Celebrate Native Plants

Garden in the Woods opened to the public on June 1. For your safety, and to comply with state mandates, admission is limited and by advance ticket purchase only. We cannot accommodate same-day bookings.

All visitors, including members, must reserve tickets in advance. Click here to purchase Garden admission tickets through August 31. Please see our Garden in the Woods page for important details about planning your visit.

And we're now offering two options for plant shopping:

1) The plant sales areas are open by appointment for plant shopping.* 
2) You can order plants for pick up by appointment at either location. 

* Masks and social distancing are required. Please see our Buy Native Plants page for other important details, including how to schedule shopping appointments.

Photo: Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), ©Uli Lorimer

A recent study led by Tufts University insect ecologist Sara Lewis found that some species of fireflies are declining worldwide. The top three threats across the globe: habitat loss, light pollution, and pesticides. So turn off outdoor lights at night or switch to motion-activated ones, and turn your yard into firefly habitat by providing a bit of standing water, leaving parts or all of your lawn unmown, and eschewing all pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. Tall grass gives fireflies cover from predators and places to rest during the day. Firefly larvae feed on moisture-loving slugs, snails, worms, and the like, so leave some leaf litter or other garden debris on the ground to preserve moisture for such critters. And finally, plant native trees and shrubs to give adult fireflies some places to perch. 

Photo: Common eastern firefly (Photinus pyralis) ©Terry Priest

As more of us are using summer vacation time to explore the wilder forests, beaches, and trails, have fun learning the plants you encounter with our free, online Go Botany plant-identification database, available from your phone or tablet. Or take along our pocket-size paperback field guide, Wildflowers of New England, organized by flower color for fast reference. Stay safe—and enjoy all the wonders of the natural world.

Photo: Black bugbane (Actaea racemosa), Dan Jaffe ©Native Plant Trust

Director of Conservation Michael Piantedosi writes: "Growing only on calcareous outcrops at three locations worldwide, Jesup’s milk vetch (Astragalus robbinsii var. jesupii) is a federally endangered legume (family Fabaceae) that lives literally between a rock (ledge) and a hard place—the flood-scoured shoreline of the Connecticut River. We have recently been in the field, monitoring and augmenting populations of Jesup’s milk vetch by cultivating small plants grown from seed collected from its natural populations. Having watched this plant (and hundreds like it) grow from a small seed kept in our seed bank since 1989, I am reminded that we can be stewards of positive change."

Photo: Plug of Jesup's milk vetch about to be planted, Michael Piantedosi  ©Native Plant Trust

Our staff experts are talking up native plants: In July, Director of Horticulture Uli Lorimer chatted with Margaret Roach about how to shop for native plants on her A Way to Garden podcast. WCVB ABC TV 5's Chronicle featured Garden in the Woods in June. Emmy-winning national gardening television and podcast host Joe Lamp'l interviewed Uli on this podcast from Joe Gardener. Catch Uli's interview on Wisconsin Pubic Radio about native plants for home gardeners here, and his talk with Cultivating Place radio host Jennifer Jewell, "Navigating by Plants." Uli also spoke with Tom Christopher on the "Growing Greener podcast. Uli and Director of Public Programs Courtney Allen spoke with the Boston Globe about online programs and the joy of spring wildflowers. New York Times contributor Margaret Roach gave Native Plant Trust a shout out in "How (and Why) to Use Native Plants."

Photo: Seedlings at Nasami Farm, Cayte McDonough ©Native Plant Trust

An anonymous donor is challenging you to support Native Plant Trust's public programs—the classes, field studies, symposia, and educational special events we offer throughout the region to raise awareness about the importance of native plants. For a limited time, our generous donor will match your gift dollar for dollar, so use this opportunity to increase your impact. Donate now to our Public Programs Challenge Match, and your gift will support twice as much native plant education. 

Photo: Sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis), Dan Jaffe ©Native Plant Trust