Park Hardware Supports Providence Center With Native Plant Sale

Call it a success — Park Hardware’s fall plant sale drew more than 100 customers to the store, which sold over 700 pots of 40 species of native perennials like milkweed, bee balm, phlox and black-eyed Susans over the weekend of September 14-15. Native plants can be hard to find, so Severna Park residents were out in droves, as well as visitors from around Anne Arundel County and from as far away as Pikesville, Maryland.

Native gardening experts were on hand to answer questions and give advice, and signage on each plant identified the ecological benefits of the species. For example, experts shared which plants stabilize topsoil; provide winter habitat for songbirds and wildlife; and support butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators.

The Anne Arundel County Master Gardeners staffed a booth and answered questions for shoppers. In addition, they signed up some folks for free Bay-Wise yard visits to help homeowners assess their yard's potential to reduce stormwater runoff and create a backyard habitat using native trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses.

All the native plants were grown by Providence of Maryland, whose Arnold greenhouse complex employs adults with developmental disabilities. Customers repeatedly commented on how healthy and robust the plants looked, as well as the astounding variety of species. Park Hardware looks forward to continuing to partner with Providence to bring more native plants to Severna Park.