Celebrate Native Plants

Garden in the Woods is closed to the public until April, but those with a Native Plant Trust personal membership may enjoy your Winter Walking privileges to explore the Garden during this peaceful time of year. Winter Walking hours: By reservation, Monday–Friday, 10 a.m–4 p.m., through March 31. Call 508-877-7630 x3801 or x3104 to book your time slot. 

Meanwhile, save the date for the Garden's reopening: April 15 for members and April 16 for the public. 

Nasami Farm's Garden Shop reopens on April 28 for members and April 29 for the public.

Photo: Skunk-cabbage (Symplocarpus foetida), © Uli Lorimer

The Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act, bipartisan legislation to promote the use of native plants, was signed into law as part of the fiscal year 2023 government funding package on January 5. US Senators Susan Collins and Maria Cantwell coauthored the legislation, which will create a new pilot program at the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management to support the use of native plants, including in areas that have experienced recent wildfire. The program will help to prevent the spread of invasive species, preserve biodiversity, and reap the numerous benefits local flora provide to wildlife, human health, and the environment. 

Photo: American trout lily (Erythronium americanum ssp. americanum) Dan Jaffe Wilder © Native Plant Trust

Carve out time on your spring calendar for Twilight Trilliums on Friday, May 12, 6–8 p.m.—the capstone event of Trillium Week (Monday, May 8, through Sunday, May 14) at Garden in the Woods. Stroll the Garden after hours on a spring evening and enjoy the sight of gorgeous ephemerals like great wakerobin (Trillium grandiflorum) and sweet wakerobin (Trillium vaseyi). Garden admission and light refreshments are included with your registration.

Photo: Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum), © Uli Lorimer

What better time than preseason to plan additions to your native plant garden? Your planning companion is our updated 2023 native plant price list, available now on our Buy Native Plants page. You can pre-order plants now for pick-up at Garden in the Woods or Nasami Farm when our Garden Shops open in April. (You'll find ordering instructions in the section called How to Order Plants and Other FAQs.) Not sure what plants will fare best in your garden's conditions? Try our Garden Plant Finder. 

Photo: Plants for sale, Nasami Farm, summer 2022, Miho Connolly © Native Plant Trust

Native Plant Trust is committed to a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) and to being a welcoming and safe place for all who engage with us. We are proud that Native Plant Trust is among the first 21 organizations nationwide selected for a year-long pilot project with the new IDEA Center for Public Gardens. Each participating organization is developing and implementing a project to expand IDEA. Our project is developing a two-year plan to embed IDEA principles and actions into our organization’s culture and work, with defined milestones. Read more on the About Us page.

Photo: Red maple (Acer rubrum) fall foliage, © Native Plant Trust

Want to catch up on back issues of Native Plant News or share a copy with a friend? We archive our membership magazine in the About Us section of our website, so you can download a free PDF copy anytime. We post PDFs only after print copies hit our members' mailboxes. Only members receive a fresh, print copy of the current issue in the mail. To receive Native Plant News in print, join us today!

Photo: Pollinator in white turtlehead flower (Chelone glabra), Cayte McDonough © Native Plant Trust