Native Plant Gardens: Naturalized or Formal – Which is Better?
We all garden to our own aesthetic. For some, green, sterile lawns of shortly mown grass is a beautiful sight. Others see beauty in lush beds of exotic (and often invasive) flowers, shrubs and vines. Increasingly, though, especially since Doug Tallamy’s groundbreaking work (if you haven’t read his book “Bringing Nature Home”, I urge you to do so), people are adding native species to the mix. Some are going so far as to remove all the non-native species and plant only native (and near-native) plants in their yards. They are doing this in an effort to provide food and habitat for the butterflies (and their caterpillars), bees, fireflies and other insects that are so important to a healthy environment.
But what gardening style is best for native plants? Today I will wax a little philosophical on this topic and offer some commentary on the ways we can garden with native species. There is no right or wrong way to do it – it all boils down to what YOU prefer.
The Formal Approach
At one extreme is what I call the Formal Gardens approach. This is often the direction taken by folks who have gardened for years with non-native species, in a Victorian style of gardening.
These gardens typically consist of distinct flower beds with low growing plants in the front and tall ones at the back. They are usually well weeded, with a layer of mulch (often wood chips) on the ground. Flowers and grasses are grown in distinct clusters within the beds. The general appearance is that of a “well tended garden” and displays a strict control over nature.
The big advantage to this style of gardening is that you are unlikely to raise the ire of neighbours who know nothing about native plant gardening, and consequently you are unlikely to get a visit from a bylaw officer telling you to mow down the “weeds”.
In my southwestern Ontario garden, this is definitely the way I started (and to a certain extent, still garden). But my gardens are designed to teach – I have over 300 species of native plants, all clearly labeled so that visitors can see what the plants might look like in their gardens. I leave wide, grassed pathways so that groups can easily wander to observe the plants and easily view the different species. These semi-formal beds make for a park-like setting and, in my opinion, make for a very relaxing back yard experience.
The “Naturalized” Approach
At the other end of the spectrum is the “toss the seeds and let them grow” approach. After all, this is how Mother Nature does it. This method of gardening can seem very messy to the uninitiated and is the method most likely to upset neighbours – especially those who love their short-cropped lawns. However, with the right mix of plants, this natural approach can provide fabulous continuous colour and great year-round structure in the garden, and can potentially create the most habitat for pollinators and other insects. For those who grew up on formal gardens, it can take a while to wrap our heads around the value these “messy” gardens provide.
(image courtesy Monarch Awards Hamilton)
(https://lorrainejohnson.ca/blog/all-this-should-go-says-toronto-bylaw-officer)
Something in Between
I confess that as my formal style gardens mature and fill with lots of self-seeded plants, the formal beds increasingly take on the messier look of a naturalized garden. And I’m good with that. Rather than seeing mess (as I once did), I now see habitat. And I also see lots of butterflies, moths, bees, wasps and other beneficial insects. And now, when plants flop over in the bed, I don’t rush in and tie them up. Instead, I’m more apt to just let them flop. I find that as I get older, “lazy” gardening appeals more and more. (Also, with age, I worry less about what my neighbours think!)
Mass Planting
Whether you choose formal or “natural”, one strategy that can make for an impressive display is to make sure you plant LOTS of each species together. Not only does this increase the impact of the flowers when they’re in bloom, but it also makes it easier for specialist pollinators to collect lots of pollen from their preferred plants.
It’s Up to You!
Regardless of whether you want to garden with formal beds, with wild and natural, or somewhere between, the key thing is to continue gardening and introducing more native plants into your flower beds. How the plants are arranged is entirely up to you, but our insects, birds and other wildlife depend on us growing native species. (You can read more about this in last month’s article – “Why Native Plants”.)
Happy native plant gardening.
P.S.
If you are concerned about bylaw officers telling you to cut down your “weeds”, then please get involved in a very important movement spearheaded by well-known native plant author Lorraine Johnson, the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the David Suzuki Foundation and the Ecological Design Lab to get by-laws updated. You can check out the open letter to municipalities, and offer you support via this link.
Native Plant Nursery: South Coast Gardens
Owner/Proprietor: Kevin Kavanagh
Address: 1634 Front Road, St. Williams, ON N0E 1P0
Web Site: SouthCoastGardens.ca
Facebook Page: South Coast Gardens
X (formerly Twitter): @scgardens
A few years ago, I was looking for a particular plant that, it seemed, none of the native plant nurseries had in stock. Someone suggested I reach out to Kevin at Southcoast Gardens and, sure enough, he had what I was looking for. It’s about a 2-hour drive from where I live in Ridgetown to Turkey Point, where Kevin’s base is, but I’m always up for a road trip – especially if it’s to check out a new (to me) native plant nursery.
When I arrived, Kevin was just heading to the Niagara Peninsula to a project he was working on, but knowing I had driven 2 hours (actually a little more because I got lost a couple of times – before I had GPS) he waited around then graciously gave me another 20 minutes of his time before rushing off.
South Coast Gardens has been operating since the spring of 2006 where Kevin operates a small retail outlet. It is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10AM – 5PM from May through early September or by appointment at other times of the week/through the year.
He does carry a lot of non-natives but increasingly grows and sells more native species. He now has around 200 species of native plants on offer, from your regular flowering perennials, annuals and biennials, to grasses and ferns, to shrubs, vines and trees. He clearly distinguishes between the natives and non-natives, but more than that he tries to educate customers about non-natives that are known to be invasive in natural systems.
To source his plants, Kevin collects local seeds or buys plants from local suppliers. He also buys plants from friends with a shared passion for growing native plants. He does dig plants from his own garden collections (e.g. from his nursery garden or some gardens of his clients that he installed in recent years) and emphasizes that his native plants are never wild dug.
Kevin does do garden designs and consultation but no longer does installations. His background includes a B.Sc. (Hons) from McGill University in Biogrography and an M.Sc. from York University where his thesis looked at edge ecology of Eastern Hemlock. He then did post-graduate research in Botany at the Univ. of Toronto (studies on Liriodendron tulipifera – Tulip Tree). He has always had a passion for using native plants in gardens.
Kevin does a large amount of public speaking on the use of native plants in gardening along with related topics such as avoiding invasive plants, gardening for birds, etc. He is an active member of the Grand Erie Master Gardeners and has also assisted local not-for-profit groups design native pollinator gardens.
South Coast Gardens provides opportunities for customers to see plants as they mature (especially trees) along with some interesting subtropical plants (e.g. Monkey Puzzle, Wollemi Pine, etc.) from around the world (they summer outside in pots and are brought into the greenhouse for the winter).
If you ever find yourself in the vicinity of Long Point or Turkey Point or, if like me, you just like the occasional road trip, I encourage you to check out South Coast Gardens. Even if you end up not buying any plants (though I’m pretty sure you will), the scenery in the area is worth the trip alone.
Scarlet Beebalm
Every July, my garden lights up with the brilliant red of Monarda Didyma – Bee Balm (or Beebalm), sometimes referred to as Scarlet Beebalm. Except in very dry years, this plant is always a showstopper in my garden. With 2024 being a fairly wet year, it is no exception this year. This plant is so easy to propagate – the roots run just below the surface of the soil and can be lifted in chunks and replanted elsewhere. I now have it growing in at least 6 different flower beds in my yard – from full shade to full sun. Definitely one of my top 10 favourites.
Scientific Name: Monarda didyma
Common Name: Bee Balm
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
Alternate Common Names: American Beebalm, Crimson Beebalm, Oswego Tea, Firecracker Plant, Fragrant Balm, Red Bergamot, Scarlet Beebalm, Scarlet Monarda, Wild Oregano
Plant description: Bee Balm features square, reddish-brown stems that are slightly hairy and branch occasionally. Along the stem you will find opposite leaves that each measure up to 13cm long and 5cm wide with 2.5cm long leaf stalks. Leaves are ovate to heart shaped with pointed tips, toothed edges and may have a purple/reddish tint to them. Stems are topped with a single cluster of tubular red flowers that measures up to 10cm wide with each individual flower measuring just under 4cm long. Each flower is characterized by an upper lip with two stamens protruding from it and a lower lip that arches downwards. The outer surface of the upper lip is finely hairy. Each flower head is backed by multiple leaf-like bracts that are tinted with red or purple. Each flower produces small, dry, ovoid seeds.
In the Garden: Reminiscent of jester hats, the vivid scarlet flowers of Bee Balm contrast beautifully with surrounding foliage. Brush up against the leaves and you will notice a pleasant minty smell. The rigid stems and rounded seed heads persist into winter months to provide wonderful textural interest, especially when covered in frost or snow.
Skill level: beginner
Lifespan: perennial
Exposure: full sun to part shade
Soil Type: well drained sand, clay or loam
Moisture: medium to wet
Height: 120 cm
Spread: 90 cm
Bloom Period: Jun, Jul, Aug
Colour: red
Fragrant (Y/N): no floral scent but foliage is aromatic
Showy Fruit (Y/N): N
Cut Flower (Y/N): Y
Pests: susceptible to powdery mildew (full sun and good air circulation will help)
Natural Habitat: moist, open woods and meadows and along stream banks
Wildlife value: Hummingbirds and Swallowtail butterflies are especially attracted to the red flowers. The flowers are of special value for bumblebees and other native bees but the strongly scented leaves and stems are avoided by mammalian herbivores. A small black bee (Dufourea monardae) specializes in the pollination of Monarda flowers.
Butterfly Larva Host Plant For: none
Moth Larva Host Plant For: Gray Marvel (Anterastria teratophora), Hermit Sphinx (Sphinx eremitus), Raspberry Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta signatalis), and Orange Mint Moth (Pyrausta orphisalis)
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-7
Propagation: No treatment needed for seeds to germinate. Store seeds in a cool dry environment for spring sowing. Plants may be propagated by softwood cuttings taken in late spring. Mature clumps of plants can be divided in the spring before they send up stems, although I have had great success dividing the clumps at almost any time of the year – the later the division, though, the less likely you will have blossoms in the first year.
Additional Info: This species blooms more vigorously if divided in spring or fall every 3-4 years – the very shallow root system is easily lifted and divided. It will spread into a large colony in just a few years if left alone. Although this plant typically has a single flower-head, it is not that uncommon for it to have a “double decker” flower, or on a rare occasion, a “triple decker”.
Native Range:
July Jigsaw Puzzle
Click button below to play!
The Importance of Growing Native Plants
Native plant gardening is one of the fastest growing sectors of horticulture in North America today. I started growing native plants 20 years ago, but I was not really an early adopter; there were lots of books written in the 70s, 80s and 90s about growing native plants. A good number of these are on my bookshelves.
We all start growing natives for our own reasons. Initially, for me, it was to add plants that I remembered from childhood growing up in a rural area. Our fields were full of these “weeds” that were quite beautiful. Imagine my dismay when I discovered that most of them were actually not native, but were, instead, garden escapes. These included things like chickory, mullein, goat’s beard, and teasel.
But the more I read and discovered, the more intrigued I became with those plants that were truly native to where I lived. And after a lifetime of gardening, I finally found a set of plants that I could get passionate about.
In the beginning, I suspect it was the novelty of growing something “different” that drew me. But as my gardens started to fill with native flowers, so my yard started to fill with butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, hummingbirds and a wide range of fascinating bees, wasps, flower flies, and other important pollinators.
Did you know that 90% of insects develop ONLY on plants for which they share an evolutionary history – i.e. NATIVE plants?
Many of the people reading this will be familiar with Doug Tallamy’s work in the US showing that it takes 5-6000 caterpillars to successfully fledge a nest of Carolina chickadees. His work also showed that the adults need at least 70% native plants within their nesting territory to successfully fledge a nest of babies. He also showed that less than 30% native plants will result in the complete loss of the nest. We can probably safely assume that similar figures will hold true for almost all songbird species.
Why are caterpillars so important? For starters, caterpillars are soft and easy to digest. In addition, they contain more protein, ounce per ounce, than beef. In fact, caterpillars transfer more energy from plants to other species than any other animal. If we have no caterpillars, we will have failed food webs.
Interesting fact: 14% of our native plants support 90% of our caterpillars. These plants are referred to as Keystone Plants.
Non-native plants do not support the diversity of insects – caterpillars in particular – necessary to support the food web. If we grow mostly non-natives, we will have fewer bugs which means fewer birds. And 90% of plants require insect pollinators, so if we have fewer insects, we end up with fewer plants. And we need plants for oxygen, for food (directly) and for food indirectly (in the form of animals that eat plants).
North America has lost 3 billion birds in just the last 50 years. I wonder how much of that is the result of monoculture lawns and non-native gardens that result in no caterpillars for the baby birds.
You don’t need to replace all your non-natives with native species. But the more native plants you grow, the more you will want to grow – especially once you see the biodiversity that appears in your garden once you do.
Let’s grow more native plants, feed more caterpillars, bees and birds. We CAN make a difference, one garden at a time.
A Few Plants You Can Grow for Butterflies (Pictorial)
A Bigger List of Butterfly Host Plants
Native Plant Nursery – Golden Alexanders
Welcome to the first of what I hope will be a long running series of monthly articles about native plant nurseries in the Southern Great Lakes Region. I’m starting with southern Ontario because that’s where I live, and the first nurseries I highlight will be many of the ones I’ve purchased plants from over the years. I’m really pleased to start with Golden Alexander’s in Sarnia, as this has quickly become one of my favourite sources of native plants.
Native Plant Nursery Name: Golden Alexander’s
Owner/Proprietor: Nick Alexander
Address: 2200 Churchill Line, Sarnia ON
Web Site: https://goldenalexanders.ca
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/goldenalexanders1/
I first met Nick about 3 years ago when I heard about a new native plant nursery opening in the Sarnia area. Sarnia is only about a one-hour drive from my place, and I had already been going to Sarnia to the Aamjiwnaang Greenhouse – Maajiigin Gumig “Place where plants start to grow” – at the Aamjiwnaang First Nation. I was pleasantly surprised, not only with the number of species Nick had, but also with the quality of the plants.
Golden Alexander’s had their first “official” Saturday sales in the Spring of 2022, though Nick apparently had a few 2021 sales strictly through word of mouth as he built his inventory.
Nick currently grows around 200 species of flowers, grasses, ferns, shrubs and trees but that number keeps increasing each year. What I especially appreciate is that Nick sticks to the true species – he doesn’t sell any nativars or non-native species.
Nick collects all his own seeds or digs his plants from his property and his clients’ properties (Nick also provides landscape design and installation, and maintenance, throughout the week). For things like woody plants (trees/shrubs), about 3% of his inventory comes from two reputable nurseries and the rest he grows from cuttings or seeds.
Nick has a horticultural diploma from Algonquin College and spent 9 years working with Shaswn McKnight and the non-profit Return the Landscape, which is where he first learned about the beauty and necessity of growing natives. He told me he was instantly intrigued by the thought of native plant gardening as soon as he heard about it from Shawn back in 2005 or so.
He said that at first it was kind of mysterious because he didn’t know any of the plants. But the more he learned, the more he became convinced there is no need to plant non native plants in landscaping. That’s why, when he took the horticulture program at Algonquin, he already knew he was taking it knowing his end goal was to use native plants, and probably exclusively.
He told me “There is so much variety/texture/colour to choose from. All the big picture stuff (pollinators, ecological benefits, etc) adds lots of extra fuel and meaning to it for me. But I actually don’t like the look of non-native gardens! I love the look of a natural areas and gardens designed to look like them…so good looks= healthy ecosystems”.
In addition to his landscaping business and his nursery, Nick has also planned and installed native gardens/natural areas in city parks, school yards and other natural area enhancements.
Hours of Operation: Golden Alexanders is open to the public on Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM (April to Sept with reduced hours in October). But if you’re unable to make it in on a Saturday, Nick can also arrange a weekday morning pickup by appointment.
Noteworthy: This spring, Golden Alexander’s was awarded the Lambton Wildlife “Environmental Award” for their work promoting native plants and supporting biodiversity in Lambton County.
Early Buttercup
As I write this in mid-June, my Early Buttercups are long finished blooming and have gone to seed. However, I chose to include them this month simply because I captured an amazing photo of the seed head a couple of weeks ago (which was the subject of this month’s jigsaw puzzle elsewhere on my website – you can access it at https://nativeplantgardener.ca/june-jigsay-puzzle/) and it has me thinking about this plant.
As usual, the Plant Description and In the Garden sections are courtesy of Shaun Booth from In Our Nature.
Scientific Name: Ranunculus fascicularis
Common Name: Early Buttercup
Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)
Alternate Common Names: Acrid Crowfoot, Bundle-root Buttercup, Cowslip, Dwarf Buttercup, Early Crowfoot, Low Buttercup, Prairie Buttercup, Thick-root Buttercup, Tufted Buttercup
Plant description: Early Buttercup features both basal leaves and stems. Basal leaves are borne on long, hairy leaf stalks and divided into 3-5 leaflets that each measure about 2.5cm long. Each leaflet is lobed into 3-5 parts and has rounded tips that sometimes have a sharp point. Leaf surfaces are silky-hairy. Flowering stalks rise up from the basal leaves, bearing 1-2 stalkless leaves themselves. These stalks are green to purplish-brown and hairy. At the top of each stalk is a single flower characterized by 5 shiny yellow, oblong petals surrounding a yellow center that turns green with age. Each flower is about 2.5cm wide. Behind the flowers are 5 yellowish-green bracts that are shorter than the petals and covered in spreading hairs. The center of the flower matures into an oval shaped cluster of beaked seeds.
In the Garden: The radiant yellow flowers of Early Buttercup are some of the first blooms you will see in the spring. Great for rock gardens and borders where it can be paired with plants of similar height. Herbivores leave this plant alone.
I have found that my Early Buttercup plant is quite happy in a shallow planter on my deck (along with some other alvar plants).
Skill level: beginner
Lifespan: perennial
Exposure: full sun to full shade
Soil Type: any well drained soil, prefers a rather poor soil containing rocky material or sand
Moisture: dry to medium
Height: 15-20 cm
Spread: 15 cm
Bloom Period: mid-Apr, May
Colour: yellow
Fragrant (Y/N): N
Showy Fruit (Y/N): N
Cut Flower (Y/N): N
Pests: no serious pests
Natural Habitat: dry, open woods and prairies
Wildlife value: a source of pollen for native bees and the seeds are eaten to a limited extent by various game birds and small mammals
Butterfly Larva Host Plant For: none
Moth Larva Host Plant For: Sparganothis Leafroller Moth (Sparganothis sulfureana) –
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Propagation: The seeds are viable for a relatively short period only. Ideally propagate by sowing just before seeds ripen and keep the soil moist. Germination may take some time. Seeds need 60 days of cold moist stratification if starting indoors.
Additional Info: This spring ephemeral goes dormant in the summer. Caution – in some people, contact with cell sap can result in skin redness, burning sensation and blisters. It does not like competition from taller plants. Note: this plant is considered Threatened in Ohio and Endangered in Pennsylvania.
Native Range:
June Jigsay Puzzle
Click to visit the puzzle page below.
On Buying Native Plants
When I started growing native plants back in 2005/2006, native plant specialty nurseries were few and far between, poorly advertised, and the selection of plants was quite limited. And unfortunately, most of those early native plant nurseries I frequented are no longer in business – some because they couldn’t afford to keep the doors open, some because the owner reached an age where retirement seemed a good choice.
In this month’s article, I’m going to talk a bit about native plant nurseries I have purchased from over the years and about the ones that are gone, the ones that survived, and the plethora of new ones that are appearing. All this is in anticipation of a new series of articles I plan to start later this month (in week 3) and will keep writing about each month as long as I can gather enough information. The series will be an in-depth look at Native Plant nurseries in the region. In the beginning these will be nurseries that I regularly do business with (there are lots!), but if the topic is popular enough I may try to expand to other nurseries as well.
In the Beginning
Living in fairly rural Southwestern Ontario has its advantages and drawbacks. First off, I live in the Carolinian Life Zone (https://inthezonegardens.ca/ontario/) – one of the most ecologically diverse regions in Canada, and the region with the most species at risk – and the range of plants that are native here is amazing. The drawback is that, with low a population density it can be a challenge to support a niche market (like native plant gardening) with so few people to buy your plants. But a few early adopters tried and those are the nurseries that got me started.
Lost Nurseries
I think the very first native plant nursery I visited was Wheatley Woods Native Plant Nursery and Garden Centre, just outside of Wheatley, Ontario. Craig had a nice selection of native plants and he was very helpful in getting me started down the right path. One of the big frustrations for Craig was that (to paraphrase him) little old ladies would come in and ask for hostas or begonias, or tell him they could get plants a lot cheaper at Walmart. Unfortunately, it would seem he was just a bit ahead of the native plant gardening curve and eventually closed down (as near as I can find out – he operated from 2005 to around 2016, or thereabouts – I moved to Manitoba in 2014, and when I returned in 2018 he was no longer in business).
Much closer to home, I used to also purchase native plants from a lovely little nursery just outside of Blenheim, ON (I don’t recall if the business actually had a name or not). Sherri’s is another business that disappeared while I was in Manitoba. In this case, I believe they sold their farm and moved on.
Yet another great native plant nursery that has gone by the wayside (owner retired) was Grand Moraine Growers near Alma, ON (1999-2019). Fortunately, Origin Native Plants in Guelph (https://www.originnativeplants.com/shop) took over the remaining inventory and has carried on the tradition. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t discover GMG until the year they closed, but I did make two trips there that year and loaded up the car. I now buy plants from Origin almost every year.
The final defunct nursery I’ll mention is another that I discovered in its last year of operation before the owner retired – Nith River Native Plants outside of Kitchener. Unfortunately I’ve not been able to find any information on the years that it operated. Graham had a fairly small greenhouse, but a wonderful selection of plants. But beyond that, I just loved the drive through the countryside to get to his place.
Still Going Strong
Despite the loss of a number of the early adopters, a number of those early nurseries are still going strong, and many, many more have opened their doors in the last few years. The demand for good quality native plants has grown tremendously in recent years, so with any luck these nurseries will be around for some time.
Very close to where I live is a small nursery tucked away in a forest. Heavenly Earth (https://heavenlyearth.ca/) originally specialized in trees and shrubs, but has branched out into perennials in the last few years. I’ve made many trips to Liz and Dale’s little hidden piece of heaven and come home with a trunk full of plants.
A little further afield for me is another survivor of the early native-plant-nursery extinctions – Not So Hollow Farm (https://notsohollowfarm.ca/) in Mulmur, ON (near Creemore, if that helps). Ian and Vicki also started with native trees and shrubs (around 2002) but have expanded to perennials, as well. They’re a little hard to find, but they have lots of beautiful plants. And the scenic drive there is worth the road trip alone even if you end up not buying anything.
One of my top 3 favourite nurseries has to be Grow Wild! Native Plant Nursery, Landscaping and Biological Consulting (https://www.nativeplantnursery.ca/) which has been around since 2001. Paul’s always got some very interesting species in his collection, though he primarily sells wholesale only. (I have a special affinity to this nursery because it’s located in the little village of Omemee, ON where I grew up through my later elementary school and all of my high school years.)
New Kids on the Block
Fortunately for all of us native plant enthusiasts, there are a number of new (and relatively new) native plant nurseries coming on stream these days. And they cover most of the southern Great Lakes region (on both sides of the border).
One of the newer establishments is Golden Alexanders (https://goldenalexanders.ca/) just outside of Sarnia, ON. This is another of my top 3 favourite nurseries. That’s because Nick has 2 emerald green thumbs and produces beautiful, healthy plants. He also has an amazing range of species available. He’s only open to the public on Saturdays because he’s busy doing landscape construction and maintenance the rest of the week. Golden Alexanders is the first nursery I will feature in my series of articles (in about 3 week’s time).
Some more great sources of native plants (all of which I have purchased from over the years) are Prairie Song Nursery and Restoration (https://www.facebook.com/prairiesongnursery/) in Walsingham, Thedford Native Plants (https://www.thedfordnativeplants.ca/) near Thedford, Ontario Flora (https://www.ontarioflora.ca/) near Markdale, and just over the border in Quebec not far from Ottawa is Beaux Arbres Native Plants (https://beauxarbres.ca/). There are many more – a few of which aren’t necessarily native plant specialty nurseries, but do carry a good selection of natives – and hopefully in the coming months I will be able to do articles on all of these sources, as well, plus many more.
I would be remiss to leave out the one of the most popular mail-order-only sources: Ontario Native Plants or ONP (https://onplants.ca/). And, increasingly, there are also excellent sources of native plant seeds, including BotanyCa (https://botanicallyinclined.org/) from which I have made a few purchases. These, too, are apt to be the subject of future articles.
In the meantime, check out my map of native plant sources throughout all of North America. (If you know of one that ISN’T on the map yet, please let me know so I can add it.) You can find that map at bit.ly/rixNPsources.
In the meantime, keep an eye out for my first Native Plant Nursery profile, coming soon.
Happy native plant gardening.
