Tools for your Native Plant Garden
Maryland Native Plants
Virginia Native Plants
Chesapeake Bay Native Plants
Nuts for Natives strives to make planting native plants simple … these are some of the best resources around to make gardening easier in our Chesapeake Bay watershed gardens!
Do you want to find your gardening zone?
The American Horticultural Society has oodles of good information including this map where you can determine which gardening zone you are in by zip code.
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Do you want to find natives for your zip code?
Well, we try to keep it simple but, alas, it’s true. Not all native plants are equal. This plant finder by the National Wildlife Federation shows you native plants in your zip code that provide the highest habitat value.
Do you want to find a native plant for specific light, rainfall or bloomtime?
The Lady Johnson Wildflower Center provides an excellent plant finder – you can search native perennials for your area by light conditions, water needs and bloom times.
Do you want to see native plants blooming now in the Mid-Atlantic?
Check out what is blooming now from Adkins Arboretum. Adkins Arboretum is a local leader in promoting native plants and their resource page provides lots of helpful information for homeowners, and native design advice, particularly if you live on or near Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Do you want a great book about gardening in the Chesapeake Watershed?
Chesapeake Gardening & Landscaping “The Essential Green Guide” by Barbara Ellis is THE book to read if you want more detailed information about how to get started, native plants, and garden design. Her plant lists are phenomenal and this is a treasure trove of valuable and pragmatic advice! Published in 2015.
Do you want beautiful photos and concise info about the native trees & shrubs in the east?
Tony Dove and Ginger Woolridge put together this incredible resource for Chesapeake gardeners. Eighty trees and shrubs are profiled - each plant gets a photo at full growth, close-ups, all the info you need to grow, concise info about the plant's wildlife value and loads of good tips. Also abundantly useful -- 20 + lists of trees and shrubs for certain needs and garden situations. Published in 2018.
Do you want to see an incredible range of native plants in formal and informal settings?
The Mt. Cuba Center is a treasure trove of native plant information. The website has a virtual tour of native plants that’s worth it! If you are able to make the drive (two hours north of Washington DC), you can view native plants in all their glory — in natural woodland settings, in more formal settings and in between… inspiration for all! There is also a list of native plant sources for Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania.
Do you want to see how someone else went from an ornamental garden to a native garden?
This step by step account from the Virginia Native Plant Society shows how two homeowners transitioned from a traditional to a native landscape. This is one way to get started … of course, there are others.
Do you want an easy to understand explanation of the science behind why native plants are the best choice for your Chesapeake garden?
The Living Landscape is a gorgeously photographed book by Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy who clearly explain why native plants work best for our gardens and offers a simple strategy for layering in native plants to your garden. It’s a great read for the Chesapeake gardener. Published in 2014.
Do you want to read about how your garden with native plants fits into the larger picture?
In Nature’s Best Hope, Professor and garden writer Doug Tallamy tells us how our gardening efforts can make a crucial difference in the health of our gardens, landscapes and world. This may be the game changing book for alerting the country to the value and need for native plants. Published in 2020.