by WEBB author Nan Lee (with editorial support from Juliet Lamont, Peggy Mayfield and Becky Bartovics)
If you are a gardener or farmer on North Haven, you don’t need an expert to tell you that our winters are warmer, very windy rain storms have pretty much replaced winter blizzards, and our summer precipitation has become erratic, frequently very dry but occasionally so rainy that non-native plants nearly drown.
These changes and fluctuations are not going to go away. Overall, Maine and New England are warming faster than most of the rest of the world and that warming has had a direct effect on our weather patterns. The latest USDA zonal map now places North Haven in zone 6a or 6b. This reflects a warming of five degrees over the past thirty years (1990-2020), most of which occurs during our winters. Native plants which are more resilient to the sort of climate variability we are experiencing are thus more important than ever to encourage in our gardens and fields.
There are over 1500 native species of flowers, shrubs and trees in Maine; not all of them would grow well here, but hundreds would. If, in thinking about your garden, you aim for a mix of native and hybrid species, your garden will still be quite beautiful but it will also be more resilient and able to thrive in both dry or very wet summers. In addition, since native plants are low maintenance and attract dozens of pollinators and birds, you will also be creating a habitat that encourages their growth. Native plants rarely need fertilizer or pesticides because they have evolved to actually thrive in our rocky, acidic soil; they also prevent soil erosion and reduce water run off. If you select a native plant that has a long blooming season or if you plant native species that bloom sequentially, pollinators will thrive. Spring and early summer flowers are especially important because it is then that birds need as much protein as they can gather to feed their hatchlings. Early blooms attract many species of bees and caterpillars-it is those caterpillars that the birds need if their brood is to survive.
Native species tend to have deep root systems that first stabilize the soil and then actually regenerate and sustain the land. A diverse ecosystem is also supported through the planting of a variety of native plants and, rather quickly, “dirt” once again becomes “soil”.Once your soil has been regenerated, you then work to make that change sustainable. With the support of native plants, that just isn’t too hard. Plant communities grow up and flourish with the inclusion of plants that might once have been called “weeds”. You work less, your garden thrives and a few spotted salamanders (an indicator species that shows you are definitely on the right track) may even choose to make their home in your garden.
Wild asters, Red Columbine, Black-eyed Susans, dozens of species of ferns including Ostrich ferns, Cinnamon ferns and Maidenhair ferns, Northern Bayberry, swamp milkweed, yarrow, foam flowers, Solomon’s Seal, violets, trout lilies and the small Blue Flags that look a lot like miniature Iris can be grown easily here. If you look carefully, they are already here right at the edges of our fields and by the roadsides; they just need a bit of encouragement to join your garden.
When Shirley Newman wrote her book North Haven Flora in 2005 she carefully catalogued
wildflowers “of the Roadsides, Public Spaces, and a Few Private Places”that were growing here. She began by noticing the volunteer flowers that joined her garden and then expanded her view to include other places as well. In addition to the nearly 250 species of wildflowers she listed and illustrated, she also included some trees, shrubs, lichens, and ferns. The more she looked, the more she discovered the companion plants that grew near the flowers. Though a few might be consider invasive today, the vast majority are natives to this place. They are still here, just take a walk and you will find a grand variety of native plants that would love to be invited into your garden. As Trevor Smith says, “Plant the change you want to see in the World”!
And please, do remember that big box stores sell hybrids treated with neonics or other pollinator unfriendly substances. You can purchase native plants locally through Eileen O’Connor, and Christina Vincent can also get native plants for her customers. In addition, here is a short list of non-island sources for native plants and their contact information:
Knox/Lincoln https://www.knox-lincoln.org/spring-plant-sale
Crystal Lake Nursery :https://crystallake.me/
Rebel Hill Nursery: https://rebelhillfarm.com/2022-availability-list/
Wild Seed Project: https://wildseedproject.net
Midcoast Wild Ones: https://midcoastmaine.wildones.org/about/