Reflecting on 2025: Blueberries, Butterflies, and New Beginnings
As 2025 winds down, we find ourselves reflecting on a year filled with both achievements and challenges.
There is much to be proud of — from the many new friends we've made to the customers who have joined our journey. While our ambitions were high, Mother Nature had her own plans. Seventy days of rain meant seventy days of lost opportunity, and some commitments had to be left unfinished.
Yet, even in the face of those setbacks, there has been so much beauty and inspiration to carry us forward. A few topics of interest to me — and hopefully to you as well — stand out as reminders of the simple joys that make each season worthwhile.
Blueberries: Little Jewels of Summer 🫐
Few things capture the taste of summer like a handful of fresh blueberries. Beyond their sweet‑tart flavor, they're nutritional powerhouses — rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. In the garden, blueberry bushes are as beautiful as they are productive, with delicate spring blossoms, lush summer foliage, and fiery red leaves in autumn. They also draw in pollinators, making them a win‑win for both your table and your local ecosystem.
Butterflies: Nature's Living Art 🦋
Butterflies bring a sense of wonder wherever they appear. Their presence signals a healthy environment, as they rely on diverse, pesticide‑free habitats to thrive. From the monarch's epic migration to the swallowtail's graceful flight, each species plays a role in pollination and biodiversity. Planting nectar‑rich flowers like coneflowers, milkweed, and zinnias can turn any yard into a butterfly haven — and give you a front‑row seat to their delicate beauty.
New Plants: Fresh Faces for the Garden 🌱
Every year brings exciting new plant introductions, and 2025 has been no exception. Breeders are focusing on resilience, pollinator appeal, and extended bloom times. Standouts include the PINK ON REPEAT™ lilac, which offers multiple flushes of fragrant blooms, and the Rocky Mountain goldenrod, a hardy native that lights up late summer with golden sprays of flowers. Adding even one or two new varieties can refresh your garden's look and support local wildlife.
As we look back on these simple joys — the taste of blueberries, the flutter of butterfly wings, and the thrill of planting something new — we're reminded that nature offers endless reasons to pause, appreciate, and dream ahead. Whether in a garden bed, a wild meadow, or a single potted plant on the porch, each small act of tending the earth adds beauty to our days and hope to our future. Here's to carrying that spirit forward into the seasons to come.
---
Resources:
Blueberry | Home & Garden Information Center
NABA - North American Butterfly Association
New Plants for 2026 - By Collection - SHOP PLANTS
