Native Plant Disconnect - let us hear from you!
by Robert Hendrickson
[a continued discussion from week of 6/19 on the GroupEs Listserve]
GroupE’s, Timely topic. The issue of natives/pollinators.
With our move to Missouri and plenty of acres to fill with gardens and prairie, I got involved with the Grow Native! organization. My goal is to convert as much property as possible into gardens for wildlife and grandkids. Given my Mother Earth News leanings from a previous life, why not go native with a focus on wildlife/pollinators? With only a few months into the project, finding the right plants with “visual appeal” isn’t the problem. Finding a garden center that can supply the plants we want is the hurdle.
I mentioned the problem to my contact at Grow Native! with the idea of surveying garden centers to research the disconnect between native plant devotees and native plant sellers. The obvious answer is “the stuff doesn’t sell”. That’s the consistent answer I received from garden centers on the GCA tour in Virginia. Only one makes any effort at stocking/promoting native plants on an ongoing basis. I plan to survey the tour attendees next week but started thinking…
Which garden centers in The Group make an effort at marketing/merchandising/stocking native plants and/or pollinators?
What say ye Group Retailers? Let me know your take on the native/pollinator plant issue. I would appreciate hearing from you. Here's a quick 5 minute survey so I can hear your experience!
Thanks,
Robert