Sunday, June 13, 2010

Finding native plants is not easy!

I've got to make it to the fall Virginia native plant sale at the Virginia Living Museum on September 18th and 25th this year! I'm finding it difficult and expensive to obtain true native plants for my project.
A couple of weekends ago, I found a page with sources of native plants for Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, N. Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and W. Virginia. The one closest to us, Pinelands Nursery in Toano, VA has a number that is no longer in service.
So with the limited time that we had on that particular Saturday, we trekked on down the the local Ken Mathews nursery. I told them that we are looking for native plants only and they did have a few.
After going through the native plant guide, we decided on the following for the bed in front of our house: Rudbeckia hirta (black eyed susans), Gaultheria procumbens (wintergreen chokeberry) Ilex glabra (inkberry), and some Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry).
At the Ken Mathews they did have the Ilex glabra, but they go for $29.99 each in a three gallon pot. We want three, but we also want to eat and maybe someday send our kid to college.

So, I think I've hatched a plan. I want to propogate my own plants. Jim Perry said that all I need to do is get some cuttings, especially in winter, and place them in root tone. Or maybe this is the way to go?? I'll ask Jim what he thinks... Does anyone know about this? I welcome any suggestions. Thanks in advance!

No comments: