Native Plant Producers Society of Alberta

Your Plants

    The Society is offering to participants just a few of the hundreds of native plant species that occur in this region of Alberta.  One of the Society's goals is to get you started in the process of re-introducing species that have been displaced by non-native plants, mainly from Europe.  These native plants are just the beginning of what we hope is a step-by-step plan to balance the natural ecology of your yard.

    The plant plugs you will receive are adapted for open, sunny areas in marginal to average soil - most native species thrive in poorer soils.  They need at least 8-10 hours of direct sunlight so a south or west exposure is ideal.  If your yard is mostly shade, or has only filtered light,  these plants may grow but they will not thrive.  Part of the workshop material will cover the creation of sites suitable for these particular plants plus how to install and maintain your new planting.

    Each plug will contain varying grasses and flowers growing together, ranging in height from 8cm to 40cm depending on the species.  We have chosen these low to medium height species in order to simplify the planning at your end and the growing at our end.  Basic design of your planting will also be part of the workshop.  You can add new species to your site at any given time, plus by the fall of the second season, you can collect seeds to start additional plants for expanding your site.

    Having mixed species together in one plant plug will greatly reduce the planning and planting process, especially for those groups who are dealing with larger sites and relying on volunteers.  The goal is to make this ecologically effective while reducing the time and energy involved in "getting it done".

    All participants, whether as part of the workshops or under the "Partners in Nativescaping" program, will receive expert information to guide and advise them through the site planting and maintenance.  Feel free to contact us at any point with questions you have or advice you need. 

    Small steps, taken by many people, is the best way we can improve our environment today and for the future. 

The species you will receive include:
Blue Grama grass Bouteloua gracilis, Wild Blue flax Linum lewisii, June Grass Koeleria macrantha, Smooth Aster Aster laevis, Sandberg Blue Grass Poa secunda, Golden Aster Heterothica villosa, Wild Chives Allium schoenoprasum, Prairie Muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata, Northern Bedstraw Gallium boreale, Intermediate Oat Grass Danthonia intermedia,  Meadow Blazingstar Liatris ligulistylis, Bebb's Sedge Carex bebbii,  Purple Milk-vetch Astragalus striatus,  Tufted Hair Grass Deschampsia caespitosa,  Reflexed Locoweed Oxytropis deflexa, Rocky Mountain Fescue Festuca saximontana, Slender Blue Penstemon Penstemon procerus, and Wild Sage Artemisia frigida.   

    We have included a diverse range of species, some of which you may be familiar with -some maybe not, with the knowledge that not all plants are going to have the ideal location in your site.  Certain species will perform better than others as the site matures, some may disappear altogether - this is part of nature's selection process.  The addition of individual species over time will increase the diversity, benefits and the aesthetics of your planting.

Blue Grama plug,   Northern Bedstraw,   Wild Chives,   Meadow Blazingstar,   Wild Sage

       
Wild Blue Flax, Blue Grama grass, Sandberg Blue grass, Golden Aster, Smooth Aster 

   
Slender Blue Penstemon, Reflexed Locoweed, Rocky Mountain Fescue

  to the Workshop page

 to the Partners page