Native plants are those that grow naturally in a region and has evolved and adapted to its surrounding environment. They are the ecological basis upon which wildlife and people depend.
At our September 9th meeting, Robbin Nickelson, an Independent Garden Center Retail Broker that represents 3 B Natives Plant Nursery in Pleasant Plans, Illinois, spoke to our Club about the benefits of planting native plants and seeds grown in Illinois at our garden centers. Robbin is shown below with a beautiful bouquet of native flowers that she collected from ditches on the way to our meeting.
To this end, Robbin works to ensure 3 B native plants and seeds are available in all independent, Illinois garden centers.She also provided us with planting tips and strategies to utilize for establishing, managing and sustaining native plants within our living spaces.
Robbin highlighted that planting and growing native plants helps rectify environmental damage that has been inflicted upon our natural habitats and their food chains by urbanization.
Restoring the prominence of native plants within our environment provides food and shelter for pollinators (birds, bees, butterflies), establishes water conservation, facilitates better soil, minimizes soil erosion and also reduces carbon emissions (image on left and below).
Our Club appreciates Robbin and 3 B Natives Plant Nursery efforts to restore our native plant habitat. We also enjoyed learning from Robbin how we can better utilize native plants to preserve biodiversity.
