PERRY COUNTY, Pa. — Ahead of Native Species Day, local conservation groups are encouraging more people to plant native plant varieties in their gardens.
Native plants, mammals, and insect species are in decline by about 40% according to experts, and the Bower Garden is trying to make up for the loss.
“A lot of that has to do with the fact that in all of our yards and a lot of our parks and church yards or school yards we have non-native plant species, and our local native bees and pollinators and birds can’t always make use of those plants because they didn’t evolve with them,” said Jane Allis, President of the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of Wild Ones.
The Bower encompasses 36 acres of gardens, meadows and woodlands open to the public by appointment. Jane Allis, alongside her husband and a few garden workers, are growing 13,000 plants on the property, including 250 different native plant species.
Wild Ones, in partnership with The Appalachian Audubon Society, hope to encourage others to keep up with their progress and inspire them to plant native varieties in their own gardens at home.
With a growing interest in varieties such as milkweed and coreopsis, there are a few practices to keep in mind.
Experts suggest avoiding pesticides or nurseries that use pesticides on their plants.
“When you have pesticides on your plants you are going to be killing off the good guys as well as some of the ones that are a problem,” Allis said.
Also, be sure to clear out any invasive plants present.
“At the Bower we spent 35% of our worktime getting rid of invasive plants,” Allis said.
You can celebrate Native Species Day and help plant a few new varieties during a group walk at Vincent DiFilippo Park in Mechanicsburg on Thursday, May 18 at 9:30 a.m. Walkers will learn about the different types of plants and insects that are native to the area, and receive a pack of seeds when the walk is complete!
“The slogan for native plants is the first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap. So, you do have to have patience and wait for that creep and leap year to really get rewarded with the native plants,” Allis said.
Visit the Wild Ones webpage for a full list of plants and nurseries to check out in South Central Pa.