May 19, 2024 | 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Sunday, May 19, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The Shaare Torah Green Team and the Sacred Grounds program of the National Wildlife Federation are offering FREE native plants for your garden. Why native plants?
Native plants offer so much! They-
Register by taking the native plant pledge. Your pledge reserves 3 sun-loving or shade-tolerant plants for your yard.
Visit our table at Sunday school pickup and the Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration. We take walkup registrations!
Many congregants of Shaare Torah find joy, peace, and inspiration outdoors. By planting native plants, we can take part in protecting the earth. The Sacred Grounds program invites us to learn from experts about creating a wildlife habitat and protecting our local streams (or other natural features) by planting native plants.
We will share tips on the following:
What is a keystone native plant? The term “keystone” plant, popularized by noted entomologist Douglas W. Tallamy, refers to the critical piece of a stone arch that holds it together. Without it, the arch collapses. In a similar way, our food web, without its foundational elements (many of which are insects), will be in danger of collapsing.
The keystone plants are native plant superstars. They provide the highest level of resources for the species that support the food web. Of special importance are caterpillars and specialist bees.
In landscaping, a well-known motto is “right plant in the right place.” In general, it is recommended that you choose plants that bloom at different times, to provide shelter and food– nectar, pollen, berries or seeds– for as much of the year as possible. When planting, try to use groups of three or more of the same species. Grouping plants this way makes them more attractive and useful to the insects and other pollinators, who will have an easier time spotting their favorite plants.
The National Wildlife Federation’s 2-page list for our Eastern Temperate Forests lists the trees, shrubs and flowers that benefit the food web, and also provides information about the plants that support the specialist bees.
Landscaping with Native Plants – Maryland Native Plant Society
Chesapeake Bay Native Plant Center
Native Plant nurseries in the Mid-Atlantic region – Maryland Native Plant Society
Native Plants Resource Page – City of Rockville
Better Backyard–A Citizen’s Resource Guide to Beneficial Landscaping and Habitat Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Chesapeake Bay Program
Mistaken Identity–Invasive Plants and Their Native Look-Alikes
Garden for Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation
