Purchasing Plants for Preservation

A hushed “awww” was just audible when the senior botanist pointed to the image of the baby.

A baby Asplenium rhizophyllum.

You know you’re in company of true plant lovers when the crowd “coos” at an image of a baby walking fern, born on a rocky cliff in Pennsylvania.

The senior botanist was Dr. Ann Rhoads of the Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania, and author of “Trees of Pennsylvania.” Manada conservancy members were treated to a talk by Rhoads, during their native plant sale members night at Meadowood Nursery, Friday. She explained ways of identifying plant communities in our forests

The community gathered at the sale marveled at the plant selection and quality of the native plants grown by Meadowood Nursery to benefit the conservancy. One patron said she was amazed by the growth of the nursery over four years.

I was amazed by the fascinating variety of trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials that are native to Pennsylvania. Strolling the immaculate grounds of the nursery, I felt I was in a mid-sized garden center where the plants held all the possibility of any landscape plants anywhere.

It is possible to sculpt your landscape in a creative and interesting way using native plants. Go by the sale Saturday, 5/2/2009. You’ll see what I mean.

As part of member’s night at Manada Conservancy’s Native Plant Sale, two owls were released back into their habitat after being rehabilitated. They were of different personalities and flew in opposite directions. The crowd was of one mind, however. Everyone was delighted to have a close up view of such a regal bird returning to the woods.