Frequently Asked Questions

How do you define locally native?

• We respect that there are many ways to define “locally native” so we aim for transparency. Unless indicated otherwise, the plants we sell are straight species and have been documented to be native within one or more of the ecoregions in Maryland.
• We occasionally sell plants that have not been specifically documented as native to Maryland, but are native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, or to the mid-Atlantic, or to the southeast US. These plants are always labeled clearly as such.
• At our plant sales, we rarely sell cultivars of native species (sometimes known as “nativars”), when we do, those are also clearly marked.
• It is important to us to say up front that the term “native” has no meaning if not geographically constrained. All species of plants are native somewhere- and all of them provide ecological value where they evolved. The plant species themselves are not “good” or “bad.”

Where are your plants from?

• While we do grow some of our own plants from seeds, we do not have space for large-scale plant production. Most of the plants we sell, therefore, come from area growers. ALL of the growers we work with are responsible and NEVER wild harvest plants or use neo-nicotinoids that are so harmful to living beings.
• We prioritize using growers that:
  • • are located in Maryland or an adjoining state
    • primarily (or solely) grow native plants
    • grow plants from seed, and preferably local ecotype seeds.

Do you use pesticides & fertilizers? Peat moss?

• We never add chemical fertilizers.
• We practice integrated pest management so we never use pesticides, preferring manual or biological control measures where necessary.
• If the plant comes in a grower’s own potting soil, we do not replace it. If it needs more soil, or if we got the plants as bare roots, or if we grew the plants from seeds ourselves, we use our own peat-free potting soil. We prefer peat-free potting soil because of the environmental damage that occurs when harvesting peat. Our homemade soil mix includes pine bark, compost, coco coir, and rice hulls.

What plants will the deer leave alone?

• No plants are deer-proof.
• We say “deer resistant” describe plants that *in our experience* tend to survive at least a medium level of deer pressure. “Survive” can mean that it is chewed on but the plant survives or that it is left alone.
• Some of the things that might make a plant deer resistant
  • • • • Texture: fuzzy/hairy leaves, ferns, and grasses are often left alone.    
        • Aroma: plants with a strong smell, including many plants in the mint family, are less enticing to deer.
        • Toxicity: whenever possible, deer will avoid poisonous plants- like those in the milkweed family. 
• So many caveats to this: deer palates are variable between different herds and geographic areas and can change over time. Starving deer will eat anything. Young deer will try everything. The best source of information on what deer leave alone is to watch what is doing well in your neighborhood. Some plants do not release toxins until they have been stressed (read: nibbled upon) or stop releasing the toxin once they have put out seeds. But, final caveat, deer don’t read lists and don’t really care what they are supposed to do.

What payment types are accepted? 

We accept most forms of payment (cash, check, credit cards, Zelle, Venmo, ApplePay, GooglePay, etc) and we do not charge extra for using a credit card. (But if you want that 3% to go to us instead of the credit card company, we invite you to use one of the other payment methods!)