The annual Openlands Native Tree and Plant Sale is back this year in a year-long online format! Each year, Openlands hosts a sale to bring you a wide array of native shrubs, trees, grasses, ferns, and flowers to beautify your yard and support ecological health. Due to the pandemic, this year’s event will again be held online in partnership with Possibility Place, with purchases delivered to your door. The 2021 Native Tree and Plant Sale is now open, and you can start shopping here.
The Openlands’ Native Tree and Plant Sale is an excellent opportunity for the public to access a wide variety of native plants, which are often difficult to find at most nurseries and big-box stores. Through the sale, you can choose from some of the many ferns, flowers, shrubs, and woody plants native to landscapes in northeastern Illinois. Native plants serve a wide variety of both aesthetic and ecological functions. Many are beautiful, hardy, and beneficial to wildlife, and can help reduce the impact of climate change. Native plants play a fundamental role in our food webs, and they support wildlife, from butterflies to songbirds. Establishing a well-chosen array of natives can help make your property more climate resilient, as trees and many other native plants create shade, cool the air, act as a sponge to absorb rainwater, and store large amounts of carbon for many years.
Openlands has put together this beginner’s guide to help you start to figure out which plants are best suited for your unique landscape, budget, needs, and aesthetic desires. Along with this handy plant-selection filter, you’ll be on your way: https://www.possibilityplace.com/plant-finder. Just make sure to head back to Openlands sale from there, so your dollars support Openlands mission to conserve nature for life.
Where to Start:
If you are new to native planting, the first step is to assess your property and identify your goals.
Who is Doing the Work?
If you’re not a gardener and do not intend to hire one who is skilled with natives, but still want your property to look great and function well, skip the gardens and select trees or shrubs. If you can afford it, consider hiring a designer who specializes in natives or a company that can help install new plantings.
Light and Soil Conditions
When choosing which natives to plant, it is essential to first determine how much light your planting area receives. If it does not receive a lot of sun, you still have many options, as an array of natives grow in partially shaded conditions.
Along with light, your property’s soil conditions are a major determining factor in the type of plants appropriate for your space, as dry and wet soil is suited for different plants. Also give special consideration when soils are heavily compacted, contain a lot of clay or sand, or are beneath walnuts or pines.
Trees and Shrubs
If you’re looking to get some privacy and block the view of your neighbor’s patio, then you might want to opt for shrubs and trees. For total newbies, introducing trees and shrubs to your landscape is a great way to start, as they are the most sustainable plantings. They are also less likely to get ripped out when a subsequent homeowner arrives, as people are more reluctant to cut out a tree or shrub.
Shrubs can serve as a natural fence and provide privacy while still looking beautiful. There are dozens of native shrubs to northeastern Illinois. When well designed, shrubs can increase a property’s value.
Trees are shown to have a positive impact on mental health and they also increase property values, cool your home in the summer, create oxygen, and clean the air of pollutants. Besides providing privacy and shade on sunny days, trees in some locations of the landscape can reduce stormwater runoff, which can reduce the effects of heavy rains and erosion. Some trees do best in spacious yards with plenty of sun.
Native Garden & Tree Care
Natives are a great investment. As most are perennial plants, they will return year after year, unlike annuals like pansies or begonias. While the investment upfront may be more than annuals, they reap immense benefits year after year that you will get to enjoy.
When you first buy your plants, they will be small. Once they fully mature, they can grow up to several feet, while trees and shrubs can grow even larger. Because of this massive growth, it is a good idea to space out your plants based on their mature size.
Unlike vegetable gardens, many native plant gardens that have become established only require watering once per week if at all. However, it is essential that you regularly water your garden in the first year or two while your plants take root. Water one inch per week throughout the first year until the ground freezes, unless we get a good soaking rain that week. A slow, deep watering directly over the roots when needed is best; avoid frequent, shallow watering. Placing an empty tuna can or similar container in the watering area is a useful way to track how much water an area receives.
Native trees require more attention during their first few years, as they need regular watering. From the time the leaves begin to appear in spring through the first frost, water trees once per week with up to 15 gallons of water. When in doubt, check the soil at the base of the tree, and if it is dry, please water.
Many trees and other plants, native or not, spend the first year or two recovering from transplant shock and establishing a strong root system. Depending on what size plant you buy and the conditions where it grows, you might not see immediate growth or you might be treated to quite a show. Be patient, as it may take a few seasons for the plants to flourish. However, once their roots are established, they generally come back on their own each spring, and some may even need to be thinned out.
Ecological Service
While planting trees, shrubs, or a native garden may seem like a small act, know that your actions will have a big impact. Native plants have a direct relationship with the butterflies and birds in our area and growing your natives will encourage the continuation of the web of life. Mary Fortmann, Openlands’ Sustainable Landscapes Coordinator, explains the benefits of integrating natives into your landscape:
“You can make your yard a haven for weary travelers. While there’s nothing wrong with most nonnative plants, they don’t support wildlife in the same way as natives.”
To learn more about bringing conservation-friendly practices to your property, including details on how to implement our top four recommended projects, visit Openlands’ Lands in Harmony page.