Growing Together Newsletter: Spring 2021

Neighborhood Newsletter SPRING 2021

Printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

3120 Barley Mill Road | Hockessin, DE 19707 302.239.4244 | mtcubacenter.org Hockessin, DE Permit No.XXXX

NATIVE PLANTS

PAID

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

of the Season

Blue Moon woodland phlox (Phlox divaricate ‘Blue Moon’)

Oakleaf Wherry’s foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia ‘Oakleaf’)

Purple Flame blue flag (Iris versicolor ‘Purple Flame’)

This charming wildflower creates a haze of blue in the spring atop delicately branched stems as it spreads happily in the woodland garden. An herbaceous perennial, woodland phlox is among the most reliable and carefree plants, producing large clusters of fragrant lavender-blue flowers on 6–10" tall stems. It performs best in well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soils in shade, though it will tolerate morning sun.

With attractive medium-green lobed leaves and 8–10" tall stems covered in tiny white to pinkishwhite flowers, this native stands out in the garden as one the best plants for use as a shade groundcover.

Tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions from dry to moist but well-drained soils, this undemanding plant performs reliably in the garden and is used as a filler in woodland gardens due to its carefree nature and adaptability.

Moist and wet areas provide the perfect setting for the blue flag in the garden. In late spring to early summer, it produces stems with striking blue 3–4" flowers with a prominent yellow blotch on 2–3' tall plants. Its sword-like, upright foliage is an attractive accent to the summer garden. It also grows well in average soil and filtered shade to sun. The blue flag makes an excellent focal point in a small pond or can be used in an area that is too wet for other garden plants.

6–10" tall perennial plant | Filtered-Shade, Partial-Shade | Average, Moist Soil

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S AT M T. C U B A C E N T E R April 23–25 Wildflower Celebration April 28 Spring Ephemerals: A Naturalist’s Perspective May 1 & May 8 Sustainable Landscape Techniques

May 2 Trillium and Wine: Complementary Pairings May 5 Songful Spring: Mt. Cuba’s Bluebirds May 6–27 Wildflowers in Color

D E L A W A R E N AT U R E S O C I E T Y A N N U A L S P R I N G N AT I V E PLANT SALE Online Sale Runs May 2–3 No in-person shopping this year. Search DNS Native Plant sale online to find their plants.

Plant Pickup Appointments will be May 13–15.

Spring has sprung and it’s time to show up the beauty of native plants! Here are some high-quality native plants perfect for stepping into Spring on the right foot.

8–10" tall groundcover| Filtered-Shade, Partial-Shade | Average, Dry, Moist Soil

Mt. Cuba Center staff favorite

2–3' tall perennial plant | Filtered-Shade, Full-Sun | Average, Moist, Wet Soil

3120 Barley Mill Road | Hockessin, DE | 302.239.4244 | mtcubacenter.org

S TAT E B A N S I N VA S I V E P L A N T S The State of Delaware House and Senate passed bipartisan SB 22, banning invasive plants. Starting in 2022, the import, export, sale, transport, distribution, or propagation of any plant identified by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, with the advice of the Delaware Native Species Commission, as an invasive plant.

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

English Ivy (Hedera helix) English ivy is used as a dense, year-round groundcover. It is non-native and spreads prolifically, including into the tree canopy, where it can choke out and kill trees if left unmanaged.

THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT EFFORTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO CREATE HEALTHIER LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS

Virtual Chat with Ashley Kennedy was a Neighborhood Hit

O

n February 25, the Growing Together this contribution to the network of life creates community ambassadors organized a virtual the necessary foundation for healthy ecosystems. event where neighbors gathered to discuss Neighbors also recalled their enjoyment of seeing the the importance of native plants in creating a more many butterflies and birds attracted to their native sustainable world starting in our very own gardens. plants. One neighbor noted, “If insects were the size Such has been the focus of Doug Tallamy’s books of birds, we would all be insect watching!”

Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s They also discussed communication Best Hope—both popular books strategies. Inspired by Tallamy’s “ I F I N S E C T S easily accessible to novice gardeners. astute observation of words, they Ashley Kennedy, a former graduate student of Doug Tallamy’s, generously and wonderfully moderated our discussion.

WERE THE SIZE OF BIRDS, WE WOULD ALL BE INSECT W AT C H I N G ! ”

Many neighbors brought up their fascination with the significance of native plants. They discussed the food and shelter that native plants give insects such as caterpillars and moths. They noted that

liked changing the term for “yards” to “gardens” and the name “butterfly weed” to “monarch delight.” One suggested the slogan, “Keep natives!

Yank invasive!”

The scale of native plants’ potential environmental impact was not lost on neighbors after listening to one of Doug Tallamy’s lectures. The amount of space in the U.S. taken up by

English ivy has been identified as an invasive species in the recent legislation banning their sale in DE effective 2022.

J U S T S TA R T O N E S E C T I O N AT A T I M E O R E V E N O N E P L A N T AT A TI M E . YO U D O N ’T N E E D TO OV E R H AU L YO U R WH O LE YA R D O R G A R D E N .

D O U G TA L L A M Y private lands, such as residential property, is 40 million acres—greater than almost every national park combined.

If substantially more people began planting native plants in their gardens, we would be well on our way to restoring biodiversity. It is worth starting in our neighborhoods!

One message from Doug Tallamy’s books rang true with neighbors: Just start one section at a time or even one plant at a time. You don’t need to overhaul your whole yard or garden.

Have more to add?

R EG I STE R YO U R L A N DSCA P E AS A HOMEGROWN N AT I O N A L PA R K Imagine your neighborhood as a national park.

Your home landscape is part of an ecological system. Together, you and your neighbors all nurture nature.

The need to nurture nature is increasingly evident with a severe decline in biodiversity including the loss of many birds, pollinators, and essential insect species. North America has lost 29% of its birds (2.9 billion birds) since 1970 with most being common birds such as sparrows, warblers and finches. The US Fish and wildlife service’s report that the biggest threat to birds is loss of habitats.

We can act now to create a safe and nurturing home for threatened birds and pollinators. The best way to do that is by planting native plants that support pollinators and the insects that birds eat and removing invasive plants that strangle native plants.

Join together to be a part of the Homegrown National Park grassroots movement to restore biodiversity by planting native plants and create new ecological networks.

It’s easy, just visit homegrownnationalpark.org and register your landscape. You’ll see a map of your area showing each person’s contribution to planting native plants by State, County, and Zipcode.

We are excited to work with you toward making healthy and beautiful communities.

Feel free to reach out with any questions comments or feedback anytime at ajg54@psu.edu or 302.203.9612.