Native plants for a Cape Cod garden

Where do my plants come from?

Although I found some native plants present in my yard already, I’ve added well over a hundred different species by purchasing plants and seed. I’ve done both with good results. The following places (some are just in my neck of the woods) are worth checking out:

• Project Native (Housatonic, MA): http://www.projectnative.org
• New England Wild Flower Society (Framingham and Whately, MA): http://www.newenglandwild.org
• Vermont Wildflower Farm (Charlotte, VT): http://www.vermontwildflowerfarm.com/.  They have a wide variety of wild flower seed available.
• Hart Farm Nursery (Dennisport, MA): http://www.hartfarmnursery.com/.  These folks are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and although their native plant stock is limited, they will find growers that have what you are looking for.
• Mahoney’s (Osterville, MA + other locations): http://www.mahoneysgarden.com.  They have access to native plants which you can order from them – do it as soon as they open for the Spring season however.  The native plants seem to go quickly.
• Cape Abilities Farm (Dennis, MA): http://www.capeabilities.org.  They have native plants from time to time.  Either way it’s worth a visit.

I generally don’t collect from the wild as this practice really affects natural native habitats in a bad way. There is enough environmental pressure already. I shudder to think about my biology teacher having the whole class collect plants, which we would dry and display mounted on cardboard. Of course, this was over 30 years ago, in a different land. I was a kid then, but I still feel bad about the whole experience. A lot of the plants we collected then are a lot more difficult to find nowadays, if at all. I blame suburban crawl for this mostly, but one can’t underestimate the destructive power of hordes of kids unleashed in the wild.

Nowadays I venture into the woods merely to take stock of what wildness is left, and to observe and photograph the plants in their natural habitat.  This gives me ideas on what plants may do well back in my yard.  After some research on the plant itself and the required soil and light conditions, I will purchase plants or seed depending on what makes most sense (price, availability, time of year, documented success rate, etc.)

Are there exceptions? I guess I might be inclined to save a plant or two if I notice a bulldozer or home building crew ready to “civilize” a plot of land, but the effort may be in vain anyway as these plants may not endure the removal process, nor the new environment planned for them. I’ve salvaged an 8 inch vine of partridgeberry this way, and the jury is still out if it will survive a winter in its newly adopted home.

Another alternative to buying would be to swap plants with other native plant enthusiasts. They can tell you whether a plant is a good fit for what you have in mind. In time, there should be more of us working with native plants and wild flowers. I am two or three years away from having extra plants and seeds available, and I would be interested to find likeminded folks in my area.