show you what I’ve been dreaming up next. 🥰

Come chat with us and ask questions. Bring a sketc

Come chat with us and ask questions. Bring a sketch of your site, photos, inspiration, etc. 🤗🌸🫶🏻 Let’s dream!

I am so happy. Literally. Big things are coming

I am so happy.

Literally. Big things are coming this year and I can’t wait to see everything unfold and bloom. 🌸

The gardens, the joy, the friendships, the community, the learning, the energy, the magic. All of it. 🫶🏻

This wasn’t the plan. It was the opposite actually. But sometimes things happen that force your hand to do different. It’s terrifying. But other people see it and sometimes you just have to listen to other people and get out of your own head.

Stay tuned and thanks for believing in me 🥹

Plant spotlight on Rue! I advocate for native plan

Plant spotlight on Rue! I advocate for native plants (especially host and keystones) as much as humanly possible. However, I’m building a butterfly garden.

Which means that I have Rue 💛

Rue is the host plant for the giant swallowtail which was why I planted it in the first place. But it’s a host for other swallowtails too. I was able to find more tiny caterpillars on this plant after this video. If you look hard and pause you might see them too.

I have this plant paired with monarda/bee balm behind it, golden Alexander’s (also a native host plant) next to it, and prairie dropseed in front. I’ll be adding more this spring but for now that’s what’s there.

Important to note! It can cause a skin rash so handle with caution. I would plant this more in the middle and surround it with other plants to help reduce that risk.

Each time I see these containers I’m reminded… I’

Each time I see these containers I’m reminded…

I’m passionate about native plants because of the ecological benefits but also because I used to be that girl filling up the back of my car or entire truck bed, spending thousands, with flowers.

Flowers that I thought would help. That I thought would actually live and look good and bring butterflies. There was a butterfly on the tag so it was supposed to right?!🤪🫣But year after year they died. 🪦 (Proven Winners my ass😒)

I started only buying for zones much lower than ours thinking they would survive the cold. I bought dedicated sprinklers, water lines, timers and more to make sure they had water. And they died. 🪦 Everything turned into hostas and catmints and weeds because they survived. I broke my back replanting and laying fresh mulch year after year. But I ran out of money, patience, and hope.

I started tearing out beds and putting grass back. It was too much and I couldn’t figure it out. I spent a decade trying to achieve what I got out of one growing season with native flowers. (And now I can’t shut up about it)

**Another main reason I’m passionate about the Beyond Lawns program: I don’t want anyone to feel like how I felt. Native Nerds are here to help and come along beside you**

Yes, Native plants are smaller. You need more of them. They can add up in cost but they aren’t bad price wise in my opinion compared to what you have to pay now at most box garden centers. You can start small and your plants will give you free seeds to keep going.

But they live. No, they THRIVE. And now I have gobs and gobs of butterflies, dragonflies, fewer mosquitoes, fewer garden pests for my vegetables. I barely water them now that they’ve exploded from their tiny plug status. They are gorgeous. My maintenance is minimal. Full transparency: I used landscape fabric. (Trust me, another mistake I spent hundreds on that I’m sure I didn’t need too) I’m not in a new area and will get a better sense on weeding when I do that.

The time and money (and my back) I have saved from not maintaining a traditional landscape with fresh mulch plus helping restore our insect populations is so worth it 🫶🏻

We’re nearing the end of winter sowing at home. Do

We’re nearing the end of winter sowing at home. Down to a week or two left for what I’m comfortable doing. Last year we didn’t start until March 1 🫣 so I’m gonna push it because why not😂💁🏼‍♀️

There’s still time if you want to give it a go!

I can’t tell you how thankful I am for @therivercoffeehouse and everyone (from my new friends at the library, our preschool, neighbors, high school friends, past work colleagues, etc) that have collected for me. And for @wildonessouthbend @zimmer_biomet @allenpylant @chapmanlakenursery and @goodneighborsweets for seeds🫶🏻

Inside the shed a lot is happening too 😍 I got a little impatient and ordered two more heat mats so I can start peppers for the garden projects. Justin is already mentally prepared for more racks and lights if needed. I’m hoping we can finish the hoop house soon to help with some spacing. Lots of seeds I still haven’t gotten to cleaning either 🤪 and lastly I can not freaking wait for this dead grass out front to be alive with blooms and butterflies 😍

If you missed it last night a copy of our slides h

If you missed it last night a copy of our slides have been posted on the @nativenerdskosc Facebook page!

Today was one of the best days 🥹 We kicked off @t

Today was one of the best days 🥹

We kicked off @thewatershedfoundation’s Beyond Lawns new seedling program 🌱 (and @nativenerdskosc ) with over 80 people in attendance! We were sold out within a few weeks of promoting it and that makes me SO happy to know there are so many people with an interest in this.

I know at times my voice shook but it was so good and honestly plant people are the happiest, nicest people so it was all fine. We all kind of stepped into a space of discomfort to present and I hope it came across well for everyone. And hopefully not from a place of ego but inspiration, it’s hard for me to convey that I think. Also IG’s suggested song rec is so spot on to the doubt I’ve been feeling about everything lately. ❤️‍🩹

I really wish I could have stayed and talked with people more. I saw friends, family, and neighbors out in the crowd and really felt that🫶🏻 Thank you to everyone that came, helped clean up, asked questions, friends in the audience that helped field questions, and those that brought me milk jugs🫶🏻 I’m so thankful and excited for what’s to come.

If you missed it and want to still get a copy of the slides please let me know. They are getting emailed out soon 💚🌱

This year I’ve set out to grow more than I’ve ever

This year I’ve set out to grow more than I’ve ever grown before. 🌱🌱🌱 It’s exciting and terrifying. For my yard, for @thewatershedfoundation’s Beyond Lawns program, for @communityhealinggardenwarsaw and for other community garden projects 🫶🏻

I’ve been thinking a lot on that lately too. I don’t have a solid why around it. Other than I can do it. And that each of us can make a difference no matter how small. This is just how I choose to do it. Ultimately, I want to remove barriers for people. Education and financial primarily, surrounding plants and gardening.

I don’t think I ever really shared, but I almost gave up gardening a few years ago. I was defeated. I felt like I was wasting money, screwing things up, making more work for myself (and Justin) that wasn’t paying off and that was taking precious time away from my kids. 💔

At the last minute I said I will give it one more shot. I got focused, gave the garden and myself more time to learn and try things I hadn’t done before…

That summer was the best and most productive garden I had ever had. That was 2023. The same time that I started down the path of Native Plants. It wasn’t that long ago. I vowed then to share everything that I learned. ❤️‍🩹

More on that soon 🫶🏻

I sowed these seeds on Sunday and they’re already popping up which has me over the moon today 🌱🤗

Also recap from life:

We’ve started on rebuilding the greenhouse. I’m hoping to move my native plants started in the shed out there sometime in March to make more room for all of the veggie starts. We didn’t start building it until 3/9 last year and I couldn’t use it until 4/27 so I’m really excited to learn about that process this season from an earlier start time. I’m finally getting things actually organized and labeled. We also started silk screening shirts for Native Nerds. I don’t yet know what this is going to look like yet but working on getting that figured out. Not pictured are the hundreds of milk jugs in my front yard waiting to awaken.

If you are interested in helping up-pot plants at my place this spring or helping with the big community garden please send me a message. (No experience required/all black thumbs welcome)

It’s almost time 💗

It’s almost time 💗

Growing sooo much Liatris this year 💜💜

Growing sooo much Liatris this year 💜💜

If you need a break from the world right now, come

If you need a break from the world right now, come sit on the bench with me and watch the bees and listen to the birds ❤️‍🩹

Now for properties of any size! If you’ve got a sm

Now for properties of any size! If you’ve got a small spot you’d like to add a butterfly garden or a huge area you’d like to convert to prairie @thewatershedfoundation and @nativenerdskosc has you covered 💙

How @nativenerdskosc came to be 🫶🏻 check out this

How @nativenerdskosc came to be 🫶🏻 check out this blog and register for our upcoming workshop on 2/19

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