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| About the Nursery |
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The Native Plant Nursery is a one-acre facility used to grow
containerized native plants for planting out on the grounds
of Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve and for sale to the public
at our Spring and
Fall Plant Sales. The native plants produced for the grounds
serve aesthetic, educational and conservation purposes. Proceeds
from sales of native plants and seeds go directly toward operating
costs of the Preserve.
Facilities include a 960-sq.-ft. heated nursery building
with storage and an indoor workspace. Other equipment includes
17 - 3-ft. by 8-ft. cold frames. Three of the frames are equipped
with misting systems for propagation of cuttings and the rest
are used for seed propagation. There are 4,900 square feet
of irrigated growing area including two 1000-sq.-ft. hoop
houses. Plants are over-wintered in situ under white poly
and insulating blankets.
Each year, more than 16,000 plants are produced, consisting of more than 300 varieties of native trees, shrubs, perennial wildflowers, vines and ferns. Most of the plants are produced by seed, including such difficult-to-propagate plants as trillium and hepatica. Some plants also are grown from division or cuttings.
Volunteers are integral to the operation of the nursery.
Every year, they spend hundreds of hours helping to keep the
nursery productive. (Click
here to learn more about Volunteer Opportunities).
The nursery not only is the facility for plant production,
but it also serves as a teaching facility where the Nursery
Manager conducts perennially popular classes
on native plant propagation.
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