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Native plant is a term used to describe plants that are indigenous to a particular area. This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in a particular place. These plant species are adapted to the soil and weather conditions and are the foundation of our native ecosystems, or natural communities.

WHY LANDSCAPE WITH NATIVE PLANTS?

Native Plants Save Energy:
Native plants have evolved and adapted to local conditions over thousands of years. They are vigorous and hardy, so they can survive winter cold and summer heat. Once established, they require very little care.

Native Plants Provide Balance:
Each native plant species is a member of a community that includes other plants, animals and microorganisms. The natural balance keeps each species in check, allowing it to thrive in conditions where it is suited, but preventing it from running wild.

Native Plants Benefit Local Ecosystems:
Natives are a cornerstone of biological diversity. They provide food and shelter for native wild animals such as birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The also keep the natural balance of each.

Native Plants Help Save the Bay:
Their root systems help rainfall percolate into the soil, reducing erosion and runoff. They help divert water from storm drains and decrease the impact of runoff to rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay. This improves water quality.

Here is a recommended list of Natives for you to try in your garden. You will definitely have success with these native plants while benefiting wildlife and our ecosystem.

Native Grass-Like Plants
• Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus)
• Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
• Rush (Juncus effuses)
• Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaries)
• Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum)

Native Perennials
• Aamsonia (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
• Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis)
• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnate)
• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberose)
• False Indigo (Baptisia australis)
• Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
• Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
• Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
• Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia)
• Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium coelestinum, dubium)
• Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
• St. John’s Wort (Hypericum calycinum)
• Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)
• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
• Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
• Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)
• Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
• Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)
• Goldenrod (Solidago sp.)

Native Shrubs
• Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
• Clethra (Clethra alnifolia)
• Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
• Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra)
• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
• Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)
• Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
• Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
• Bayberry (Myrica cerifera)
• Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa)

Native Trees
• Red Swamp Maple (Acer rubrum)
• River Birch (Betula nigra)
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginica)
• Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
• Sweetby Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
• Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
• Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
• Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Native Vines
• Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)
• Carolina Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
• American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)

{ Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, April 21 , 2011 }

Gardening can be fun. Shopping and selecting plants can make putting the garden together a creative endeavor. But what do you do with all the plastic pots your plants came in?

McDonald Garden Center is committed to benefiting the environment by offering plant pot recycling. Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. By collecting used plant pots and nursery trays and bringing them to the McDonald Garden Center collection site, you are participating in a series of steps that generates a host of financial, environmental, and social returns. Since many recycling services will not take these pots, we are asking that you consider bringing them back to any of our three Garden Center locations. We ask that you empty the pots of their contents, such as potting mix, leaves or trash. You do not need to rinse them; just dump any contents that are left inside. We also ask that you remove all metal hangers from baskets, as well as metal rings and staples. Stack the pots as best you can by nesting together those of the same or similar size regardless off style or color. When you get to McDonald Garden Center, bring the pots to the Trees & Shrub nursery yard and place them in the Pot Recycle Bin.

The three categories of plastic pots will be accepted, #2, #5 and #6. This number can be found on the underside of the pot, inside the small triangle. Number 2 pots are HDPE, High Density Polyethylene. These are usually ribbed and have a hole in the center of the bottom of the pot. Number 5 pots are PP, polypropylene. This includes pots and some trays with mesh bottoms. In a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors, they are usually marked on the bottom with the symbol. Number 6 pots are PS, polystyrene. Most trays and cell packs are polystyrene.

We are asking you to help us provide a greener future and REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE! Simply drop off your empty garden pots at any of the three McDonald Garden Center locations to get started.

{ Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, April 18, 2011 }

Houseplants make a beautiful addition to any indoor or outdoor space during spring and summer. During warm weather, let your houseplants vacation outside to get a big growth boost and to add color and dimension to your outdoor space.

Here are some tips on transitioning your houseplants outside:

• Place your plants in a shaded outdoor area when the threat of frost has passed (approximately April 15 for the Hampton Roads area). The transition will be easiest when the daytime outdoor temperatures are about the same as the normal temperature inside your house.
• Avoid putting houseplants in direct afternoon sunlight at first. Some plants can take full sun, but after living inside under filtered light they need to be acclimated.
• Potted plants will dry out quicker in the sun and outdoor air. Water plants more frequently, unless they are getting plenty of rain. When it's hot and dry, they may need to be watered every day even if they are in the shade.
• Fertilize the plants in the early part of the summer for more vigorous growth. We recommend McDonald Green Leaf. Be sure to repot plants if they appear root bound or are getting too large for the original containers. Prune as needed.

{ Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, April 11, 2011 }