Gardening with native plants: Resources to get started

A guest post by Sarah Hansen, UMBC Wellness Ambassador

Finding joy in the garden

In this extended period of challenge and uncertainty, one of the things that brings me solace is my garden. The slow, methodical weeding, the breeze on my face, being close to the ground and seeing all the tiny critters that abide there, focuses my attention and is almost like meditation. Taking a few moments each day truly to notice each stage as plants slowly grow, bud, bloom, and then fade, and all the attendant insects that visit them during each phase, keeps me grounded.

The animals that visit my yard bring me joy (well, except the ravenous deer, but even they are beautiful in their own way) and remind me that even now, when everything is turned upside down, the wildlife world is carrying out its cycles. Spring migration happened. Birds are nesting (and now, fledging). Lightning bugs are flashing. Flowers are blooming. Ferns are unfurling. Milkweed beetles are mating. Caterpillars and praying mantises are growing. Tomatoes are ripening. And there are simple things I can do to make all their lives easier—to help out the small community that calls my yard home.

They may seem like small things—planting a few native flowers, not removing a small brush pile, or avoiding use of harmful pesticides—but imagine if all of us just created a corner of habitat in a yard, on a patio, balcony, or windowsill, or in a local community garden plot. All those pockets add up. Collectively, we can make a world of difference for declining wildlife populations. We have the power to create beauty and at the same time, do good for animals—and in turn, ourselves.

I was skeptical that the critters who needed them would find my small native plant oasis, but after I planted my first batch of native flowers four years ago, I was amazed at the outcome. New species of butterflies and beetles abounded. Birds ate the seeds and berries in the fall. Even hummingbirds, which my partner had never seen since moving into the house in 2006, showed up. Now my motto is, “If you plant it, they will come.”

I do not have an especially green thumb. You can do this, too! And if there are children in your household, even a container or two can provide education, entertainment, and bonding opportunities aplenty. 

Resources to get started

Creating a native plant garden (or balcony, or windowsill) doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are tons of resources available to help you select appropriate native plants and get started. Please share additional resources in the comments!

• Prairie Moon Nursery has been a huge help when considering plants for my garden. They only sell North American natives and you can search their inventory for plants based on light and soil requirements, size, bloom time, and much more. 

• Local nurseries like Herring Run Nursery (affiliated with Blue Water Baltimore) only sell native plants that are suitable for the mid-Atlantic. This is where I bought all of the plants for my first native plant garden. They also carry plants from Chesapeake Natives.

• The Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder is another excellent source for information about plants (native and non-native). I find this site helpful if I already have a plant in mind and want more information.

• Many local nature centers and parks organize native plant sales—a farmers market of sorts for plants. I’ve run across these at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia and at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park in Oella, and there are many more. Feel free to add more in the comments!

• The University of Maryland Extension also offers resources for attracting wildlife, as does the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Garden for Wildlife program. Did you know that the UMBC campus is a Certified Wildlife Habitat through NWF, based on our use of native plants and sustainable practices?

• The National Audubon Society has a robust Plants for Birds program with lots of additional resources.

Next week, I’ll share some additional benefits of gardening with native plants, a few things to watch out for when purchasing plants, and a few of my favorite plant species that do well in my Catonsville yard. Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime, and please share your own resources. I love this topic, but am definitely still a student when it comes to native plants!

Yours in gardening,

Sarah