April 19, 2024| Education, Environment, Events
By: Holly Odgers
Online ordering for our 8th annual native plant sale begins at 8 am, Friday, April 26, but you can get a sneak peek right now at the more than 45 varieties of native plants available at lhfplantsale.givesmart.com!
The sale includes native favorites like asters, bluebells, milkweed, and phlox, plus a few new options like mayapple, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and northern spicebush. By using the "categories" button at the top of the sale page, you can sort available plants for options that are deer resistant, pollinators. or like shade.
If you're looking for inspiration, join us on Thursday, April 25, at 7 pm (the evening before our sale opens!) for our spring program, Replacing invasives with natives for more sustainable landscapes! Mike Van Clef from Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space will present on various native plant species, focusing on alternatives to invasive species. He'll discuss selecting native plants for functions such as screening, foundation plantings, and shade. And he'll share tips on choosing deer-resistant plants and strategies for protecting plants from deer. Come discover practical approaches to cultivating thriving, sustainable landscapes! Find out more and register HERE.
Pickup for online purchases will be on Saturday, May 4, from 9 am - noon, at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, 125 Landing Road, Landing.
Native plants naturally occur in the region where they evolved and are beneficial to the local environment. They are adapted to the landscape, requiring less water, fertilizer, and maintenance once established.
Native plants play a vital part in the world's ecosystem and are important for the healthy populations of birds, native bees, butterflies, bats, and many mammals. They provide significant support for many pollinators, such as the Monarch Butterfly, whose populations are under stress. Pollinators play a crucial role in the production of fruits and vegetables, as well as the health of plant and wildlife communities.
Natives can even improve water quality. Their deep root systems effectively hold soil in place and help filter out pollution from stormwater runoff. allowing heavy rainwater to be absorbed into soils rather than overflowing into storm drainage systems, protecting our waterways and reducing flooding
We hope you will choose to add some native plants to your yard or garden this spring!
