Support the watershed in more ways than one!
Our partnership with Van Berkum Nursery continues with a special “plug-and-play” plant sale. Choose from three variety packs of non-invasive, local ecotype plants: Shoreline, Shade, and Pollinator. Each collection is carefully selected for its benefits to the watershed, whether you are tackling a shorefront revegetation project, planting in a wooded area, or creating habitat that supports pollinators.
These perennials offer more than beauty. They provide ground cover to reduce erosion, absorb stormwater to help filter runoff, and create valuable habitat for pollinators. When used as part of a shoreline buffer, they can also help deter geese, supporting both your property and lake health.
Explore the options below and visit the order form to reserve your plants. Bonus: Wentworth Watershed Association receives a portion of each sale, the plants directly help water quality and the ecosystem, and you get to support our year round work protecting lake health.
Each tray contains 50 plugs and is priced at $180. You can check out online by credit card, or pay by check (mailed to P.O. Box 2235, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-2235 or dropped off at 51 Mill Street, Bldg. 3, Unit D, please note “Plant Sale” in the memo).
The sale ends June 5, with plants available for pick-up in mid-June at 16 Allen Road in Wolfeboro. *Exact dates coming soon.
Scroll down for link to purchase an auger or drill bit which we recommend for easy planting of these plugs.
Pick-up will be self-serve and orders will be tagged with your name. Planting and first-year care instructions will be provided for each tray.
Specifications
SHORELINE Trays: Designed for water’s edge, wetland buffers, and rain gardens, blooming from May through November. Plant within 10 ft of a waterline, in a rain garden, or in any low spot that stays wet most of the year. Full sun is best but part sun works for everything except Seaside goldenrod. Soil can range from saturated to seasonally flooded. Blue flag iris will even sit in 1-4″ of standing water. 50 plugs covers about 75 square feet, ideal for a 6′ x 12′ buffer strip along a shoreline or riparian zone. What to expect: Year 1, leafy establishment, modest bloom; Year 2+, full bloom from May through hard frost; provides shoreline stabilization and runoff filtration.
SHADE Trays: For woodland edges and part-shade gardens, blooming May through October. Plant under deciduous trees, along a north- or east-facing wall, or at a forest edge–anywhere with 2-4 hours of direct sun and dappled shade the rest of the day. Soil should be moist (Cardinal flower especially likes it on the wetter side), with leaf litter or compost for organic matter. 50 plugs covers about 60 square feet, or roughly a 6′ x 10′ bed, at 12″ spacing. What to expect: Year 1, leafy growth, with bloom from Columbine in spring and Cardinal flower in late summer; Years 2-3, full bloom across the season; self-seeds gently once established.
POLLINATOR Trays: A mix for sunny meadow gardens, blooming from late May through October. These plants like full sun, well drained soil with low fertility. Plant in a sunny spot (6+ hours of direct sun) with well-drained soil. Don’t add compost or fertilizer–these natives evolved on lean soils and flop in rich ground. Slope, sandy soil, and old lawn edges all work well. 50 plugs covers about 75 square feet, or roughly an 8′ x 10′ patch, at 12″ – 15″ spacing. What to expect: Year 1, foliage and modest bloom; Year 2, full bloom; Year 3+, established meadow with little maintenance.
*Click on the triangles below to see what may be included in each tray- individual plant species are based upon availability and may differ slightly from the lists*
Shoreline Tray
Swamp milkweed – Asclepias incarnata
Large flowers and easy culture, always covered with butterflies. Usually found growing in wet meadows, riversides, and swamp areas but is very adaptable to typical garden conditions. Flowers naturally vary in color from light to dark pink, sometimes even white, and should set seed. This Northeastern native is one of Van Berkum’s “Wicked Ruggeds.”
Seaside goldenrod – Solidago sempervirens
Seaside goldenrod is a succulent, salt, and drought-tolerant late season bloomer that provides bright visual interest. A great addition to naturalistic plantings, and does well in regular garden situations. Foliage is semi-evergreen, and the golden yellow flowers rise tall. Northeastern native
Blue vervain – Verbena hastata
Verbena hastata, commonly known as American vervain, blue vervain, simpler’s joy, or swamp verbena, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Verbenaceae. Attaining heights of 3-5 feet, it boasts vertical candelabra spikes with purple flowers in bloom July – September. It is typically found in moist meadows, wetlands, and along stream banks and is native to New Hampshire.
Purplehead sneezeweed – Helenium flexuosum
A prolific 2-3 foot tall wildflower native to the East Coast and naturalized in New Hampshire, this plant has yellow and purple daisy-like flowers that make so much pollen, colonists collected and used it as snuff! Beloved by bees and small butterflies when in bloom from August – October. Bushier and self-supporting if cut back in early summer. Works well in moist soils and rain gardens and is deer-resistant.
Coastal Joe Pye weed – Eutrochium dubium
This New Hampshire native boasts bright green leaves that are whorled around purple spotted stems and bear large clusters of mauve-pink flowers starting in summer. A naturally compact grower, it sees heavy butterfly traffic and prefers sunny, moist sites but also tolerates light shade better than others in this genus. One of Van Berkum’s “Wicked Ruggeds”
Blue flag iris – Iris versicolor
Named after the Greek goddess of rainbows, this is a common native wildflower found throughout New England typically growing in marshes, wet meadows, swamps, and along stream banks. It is known for its deep blue to purple flowers that bloom in early summer and is highly recommended for moist, sunny landscapes.
Shade Tray
Wild columbine – Aquilegia canadensis
A tough native, this is the earliest bloomer in the shade tray. It prefers sandy soils with adequate moisture but will tolerate dry soils. An important plant for Ruby-throated hummingbirds, these 1-2′ tall plants bloom May – June and should readily self-seed.
White wood aster – Eurybia divaricata
White wood aster has small white petals with yellow to red centers. Overall, the flowers are star-like from a distance. It is native to the eastern U.S., from Maine to Alabama. This Aster grows exceptionally well in light shade and well-drained soil. Asters benefit nectar-collecting pollinators late in the season when most other flowers are done blooming. Asters also benefit birds; seeds are eaten by song birds during the winter and the seed fluff gives them soft nesting materials. Since most asters bloom so late, some folks choose to cut them to about 12″ earlier in the summer so they will bloom on more compact stems and not fall over.
Cardinal flower – Lobelia cardinalis
This New Hampshire native is a hardy, wetland-loving perennial commonly found along streams, rivers, and shorelines, often blooming with vibrant red flowers from July to September. It is a “hummingbird magnet” and highly beneficial to local pollinators.
Silverrod – Solidago bicolor
The only New England goldenrod to thrive in shade, commonly found throughout New Hampshire in woodlands, fields, and disturbed open areas. The only white-flowered goldenrod in the eastern United States, it is a hardy, drought-tolerant perennial that blooms in late summer to fall.
Cutleaf coneflower – Rudbeckia laciniata
Tall and clump forming, with four-inch sunflower-like flowers with domed green centers. Leaves are deeply divided. In cultivation, it usually tops out at five feet tall. Can tolerate moderate dryness, but prefers moist soils. Indigenous to wet meadows and shady banks, and colonized by rhizomes. Great for erosion control. New England native
Pollinator Tray
Wild bergamot – Monarda fistulosa
A widespread native with a long history. Popular in the ethnobotany of the Native Americans, M. fistulosa has long been used as a holistic remedy. Tolerant of clay soil, deer browsing, and dry periods, it does appreciate some mulch in the spring as it will spread through shallow runners in loose soil and topdress. Up to four feet tall with lavender-pink tubular flowers and shiny pink bracts. Lightly deadhead throughout the season to prolong flowering, and it will spread seed if left for winter interest. Likes good air circulation, and is a great addition and talking point for any garden.
Narrowleaf mountain mint – Pycnanthemum tenufolium
This erect perennial has narrow leaves and soft white-lavender flowers that often have purple spots. It has an airy appearance and will spread to form a nice, tall ground cover. Long blooming season so bees and other pollinators are sustained by its nectar and pollen into the fall. Northeastern native
New England aster – Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Found along roadsides and fields, this garden-worthy native will flower predominantly purple, but you should also expect a range of pinks to show up. New England aster can get up to 72 inches tall, but several pinches before mid-summer will control height and promote a well-rounded shape. A wonderful addition for fall color, this aster is an important late-season source of nectar and pollen for pollinators. Tolerates clay soil, likes good air circulation, and will seed in if left uncut through the winter. Looks great with grasses or other native shrubs that have strong fall foliage colors.
Hairy beardtongue – Penstemon hirsutus
A New Hampshire native, this 1-2 foot tall plant is the earliest bloomer in the tray with drooping, trumpet-shaped pale lavender flowers on open racemes. It is a host plant for several species of checkerspot butterflies and specialist bees and is found in a variety of habitats, tolerating medium-wet to dry soils.
Downy goldenrod – Solidago puberula
This compact, well-behaved goldenrod boasts dense wand-like spikes of yellow blooming August – October. It tolerates poor and dry sandy soils and won’t run rampant. It is commonly called downy goldenrod because the stems are covered in fine, soft hairs (puberulent) that give it a slightly velvety feel. New Hampshire native
Grass-leaved goldenrod – Euthamia graminifolia
Grass-like stems with smooth and narrow leaves hold up showy flat-topped flower clusters of bright yellow. Tough and vigorous, and adaptable to many soil types. Happiest in moist, sunny sites, but can take dry conditions with part shade. Loved by predatory wasps, this New Hampshire native is found in damp to dry fields, roadsides, and open areas, and is widely distributed across the state. One of Van Berkum’s “Wicked Ruggeds“
For easiest planting, we suggest purchasing an auger drill bit to create your planting holes. These plugs are designed to fit into holes created by a 3 x 12″ auger, available on Amazon for under $20. Using the drill auger will make planting a breeze. Make sure you order the right size auger: you want the 3 x 12″ (drill not included).
