Found Treasure

Our quest to establish a native plant garden has been difficult.  One major hurdle is finding a reliable source of plants.  That problem may be solved.  The Fernery located just north of Hartwick is a local operation with one person having a passion for native plants carefully doing all of the work.  With the exception of the Snowdrops growing close to the stone wall, the pictured plants are our first purchase.  Bloodroots, Trillium, Early Meadow Rue, Bunchberry, Downy Rattlesnake Plantain and Fragrant Ladies Tresses made the trip home with us today.

Bloodroot has been a difficult plant for us.  We had a naturally expanding planting of it but poor placement and a severe drought ended our plants.  Attempts to purchase new stock have twice been a complete failure.  This pot appears to contain three plants each displaying a developing seed pod.  We will leave these plants in their pots as they finish their natural growing cycle so that substantial roots develop.  Their ground in the developing shade garden is presently ready but we need to proceed carefully here.  We have never before seen plants of this quality offered for sale.

We have never achieved success growing mail order Bunchberry plants.  This small pot contains growing plants that need freedom soon.  Very acid soil is necessary to maintain this plant and we will be harvesting native soil developing under an aged White Pine tree.  When that soil is placed, these plants will be set out with a surface mulch of pine needles finishing the job.  These plants look like they need freedom now.

The holding area has received our new plants and a mulch of ground hardwood leaves is being applied.  Moisture retention and weed elimination are the reasons for the mulch.  White clothing covers nearly all skin leaving only part of my face exposed.  White is reported to deter ticks and protect sun damaged skin.  Granted my appearance is bizarre, some who know me might ask what's new with that, and if it frightens passersby that might also be a good thing.  This was one wonderful day.