Adkins Arboretum’s Native Plant Nursery will open its doors Sept. 13 and 14 for a Fall Open House. No longer simply a native plant sale, the event offers visitors the opportunity to tour the Nursery and its operations, learn about rain barrels and plant propagation, and visit the Nursery’s native gardens, all in addition to purchasing plants for the fall garden.
The Nursery will be awash with color from ferns and grasses, fall-flowering asters and goldenrods, and a large selection of native trees and shrubs. Planting for pollinators supports populations of birds, bees and butterflies, and a special selection of perennial plants for pollinators will be for sale, including mountain mint, gayfeather, beebalm and butterfly weed. Shrubs like viburnum, bush honeysuckle, and sweet pepper bush support native bees and butterflies from early spring through fall.
Fall is the best season for planting. Trees and shrubs planted in fall have a chance to set roots before the heat and stress of summer. The Arboretum participates in the Marylanders Plant Trees program, an initiative by the State of Maryland to encourage residents to plant native trees. The program offers a $25 coupon toward purchase of native trees that retail for $50 or more.
Fri., Sept. 12 is an Open House day for members from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. New members are welcome. All members, including those who join during the Open House, will receive a significant discount on plant purchases. Old-time music trio Driven Women will perform during the day, and Blessings Blends will offer potting soil and compost products for sale. Landscape architect Chris Pax, lead designer for the Arboretum’s Native Landscape Design Center, will present Great Natives, a program about the beauty that native plants contribute to the landscape, no matter the season. The free program begins at 1 p.m. in the Arboretum Visitor’s Center. Pax will also be available during the Open House weekend to discuss the Native Landscape Design Center’s services.
Public Open House days are Sat., Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sun., Sept. 14 from noon to 4 p.m. All are welcome.
Proceeds from plants sold at the Fall Open House benefit the Arboretum’s education programs. For more information, call 410-634-2847, extension 0 or visit www.adkinsarboretum.org.
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