I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers to share seeds, cuttings and information.

I would be, too. Above all, I would be interested in finding a list of native plants of our region. I usually can tell when a plant is not a native, but I don't really know when some plants are natives. I just spent some time looking on the web for such a list, but did not find anything.

I do have lots of native plants in my small garden (I hope). Would I go ALL natives?? NO, because there are some plants I love too much to be without. I have been debating for a week whether to get some new penstemons... natives of the West!!!

Anyway, I would like to know more about native plants but would not be ready to do away with some non-natives.

Would anyone have a site listing natives of our region?

Anne-Marie

Wildflowers of the northeast THis site has pictures of a lot of plants that are native to this area as well as those that have escaped cultivation. I have tried for a long time to find a site that had good info on NY natives. Even contacted a local grassroots group to find natives and they weren't any help either. So far the best I have been able to do is check particular plants at the plant database map.

I am trying to include native species for my hummingbirds so it is critical that some plants be native species and not introduced hybrids.

Penny

Thank you very much, Penny, for the site. However.. is this what you had meant to post? It is the White Oak Nursery (trees and shrubs). No wild flowers, as far as I could see.
Now a question of definition.. is 'native plant' the same as 'wild flower'?

Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie, you should take a trip to IES sometime. They propagate and sell some native plants at their plant sale.

Here is a link that might be useful: IES

OOPS! Anne Marie No that is the wrong site...I wonder what I did???? I think I had too many windows open and copied the wrong url.

Anyway here is the correct link Wildflowers of the Northeast

I am not sure how to properly distinguish the two terms as they seem to be interchangeable. I think of Natives as plants that naturally grow and are not introduced from other countries but can be introduced from other parts of the country by way of wind, birds animals etc. They are native to this soil. Wildflowers can be native or non natives that have been introduced and exscaped cultivation.

Now this is my own way of distinguishing the difference. Maybe someone else can enlighten us as to the actual difference.

Penny

Hi, started planting native plants in 04. Have been cultivating native plants in the our woods for sometime.

Links

http://www.jfnewnursery.com/html/catalog_plants.html
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/garden/index.html
http://www.wildflowers.reach.net/list.html

There is an exhaustive 13-page pdf. bibliography of "wildflowers" on State Dept. of Conservations website. More than you ever want to know. Who knows how many are still in print or available at public libraries?

I guess I do have my work all cut out now!!!

Mad_Gallica, YES, I will definitely visit the IES soon (and there are even trails!!) and did mark my calendar for the May Plant Sale

Penny, I started checking your site out and bookmarked it to go back to it at leasure.

tomtuxman and nagamaki, will check your info later.

Thanks everyone,
Anne-Marie

I think native plant advocates are bossy and annoying.
some of them sometimes.

I would like to grow more native but unsure how to grow or obtain native plants.
I'm not worried about the growing part.

I am very interested in native plants and have done some reading and studying.
I would love a specific northeastern New York book.

I would be interested in attending talks and lectures or classes on native plants.
Yes.

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers within two hours drive of my house.
Yes.

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers within three hours drive of my house, once a year or for special events.
Yes.

And I'd love to do the exchange but don't have anything to swap.

I just received a coral honeysuckle today that I ordered from Mail Order Natives and let me say that I was extremely impressed. They grow most of their plants either from cuttings or seed. The only problem with ordering from them is the fact that they are in Florida and only ship from October thru the middle of March.There prices are fantastic and shipping is more than reasonable. The plant was packed to perfection. I even have a flower cluster forming already. Amy sells trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, ferns and grasses. I paid $6.00 for a 1 gal. plant and shipping was only 3.00. I don't thing you can beat that anywhere unless you grow it from seed yourself.

Penny

The latest issue of Mother Earth News has an article about growing wildflower meadows w/ native plants. It lists some resources. You can go to www.wildflower.org click "explore plants" then "suppliers directory", from there you can search by state or region....

I'm very interested in native plants and have been reading about them for some time. A friend of mine knows a lot about them, and she advises me about which plants are natives too. I go out in the woods a lot and take plant field guides so I can learn about them by sight. An area behind my house right next to the creek has been taken over by non-natives like multiflora rose, garlic mustard, and decrepit old apple trees (this used to be an orchard), I would like to gradually change that to natives. I have a few natives, like mountain laurel, but most of my garden is non-native. I've read the native plant forum, but some of the people over there are really unpleasant, and that spoils it for me.

There is a very nice article on Native and Invasive plants at Lowes website

Penny

Here is a link that might be useful: Native and Invasive Plants

Great site, Penny. I can see using it as a lifetime list.

I prefer to see the NY natives in their wild habitat, but that's because I live in the country where there are mostly wild areas. (I have a gorgeous red lobelia growing in the middle of the stream that runs alongside my property.) I've never seen a gentian in New York, so I might try planting that.

Otherwise, I prefer plants that are unusual and find it a challenge to grow plants that are native to where I've traveled. They never look as good as in the native habitat, which is why I travel a lot, but when the memory is in my garden, it makes me feel good.

Susan
I am incorporating northeast natives with southwest natives because they are good nectar sources for my hummers and because I tend to favor plants of the south and southwest since they are what I grew up with. Technically they are all new world natives.

Penny

Yes! I've been gardening with native plants since the 1980s.

I'm particularly interested in sourcing (Rensselaer/Albany/Bennington/Berkshires) native asters and large flowering plants like Joe Pye Weed, Ironweed, Queen of the Prairie, etc.

I'm also looking for a source for marsh marigolds and other wetland margin plants for our little frog hollow. I know nothing about wetland plantings so would appreciate guidance.

I'm an invasive, originating in Connecticut. Having moved from 6b to 5a I feel I have a lot to learn.

Hi.

First, let me say a big THANKS to everyone who posted a link to a site about native plants!! I can't wait to check them out this weekend!

Now, in answer to your questions:

Yes, I would be interested in getting together with others to promote the cause of native plants.

Yes, I would be interested in attending talks and lectures or classes on native plants.

Yes, I have been developing my knowledge of native plants over the last year. I have done a lot of reading up on the subject but I'm still thirsty for knowledge!

Yes, I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers within two hours drive of my house.

Yes, I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers within three hours drive of my house, once a year or for special events.

I started my garden relatively recently (this will be only my third spring) and I try to plant mostly natives.

A list of native plants and local nurseries that sell native plants, is available from the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park--in Saratoga County (where I also volunteer). If I make a pdf of the list of nurseries and native plants, would that be helpful?? Let me know, okay?

adkmountaingirl

Mountain girl if you know of places that sell natives in the Buffalo area please include that in your file. I have had to go outside the state or start my plants from seed because I can't find them locally. I even have friends in Pa. send me plants that should be available here but aren't.
If they are available, they want anywhere from $12-$15 for a 2inch starter pot. I can order them online much cheaper and larger.

Penny

Thanks also for posting this topic. I am genuinely interested in native plants. William Cullina from the New England Wildflower Society has written two excellent books "Growing and Propagating Wildflowers" and "Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines". He says in his books "native" means plants growing in North America prior to European settlement"
I would love a special seed/plant swap. I think it is an area that should be promoted to keep our natives growing.
I'm with AnneMarie .... I wouldn't give up my other plants in order to grow natives.

Hi everyone,

I am thrilled with the response here. I did a great deal of talking to people at Gardenscape and found similiar enthusiasm there. I am a member of the New England Wildflower Society (which means basically I pay the dues to get first crack at seeds, but doesnt it sound impressive? *grin*)but am always amazed that there are no really helpful, available and/or well developed organizations around here (WNY). My impression of the horticultural society if Erie County is they are more interested in growing alien plants indoors, and our conservation society here in Genesee County sells European Mountain Ash and Hostas for conservation purposes!!!!!!!!I think to myself, there are so many experts in the field and I am not an expert. But it reminds me of when I entered administration in another field of mine-they arent doing it. What I do have some background in is large group - organization. So I would like to see what we can do to further the cause of conservation specifically in the area of Native plants-in information and availability.

I think it is a mistake to think "I cannot do this" or "I cannot do that." Rather we should say "what can I do?" Perhaps in the beginning it is sharing information and getting together as a bunch of amatures. But I have found that amatures have a way of becoming experts when they care enough. Do you not find that also? Everything has a beginning, and the future is in the hands of whatever philosphy, fate or power takes an interest in such things (I am not going to say "whatever you believe in" I think it has way more to do with what believes in YOU!)

So while you think about that I will give what little information I do have in response to some of the questions or issues above.

I believe that many if not most experts define "native" as growing within a certain radius or distance of "whever you are" before european settlement in that area.

"wildflower" may include naturalized alien plants. Some of these common to NY State are Self Heal (or Heal All), Yellow Flag ("wild") Iris (the Blue Flag is native), spotted knapweed, Dame's Rocket, most honeysuckle's commonly found growing 'wild", some wild growing sedums (Sedum Purpeum is alien, S. telephiodes is native).

A plant may be native to the US but not native to your region.

An issue to keep in mind when procuring plant specimens or seeds is that often nurseries or distributors sell domesticated or hybrid versions of Native species and kind of mislead people by calling them "native". They are a native species but are cultivars, not the wild versions. Whether that makes a difference or not depends on many factors, such as if they will revert when they go to seed (many or most hybrids do that), availability of the original native plant (it is near impossible to find the original wild Monarda's) and fitness-a cultivar may wipe out a truly wild population by vigor, but because it did not evolve over time to survive a variety of climate conditions it may be wiped out by drought or wet years. For example, the original wild Black Eyed Susans are an endangered species in some of its native regions. What they sell for seeds is a cultivar.

Rhea - all of us that come from immigrants coming to America after 1500 are invasive. Those that are now saying "but I have a great great great uncle in law that is Native American" are hybrids and unless your children come out 100% Native American by genetic testing you are still invasive *grin*. This of course brings up some very good issues. Our environment is NOT what it was 400 years ago. We need to think about balance NOW - not just take a hard line stance that makes us sound good to ourselves and annoying to everyone else, that is unrealistic and downright obnoxious. Yet it is important to talk about the future and our relationship to the planet. It is the only one we have.

There is a book Titled "Wildflowers if New York" by William Chapman (and others) that may be of some help or a starting point to those that would like to know what is native to NY. (it does have naturalized aliens, listed as such. I have not gone through it flower by flower to ascertain completeness)

The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers includes naturalized aliens and other eastern regions, but it does tell the range and nativity.

Genesee County Conservation Dept is having a sale (you order and pick them up in april), but the past day to order is April 1, and they are, as I mentioned, offering non natives also, so if you do order research the species first. go to:
http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/
select soil and water from the drop down box

Other resources:

New England Wild Flower Society:
http://www.newfs.org/

Endangered Plant Species of New York State:
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/

New York Flora Association:
http://www.nyflora.org/

The above has an atlas of plants growing county by county. I am unsure if there are naturalized alien species included or not. However, if you have a general idea of what pelants are native you can check to see if it is growing in your county.

I can help people with seeds like native asters, boneset and Joe Pye Weed come fall. I am sure others here have seeds also, so if we know people are looking it isnt hard to collect.

The Native Plant Seminar speaker at Gardenscape has a nursery of only natives and only the original wild species. However, he is in Ontario. Bringing live plants over the border neccessitates an inpection of the soil and certification. This is done at the nursery. He would be willing to get such an inspection if a group large enough to make it finacially feasable came over (there is a significant cost to him in doing so). He is a garden web member too! I passed my ideas by him and he is very supportive of the idea of a local native plant society.

Well Mama's little organic compost converting organisms are waiting for input of raw material so I will have to write more another time.

PAX
Laurette

Here is a link that might be useful: My (not very far along) WNY wildflower site

If you are anywhere near Troy NY this is a wonderful place to go.............WildThings Rescue Nursery

They are a small home based nursery specializing in rare, variegated, shade and woodland plants.
http://thosedarnsqurls.mswin.net

Her site is beautiful and she was on the co-extension tour a few years ago. Jean

i s'pose i'd fall into the "i'm a little interested, but don't know much about them" category. i've been looking over a lot of the links that many of you have provided here (thanks!), and i am now "more than a little interested, but am learning more about them." ha ha.

honestly, i never considered native plants as an option for our garden. and i have a couple (plant) pots on the burner right now. but what i've seen here has given me quite a few things to think about. and i'm picturing a spot on our property which could probably be devoted to native plant varieties... but don't know when i'll get around to _that_ project.

thanks for the links to all the wonderful sites!!
--robbie--

Here are some interesting links.

http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/pcomm.htm
http://www.elmpost.org/native.htm
http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/
http://www.easywildflowers.com/
http://home.usit.net/~info7/plants.html
http://ecologyart.com/acorus.htm
http://www.tripplebrookfarm.com/index.html
http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/eastern/science/art3970.html

Hi All,

I am not sure if we should go to a new discussion and leave the survey but I am going to say keep on posting for the survey if you have not yet responded to that, but I am going to post what I see as some of the issues in native plants.

One very important issue is that the bulk of land in Upstate NY is either residential or former farm land. Only swampland and mountains too steep or rocky to farm is left reletively untouched. A figure given at Gardenscape was that something like 70% of grass in New York State is of alien orgin. Residential areas tend to be lawns with some (usually alien) shrubs and some Hybrid, highly bred cultivars and foreign foilage plants or flowers. Fallow farmland is an open invitation for invasive species such as Purple Loosestrife, Garlic Mustard, Oriental Bittersweet, Foreign Honeysuckle, and the rapidly spreading and dnagerous Giant Hogweed - why? because there is little competiton and these aliens move faster than many or most of our native species (that is why they are called "invasive"). This also is like opening "Highways" that allow faster travel and bring invasive species to the borders of wild lands that do have established species, allowing invasice species to destroy native habitats faster than they could moving straight through competition.

Nothing in life lives in a vaccum. When we allow native plants to be erased from our region we also erase the insects that depend on them, the birds that depend on the insects and so on. Some butterflies can only eat or breed on certain plants that are becoming scarce. Lack of diversity upsets crucial balances and what few natives are left are the food of choice for animals that adapted to eat them when they were plentiful. We cannot blame the animals for that. We are the ones that dessicrate wild land and drive out food sources. Sure, we do not want to put in twelve Trilliums and have them eaten by deer. We cannot all move back to whatever country our ancestors came from. But we do need to find ways to balance our environment that are not killing off wildlife.

There are agencies and societies, private non profit groups, government groups, colleges. Why then are we so uninformed? Why is it difficult to obtain the plants that we should be planting? Why are people planting invasive species? Why is it hard to find meaninginful and understandable information? Why does it take five years to figure out even the basics of conservation (planting in an uninformed way for those five years?
This is what I think is "why". Because experts tend to live in a mental "bubble" in which complex things seem obvious to them, information seems easy to find (its right on our groups web site? why don't you know this?)They live and talk with other experts and have no idea what the novice gardener thinks or wants or knows. Experts do not plant yellow flag. Getting information to someone with a horticultural degree isnt much help. The information and education has to be accessible, and clear and straightforward enough for someone just begining and swamped with facts and names and terms they don't know, to understand, internalize into a larger understanding and remember when they are in a nursery or at their friends house getting cuttings. It is not good enough to say "well if you care enough you will pay fifty dollars a year and come sit in an auditorium listening to scientific names". It is not good enough to say "drive 60 miles and pay three times more for a native plant."
In short, information has to be simple, available, and aimed at the rest of us that don't have a Masters degree in conservation. Plants have to be available enough that they are a reasonable option. And most of all it has to be there even when someone is starting their first garden not even aware that there ARE any issues that should be taken into consideration in the planning of that garden.

The various groups such as Cooperative extension, conservation department, local garden clubs, grass roots societies, professional horticultural societies and so on, need to work together with specific goals, and they need to work with the public, not behind a rose covered trellis.

Trying to wade through the lists and websites to figure out what you should or shouldnt plant (or in between these extremes, what you need to keep a good control over and not plant where it can move into wild or waste areas)is like wading through thick black swamp much. Every organization has its own list. There are invasive plants, likely to be invasive plants, foreign plants, native American but not native NY plants. Some are native to the area but spread quickly (such as the rambunctious Anemeone Canadensis, Physostegia virginiana [false dragonhead] or the annoying Phytolacca americana [pokeweed] ). Is this invasive? How should we work with this kind of plant? There are endangered plants, endandgered subspecies, plants that are endangered in wild state or in certain habitats. There are rare plants, extinct plants, protected plants. There are state lists and national lists. All I want to know is what I can pick dammit!!!! By the time One figures all this out they have already "done the damage" [not to mention gone through three computers, given birth and seen the kid through college!). There needs to be accessible consolidated information we can understand BEFORE we plant giant hogweed as an ornamental!

So, do you agree with these concerns, or do you have other or additional concerns? What I think doesnt really matter because I can sit and think it until hell freezes over the Giant Hogweed *grin* and it wont do me any good. What is important is what YOU think!

PAX
Laurette

Here is a link that might be useful: hogweed profile

Laurette,
You made a very good point, The information needs to be accessible and the plants and or seeds need to be available to Joe or Jenny Gardener at realistic prices. I spent several days trying to find out about any local native plant sales in this area. I finally got in touch with someone who is in charge of the Klydell Wetland Preserve here in N. Tonawanda who told me she thinks there is a native plant sale out at Bond Lake in the spring but she didn't know exactly where or when. She also said she thinks that some ladies garden club in Amherst sells natives but again no other info available. Gee whiz, Spring is a very vague period of time. SInce I don't take the paper and I am not even sure it is posted in the paper and I don't know where Bond lake is and I don't have any kind of a date this information was as useful to me as stinging nettle. Again the same holds true with the Amherst Garden club....no date, no contact information, no location. I have found it much easier and less stressful to order plants and or seeds out of the area and believe it or not pay a lot less.

Penny

I don't really care one way or another, I just grow what I like.
I do care but I also grow 'American' natives as there aren't enough NY natives that I can grow in my yard that supply enough nectar for my hummers.

I think native plant advocates are bossy and annoying.
Many that I have encountered are presumptuous and indignant. They don't want to take a few minutes to help educate the novice gardener

I am just starting to become interested and would like to know more.
I am still learning

I would like to grow more native but unsure how to grow or obtain native plants.
Never can find them locally

I grow natives in my town or city gardens or borders or in my yard.
some but not many

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers to share seeds, cuttings and information.
When it is convenient

I would be interested in an online native plant club.
Definitely

I would be interested in getting together with others to promote the cause of native plants.
yes, when I am available

I would be interested in attending talks and lectures or classes on native plants.
if it were feasible for my situation

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers within an hours drive of my house.
If it worked with my family's schedule

I would be interested in native plant seed and live plant exchanges.
Definitely

I think that there are already enough information and attention in this subject and any more would be redundant.
I disagree with this statement

Penny

Jean_MDC, I'm just down the road from Troy. I checked out the web site you recommended and found Marsh Marigolds. Thank you so much! They have some other very nice plants I'd like to look at too.

One terrific surprise for me was finding Herb Robert growing in odd places on our property (a former apple orchard). In CT you pretty much only find Herb Robert in deep, old-growth woodlands. Here it seems to spring up just about anywhere. This area's been so disturbed that we have a lot of scrubby undergrowth but we do have some beautiful mature Elm trees and the former homeowner planted lots of evergreens which are now mature.

My biggest disappointment was finding Gill-Over-the-Ground had followed me from CT. I hate that darn stuff.

Also I should say I am in no way on a religious crusade against alien species. I have an herb garden in which the theme is (get this!) HERBS! lol. Most are european just because that is where our ancestors lived and they used what they had. I have native herbs but I don't really give preference. I have a shade garden as part of that and have natives, aliens and hybrids. I have an old farmhouse so away from the house is former farm-fields, now scrubby shrubby land and as I learn the importance of native species I try to keep to planting natives there - especially since it extends quite a ways back onto many other properties. It would be easy for plants to stray and hopefully natives ones will also do that in time. Right now I am not removing alien species except for the more infamous ones. My reason for bringing this up (besides jealousy of the resources available in New England)is because of the struggle I have had in obtaining, researching, etc. Please do not think I am one of those "ex-smoker" type gardeners that obtained a few natives and went on a crusade.

side note: asked at my favorite greenhouse today if they would be getting any wintergreen in for spring and the manager said "if that is some fancy new hybrid flower we seldom carry stuff like that." moan

Laurette

This rainy day has helped me go through this most interesting thread. My main reason for hiking (mostly in the Adirondacks around here, and wherever I go) is observing 'wildflowers'.. and I carry all sorts of field guides with me (just like crankyoldman [By the way.. I think I should change my name to " crankyold woman"!!). I just love to see those plants in their 'natural' habitat.

Anyway, going through all these sites mentioned above, I am pleased to realize that I do have several 'natives' in my garden. And.. honestly, I would grow more BUT.... I have a much too SMALL garden!!! However, I have already decided to give Aquilegia canadensis a try. I had given up on columbines because of the leafminer problem, but I hear that the native ones are resistant to those pests...

Mad_Gallica, I spent some time today going back to the IES website, and I find it very interesting. I definitely plan to visit as soon as I can (in spite of the 70 miles...)
Jean_MDC, I also plan to visit the Troy nursery you mentioned. That's much more in my neighborhood!!

ADKmountaingirl, I checked the Wilton site, but could not get to the list you were talking about. Would you post it as you offered, please?

Laurette, congratulations on your site.. and thank you for all this info. I need much more time to absorb all this, so I'm saving the whole thread to have it handy.

There is actually an article on the NEWFS's purchase/project of the Nasami Farm in the last issue of the magazine People, Plants & Places>--one of my favorite magazines. Flowerchild, have you seen it? I know you mentioned the NEWFS society and Bill Cullina.

Anyway, in my next message I may take some time to answer all the questions from the starting message.

What a great thread!

Laurette, I hope you fed your compost with some natives!

Anne-Marie

I think most native plants are boring and I like to collect the unusual and exotic from around the world.
NO WAY...although some native plants may be boring bec. we see them too much (i.e.: New England Asters.. sorry!). Yes, I also like to grow others--not so much exotic-- because I like MANY plants.

I don't really care one way or another, I just grow what I like.
I do care, but I also like to grow other plants. I like variety.

I think native plant advocates are bossy and annoying.
Never thought of it this way... but it might just be that I don't know that many... LOL!

I am just starting to become interested and would like to know more.
You certainly have arisen my interest.. and would love to learn more. I have ALWAYS been interested in wildflowers (have a big collection of books), and sort of assumed they were natives. I also thought (wrongly) that natives were happier in the wild... I can identify many 'wildflowers', but don't know whether they are natives or not. Have lots to learn.

I would like to know more but unsure how or where to look.
There seems to be a lot of sites providing info, but what I still haven't seen is a LONG list of natives..

I would like to grow more native but unsure how to grow or obtain native plants.
Yes.. but my problem is the small size of my garden more than anything else!!!!!

I give native plants preference in my garden planning.
Not yet!!

I grow natives in my town or city gardens or borders or in my yard.
I do have a few!

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers to share seeds, cuttings and information.
As long as I don't have to drive too far

I would be interested in an online native plant club.
not sure

I would be interested in getting together with others to promote the cause of native plants.
probably not

I would be interested in attending talks and lectures or classes on native plants.
Yes.. again, if I don't have to drive too far.

I would be interested in native plant seed and live plant exchanges.
yes

I think that there are already enough information and attention in this subject and any more would be redundant.
Yes, there is actually a lot of info, but, honestly, I think it is hard to navigate through all the info.

Anne-Marie

I'm a little late in responding as I haven't been to this forum in several weeks.

I think most native plants are boring and I like to collect the unusual and exotic from around the world.
Definitely not! Since I started gardening to attract wildlife AND I avoid using chemicals in my garden, it's important to me to have plants that are appropriate to our ecosystem, climate, etc.

I would like to grow more native but unsure how to grow or obtain native plants.
I've had to do quite a bit of mail order to find what I want. Some local nurseries are more 'native-friendly' than others, however.

I give native plants preference in my garden planning.
Absolutely. I'm rather picky about what I plant, too.

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers to share seeds, cuttings and information.
Maybe, but my spare time is, unfortunately, very limited.

I would be interested in getting together with others to promote the cause of native plants.
Ditto.

I would be interested in getting together with other native plant lovers within three hours drive of my house, once a year or for special events.
I would really like to tour native plant gardens (like the one at IES!) with other gardeners. I think that would be a lot of fun. Incidentally, Adkmountaingirl and I visited Cornell Plantations in Ithaca last summer and REALLY want to go back, as we didn't have enough time. Could be a fun group trip, don't you think?

Here is another source for Native plants that I just found int the Plantasia program for this year.Amanda's Garden Plant list and prices. She is located in Springwater NY. SHe offers native wild flower prennials that are all nursery propagated.

Penny

Here is a link that might be useful: Main Page of Amanda's Garden

Hi All,

I posted an idea I had for (me to host) a Native Plant exchange over on exchanges. Thought I would mention it here for those that, like me, only wander over to there once in a great while.

PAX
Laurette

I've been so busy at work, I didn't realize how long it's been since I've posted. My last time was 4/2 -- obviously it's been a really long time!

Anne-Marie: I'll be with the Director of the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park on Thursday night. I'll get a clean copy of the native plant list (mine has my undecipherable scribbles and notes all over it), and then I'll attach it to this string as a pdf. Hopefully anyone in the Capital District/Saratoga Area who is interested will be able to open it okay and visit the nurseries listed. Okay?

Yes, lnmp & I had a wonderful time in Ithaca at the Cornell Plantation last summer, but there was just so many beautiful gardens and plants ... so when we ran out of time, we decided to definitely go back. BTW is anyone interested in making the trip with us??? Let us know, okay?

adkmountaingirl

Here is my garden path
1. start reading native forums
2. become convinced natives are important
3. decide to naturalize my land even though I believe traditional non natives are more beautiful
4. overwhelmed by size of job and ignorance of native plants
5. return to gardenweb over and over trawling for help
6. start to become literate. learn to id a few plants
7. change plans a million times
8. do a few things on my property and learn a ton from trying
9. read chats with new understanding
10. find some nativists to be dogmatic or severe purists. I don't care - I am married to one
11. come to understand why some are so dogmatic
12. come to new level of sympathy for those who do not wish to be purists
13. begin to see natives as beautiful
(a co worker once told me if someone was nice they looked prettier and prettier to him. If they were not nice they looked uglier and uglier)
14 experience the first thrills of discovering a new native on my property
15 begin to see positive aesthetic improvements in my property from the many small changes
16 become infected with purist fever obsessively searching the web for the 'right' plants for my ecosystem
17 become a shameless coveter of more and more plants I cannot afford as my list of desirables grows out of control: (O Queen of the Prarie if only I had say 11,000 of you in my swampy area)
18 Morph into a secretive craven cultivator of 'wicked' plants various critters enjoy, such as pokeweed, bidens
19 develop cunning and evasive tactics as I run up against purists
20 realize I have become an ignorant sneaky purist

In answer to your general queries, due to health time, and finances the internet is my meeting place

Hey - Im sorry - I thought I was in the natives forum!!! How embarassing. How did I get to this forum? Hmmm - I was searching under 'bettersweet'... Sorry, I'll re-post over in 'natives'

Oh Flower Kitty, you are funny and I like you.

It's okay-the discussion is a native plants discussion. Your post is very welcome. I bet many besides me can relate.

I believe Pokeweed is native and so you do not have to feel guilty about growing it. In fact, the NEWS has seeds for a variegated strain.

I put tulip bulbs in woodland and could care less if anyone doesnt like it. (bares her teeth)

Thanks
Laurette

I'm not a gardener but I have to applaud those of you who are native gardeners.Those people who say native plants are boring have no concept of beauty. While huge deep red roses are beautiful nothing compares to a large wild rose bush in full bloom,mosses,majestic hemlocks.Then there are our wild orchids.Indian moccasins, lady slippers ect. Though they are very illegal to dig up they are a work of art and nature. The process and conditions for these plants to grow is one in a million.So unique are these plants Cornell can't get them to grow.My garden is the forest.Though most people don't see these wild flowers and plants that makes them more special to see.Again thanks for putting the effort into growing native plants.