Last fall (sometime in September, 2012) I got a delivery of native plants that I had ordered through my affiliation with the Audubon of Northern Virginia's 'Audubon at Home' program, where I volunteer as an 'At-Home Ambassador'. Serving as an Ambassador includes connecting with individuals in my community and sharing how to create natural habitats in their yards. We visit community properties, both private and commercial, and do a walk-through with the owners, encouraging things like conserving water (ie: using rain barrels), removing invasives and replacing with native species, and reducing and/or eliminating pesticides and chemicals. If the property owners are really motivated, they set out to become certified with Audubon's 'Wildlife Sanctuary Program' as a Certified Wildlife Sanctuary. For me, this all came about as part of my local Master Gardener involvement. Last year, the Master Gardeners in my area and Audubon of Northern Virginia formed an alliance, establishing a relationship that opened up opportunities for many of us to become Ambassadors. I have enjoyed this added dimension to my Master Gardener involvement. I am going to talk more about this wonderful program in future posts, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, let's get on with the native plant delivery, which you can see part of on my driveway, below.
Believe it or not, that photo isn't even all of them! There were some resting on either side of my driveway, as well. You see, not all of these natives were for me alone. I had ordered them for three other 'habitats' that I had certified as Wildlife Sanctuaries. Two yards were local individuals, each of whom purchased five natives a piece, and one was for a local church, where five natives were also ordered. The program doesn't often include opportunities to purchase and deliver the native plants; usually we offer recommendations to the property owners based on what sort of wildlife and/or pollinators they would like to attract to their yards. But sometimes Audubon of No. Va. is able to arrange a sale, and this was one of those times. Three plants native to our area of VA (including ground covers and vines) and two seedlings (including trees and shrubs) were offered as a package for shady areas or sunny areas. Audubon's local 'source' for the natives was Earth Sangha in Fairfax, VA. Below is the list of plants we were given to choose from (I have placed a * on those I already had or a * on those just added):
Sun:
Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)*
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)*
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)*
Narrow-leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)*
Three-lobed Coneflower (Rudbekia triloba)*
Black Eyed Susan (Rudbekia hirta)*
Dwarf Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)*
Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)*
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) shrub*
Black Chokeberry (Photinia melanocarpa) shrub*
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) vine*
Shade:
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)*
Mist Flower (Conoclinium coelestinum)*
White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)*
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)*
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)*
Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)*
Bluestem Goldenrod (Solidago caesia)*
Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)*
Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) shrub*
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) shrub*
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) shrub*
In future posts I'll share some of the plants that I chose and a bit about each of them as they bloom throughout the upcoming seasons. I am linking to Gail's Clay and Limestone blog, for her monthly meme, Wildflower Wednesday. Stop over and see what other plants native-enthusiasts are sharing on the first Wildflower Wednesday this January 23, 2013.
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What gifts have you discovered today? Until next time,
Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/
Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.
