Adkins Arboretum Announces Native Plant Nursery Opening Weekend

DSC_4627 early dogwood flowers against woods email (400 x 524)Adkins Arboretum’s Native Plant Nursery, offering the Chesapeake gardener the largest selection of ornamental native plants for more than 20 years, will celebrate its 2013 Nursery Opening Weekend Sat. and Sun., April 13 and 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Arboretum Visitor’s Center in Ridgely. The sale benefits the Arboretum’s education programs and affords the public an opportunity to learn about the region’s native plants and their connection to a healthy Chesapeake Bay. Following the sale weekend, the nursery will be open to the public during the growing season, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Mondays and weekends by appointment.

Plants for sale will include a broad selection of perennials, ferns, vines, grasses, and flowering shrubs and trees for spring planting. Native flowers and trees provide food and habitat for wildlife and make colorful additions to home landscapes, whether in a perennial border, a woodland garden or a restoration project. Tall spikes of purple-blue flowers grace blue wild indigo, while native honeysuckle entices hummingbirds. Cardinal flower, ferns and Joe-pye attract frogs, butterflies and dragonflies, and native azaleas present a veritable rainbow of bloom colors.

In addition, the Arboretum is a participating nursery in the Marylanders Plant Trees native tree discount program. For any native tree valued at $50 or more, shoppers will receive a $25 discount. Some of the special larger trees available for this discount include weeping redbud, Franklin trees, ‘Appalachian Spring’ dogwood, the cultivar most resistant to dogwood anthracnose, along with such favorites as oaks, birches and sweetbay magnolias.

The Arboretum gift shop, Sweet Bay Gifts, will be open and will offer books and nature-inspired gifts for gardeners. Members receive a 10% discount on plants, gift shop items and new books. Members at the Contributor level ($100) and above receive a 20% discount on plant purchases.

A sale day for members will be held Fri., April 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All members are welcome, and new memberships will be accepted that day.

Donations of garden books, field guides and gardening/landscaping magazines for the used book sale are greatly appreciated. The sale helps support the Arboretum’s library. Books may be left at the Visitor’s Center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call 410-634-2847, extension 0 or visit www.adkinsarboretum.org.

In photo: Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is among the flowering trees for sale at Adkins Arboretum during its Native Plant Nursery Opening Weekend, April 13–14, and throughout the growing season.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. Through its Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, it will build the W. Flaccus and Ruth B. Stifel Center at Adkins Arboretum and a “green” entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives promoting best practices in conservation and land stewardship. For additional information about Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.