Container
Gardening
with
Native
Plants
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
What exactly is a Native Plant?
• Native Plants are the species that occur
naturally in a given area.
• Native Plants include ferns, grasses, water and
marsh plants, herbaceous perennials, shrubs,
trees and vines.
• There are so many choices!
They come in many colors,
shapes and sizes.
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Why Containers?
• Physical limitations
– Low maintenance
– Easy access
• Landscape limitations
•Propagation
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Coreopsis (lanceolata)
-You can separate some of your
perennials annually and gift or plant in
your landscape.
•Recycle
-Great way to reuse many household
items
Containers 101
• Plan your container
• Determine light and moisture requirements
• Select type of container
•Mix soil and any soil
amendments needed
according to VTE
recommendations
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Little Bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium)
•About
• Small, non-spreading grass with blue-green leaves
that turn reddish orange in the fall
•Fluffy silver seed heads are ornamental through winter
•Grows to 2’-3’ X 1’
•Full Sun
•Well drained, dry soil
•Benefits
•Deer resistant
•Drought tolerant
•Attracts butterflies and birds
•Uses
•Dried flowers
•Cut flowers
•Rock gardens
•Bonsai
•Companions
•Butterfly Milkweed
•Pale purple coneflower
•Stiff Goldenrod
Woodland Phlox
(Phlox paniculata)
•About
•Partial to Full Shade
• Average Size 6”-1.5’
•Average to moist soil
• Prefers Organically rich soil
•Benefits
•Attracts Hummingbirds and Butterflies
•Beautiful Spring Flowers
•Companion Plants
•Virginia Bluebells
•Christmas Fern
•Goat’s Beard
Madienhair Fern
(Adiantum pedatum)
•About
•Full Shade/Deep Shade
•Moderate Moisture
•Organically rich soil
•Deciduous
• Height 18”-2’
•Can be divided in Autumn or Winter
•Facts
•Maidenhair fern is the source of a
pleasantly aromatic volatile oil long used as
a rinse or shampoo that rendered black hair
very shiny, hence the name Maidenhair.
•The tough, water-repellant, shiny black
stems were used by Native American
peoples in basket weaving.
Where Can I Purchase
Native Plants Locally?
Colonial Nursery – Williamsburg
Sassafras Farm – Gloucester
Cooke’s Garden – Williamsburg
Let it Grow – Williamsburg
Homestead Garden Center – Toano
2011 Native Plant Sales
John Clayton Chapter/Native Plant Society 4-30-11
Virginia Living Museum 4-16 & 4-17 & 4-23-11
Where Can I See Native Plants?
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VIMS Teaching Marsh
Williamsburg Botanical Garden
Melissa’s Meadow at William & Mary
Stonehouse Elementary School
W&M Wildflower Refuge
Virginia Living Museum
New Quarter Park
Norfolk Botanical Garden
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
JCC Human Services (Master Gardener Project)
Websites of Note
• www.wildflower.org
•Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center site has excellent
articles on gardening with natives, including guidelines
for container gardening
•www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/
•Web and PDF versions of handbook, Native Plants for
Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping,
Chesapeake Bay Watershed, now out of print.
Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia heliopsidis)
•www.claytonvnps.org
•John Clayton Chapter, Virginia Native Plant Society,
extensive plant lists by county, excellent photo gallery.
•www.dgif.virginia.gov/habitat
•Extensive how-to information for environmental
stewardship for homeowners, schools and businesses.
•www.floraofvirginia.org
•Comprehensive research project publishing 2012 will
describe more than 3,500 native plants with photos and
illustrations.
•www.pubs.ext.vt.edu
•Virginia Cooperative Extension (VA Tech & VSU)
Great Resources for Native Plant
Information
The Essential Guide
Just updated with
FAQ’s and a
regional plant list.
Virginia
Habitat
Partnership
State
Certification
National Wildlife
Federation
140,000+ registered
habitats
John Clayton
Chapter
VNPS- Local
Experts
Why use Native Plants?
• Want to do less watering? Native plants are survivors and
adapt to whatever is happening in their environment.
• Feel concerned about excess nitrogen causing algae blooms
in the Chesapeake Bay? Natives don’t require fertilizer.
• Native Plants provide familiar sources of food and shelter
for wildlife.
• On a broader ecological scale, planting native species
contributes to the overall health of natural communities.