Native Plant Gardening: Good for the earth, good for you.

Ageratina altissima, Actaea racemosa

Echinacea purpurea, Clethra alnifolia, Rudbeckia hirta, Verbena hasta

Wild Seed Project —Maine’s leading Native Plant Educators/Native Seed Propagators— recently published an excellent article by Lillian Harris “Landscaping in partnership with native ecosystems is good for the planet. It’s good for us too.” outlining five major positive effects native plant gardening can have on your mental health (and our local ecosystems!). Lillian discusses her initial resistance to native plant landscaping and how it has transformed how she interacts with her property—an inspiration to anyone feeling hesitant to implementing more natives to their homes. Lillian expands on how native plant landscaping can: Deepen Belonging, Reduce Perfectionism, Teach you to Relax, Foster a Sense of Purpose through Reciprocity with Nature, and Build Resilience. We urge you to read the article (linked below) and explore Wild Seed Project’s website. If you are looking for an accessible guide to native plants in New England, we reccomend Wild Seed Project’s publications on Native Shrubs, Native Ground Covers, and Native Trees.