Spring into Native Plant Sales!

“Potted plants at Native Plant Nursery” by Joshua Tree National Park (CC PDM 1.0).

The long-awaited spring has arrived,

and, with it, native plant sales! As the name implies, native plants are those that have evolved in our bioregion and are thus adapted to our topographic and climatic conditions. This is important from the perspective of healthy ecosystem functioning (birds, insects, and mammals, for instance, have developed long-standing relationships with these plants), yet it is also important from a “pocketbook” vantage point.

Once established, native plants are perennials that continue to give back to the ecological community, of which we are a part, without further impacting our wallets. They do not need fertilizers (in fact, too much organic matter may impede the growth of some of them) and many are drought tolerant, requiring less water to survive.

Due to the mass destruction of Illinois’ prairies, our gardens have become an integral component of restoring ecosystem health and balance in our communities. As Doug Tallamy has made clear, and as local nonprofit associations like The Conservation Foundation show, we can make a difference through our gardening choices by planting natives.

Native plant pre-sales generally take place in March and April with plant pick-up in May. Local organizations that supply native plants include the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (FPDDC), The Conservation Foundation, any of the Wild Ones chapters, as well as some local garden centers, such as The Growing Place. The FPDDC currently has ongoing programming (both online and in-person) through May to help you with your native plant inquiries, as well as support you with native plant design in your garden. Take advantage of these, and similar opportunities, to beautify your garden and support conservation at home!   

Resources

Johnson, Jill. 2022. “McDonald Farm Annual Plant Sale.” The Conservation Foundation. Available at: https://www.theconservationfoundation.org/mcdonald-farm-annual-plant-sale-online/.

“Native Plant Sale.” No date. Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Available at https://www.dupageforest.org/native-plant-sale

Tallamy, Douglas. 2019. Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. Timber Press, Oregon.

Wild Ones Greater DuPage Chapter: https://dupage.wildones.org/

Wild Ones West Cook Chapter: https://westcook.wildones.org/