Once again, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD) is offering selling native plants, trees, shrubs and seeds to home gardeners who want to landscape in a way that’s healthier for the local ecosystem.
As they tell us, “Native plant species are better suited to the local environment, establish faster and are hardier. They require less water, fertilizer, pesticide and can help to control stormwater and erosion with their long root systems. In addition, native plants are low-maintenance and the long-term upkeep is dramatically less costly than turf grass. They also provide habitat suitable to native animals (birds, bees, etc.).”
How many more reasons do you need to go native instead of purchasing some exotic import from a garden center that might turn out to be a harmful invasive species? (It was the urge to have more decorative gardens that brought invasive plants stateside to begin with.)
CSWCD sells seed packets year-round in six varieties: Mesic Woodland Edge, Rain Garden, Ohio Pollinator Oasis, Butterfly/Hummingbird, Midwest Wildflower Mix and an Annual Seed Mix. Native plants kits must be ordered by March 25 and ship in early June in time for planting. Four kits are available: Prairie Wildflower, Prairie Grass, Shade and Rain Garden, with 50 plugs in each.
Native plants, trees and shrubs must be ordered by March 11 for delivery in early April. Thirteen species of herbaceous perennials, fifteen species of shrubs, and twelve species of trees are available.
To order, go to cuyahogaswcd.org and click on Native Seed, Plant, and Tree/Shrub sales.