2021 Native Plant Sale

Once again, the Rivertowns Pollinator Pathway Project is making it easy for you to choose great native plants to add to your yard for the coming Spring, connecting your garden with the fabulous Demonstration Gardens at the O’Hara Nature Center and supporting the great work of the Native Plant Center, all in one easy step.

 

Over the last five years, horticulturists Peter Strom and CJ Reilly have worked with the Irvington Recreation and Parks Department to create a number of unique and beautiful Demonstration Gardens at the O’Hara Nature Center (“ONC”), located at 170 Mountain Road, Irvington, NY.  These Gardens are specifically designed to work harmoniously with the environment, preserve water resources and provide a natural habitat for pollinators.  See ONC Demonstration Gardens The ONC and these wonderful Gardens are a unique and beautiful resource for all and offer a starting point and gateway into walking trails of the Irvington Woods Park.

 

At the request of the Rivertowns Pollinator Pathway Project, Peter and CJ have created a list of five native plants that grow in sun and five native plants that grow in shade, all of which have been grown successfully in the Gardens at the ONC and are now available for purchase as part of The Native Plant Center’s Online 2021 Native Plant Sale.  See NativePlantCenterShop.org  The Order Deadline for the 2021 Native Plant Sale is March 31, 2021, and the sale is online only with contact-less pickup in mid-May.

 

Peter’s and CJ’s suggested native plants from the ONC’s Gardens to grow in the sun are:

 

Aquilegia canadensis — Spring flowering perennial that can seed around the landscape.

Penstemon digitalis — ‘Husker’s Red’ Early flowering perennial with burgundy foliage and seed heads.  Self sows easily into gravel areas.

Liatris spicata — Long flowering perennial tolerant of most soil conditions and will self sow when happy.

Solidago sempervirens  — Upright goldenrod with glossy foliage.  Grows in sandy soils and will self sow when happy.

Vaccinium angustifolium  — Low growing blueberry for dry sunny soils.  Great flowers, fruit and fall color.

 

Peter’s and CJ’s suggested native plants from the ONC’s Gardens to grow in the shade are:

 

Iris cristata — Low growing iris for dry shade.

Tiarella cordifolia  — Flowering ground cover for rich woodland areas.

Polystichum acrostichoides — Evergreen fern for dry shade.

Asimina triloba — Small flowering shade tolerant understory tree with a tropical appearance and great fall color.

Clethra alnifolia — Understory and woodland edge flowering shrub appreciating moist soils.

 

CLICK HERE  to find a wonderful plant guide describing each of these plants.

 

You can order any and all of these plants today as part of the 2021 Native Plant Sale, using the hyperlink above.  You can also order any of the additional plants listed in the Catalog of Available Plants and, thereby, support the great work of the Native Plant Center.  If you can, you should order early to be assured of getting the plants you want, as quantities are limited.

 

So, why should you do this?

 

First, this makes the process of ordering native plants that have a proven track record of success in the Demonstration Gardens at the ONC simple and easy.

 

Second, it creates a direct connection between what each of us do in our yards with the ONC and all of the other pollinator-friendly public gardens that Irvington, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow and Nyack are creating and promoting across our communities, thus creating a true pathway supporting pollinators.

 

Third, it supports the great work of the Native Plant Center to educate people about the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native plants.

 

Fourth, it is just fun.  So do it.

 

Questions?  Contact Chet Kerr at chetkerr@gmail.com.

 

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