Buttonbush has showy white flowers
that attract butterflies, humming-birds
and other pollinators. The nut-like
seeds provide food for waterfowl and
other birds in August.
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By VANESSA VENTURINI/special to ecoRI News
You’re a good Rhode Islander. Your fridge is stocked with farmers’ market goodies, you drink Rhody Fresh Milk and your go-to date night spot is Local 121 or Matunuck Oyster Bar — pronounced “Oy-stah Bahh.”
But I would like to share with you the latest addition to what’s local in Rhode Island: Rhody Native plants.
The Rhody Native initiative works with local nurseries to increase the supply of locally sourced native plants. A Rhody Native logo lets consumers know the plant was grown at a local nursery and is a species native to the Ocean State.
This new initiative also encourages gardeners to create sustainable landscapes that reflect the local flora, and supplies habitat restoration projects with locally adapted plants.
The Rhode Island Natural History Survey and the University of Rhode Island started the project to promote biodiversity and provide business opportunities for local nurseries.
Eastern red columbine is a humming-bird magnet. |
I recently asked our Rhody Native facebook fans why they chose to go native. One of my favorite comments came from Becky Brooke, a URI Master Gardener from Pawtucket, who wrote, “For wildlife, insect life, efficient use of water, they fit here and because I love underappreciated plants. ‘What's that, I’ve never seen it before?’ is a great conversation starter.”
Here are five reasons to go native in the garden:
The nectar of seaside goldenrod helps fuel the migration of a Monarch butterfly along Rhode Island’s south coast. |
Impress your friends. Native plants are beautiful. Think of them as a source of inspiration — a collection of richly hued foliage, flowers and berries to add color and interest to your backyard throughout the seasons. A crimson string of winterberries (Ilex verticillata) clinging to their snow-covered branch, a sprig of lacy white flowers of the arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) to greet you in the spring, or a dusty rose Joe pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum) flower, swaying gracefully on its stem at the end of the growing season.
Less yard work. Native plants are low maintenance. They evolved to survive in Rhode Island’s unpredictable conditions. They are programmed to survive the rainiest spring and driest of Augusts. If you spot a few holes in the leaves, no need to rush to add pesticides. Once established, your native pollinator garden will be fine on its own, without any help from us — or cash spent on yard-care products at a big-box store.
Show your Rhody pride. Native plants create a sense of place, reflecting our natural plant communities and ecosystems. Whether growing in a forest in Hope Valley or a mansion garden in Newport, they belong here. Many landscapes across the United States repeat the same few plants from Asia and Europe, creating a monotonous landscape that’s devoid of local character. Many of these non-native garden plants have escaped the backyard and become invasive pests in our ecosystems. Native plants take away the worry of whether a plant will become invasive, especially as our climate changes and new invasive problems sprout up.
Next time you’re in the market for plants, consider the diversity of species that make Rhode Island such a beautiful place to live and visit. While you’re at it, support your local nursery grower by picking up a Rhody Native.
For more on Rhody Native and upcoming native gardening classes, send an e-mail to vanessa@uri.edu. For general gardening tips, visit the URI Outreach Center website or call the Master Gardener Hotline, open Monday through Thursday, at 1-800-448-1011.
Vanessa Venturini is the environmental education coordinator for the URI Learning Landscape Program.
Connect to the Rhody Native initiative on Facebook.
The original article can be viewed here.