Come Celebrate Earth Day at ACUA's 25th Anual Earth Day Festival April 26 10am-4pm

This year is a milestone for ACUA's annual Earth Day Festival. The event has been held for 25 years in April rain or shine. I have always loved the festival. I used to attend it with my grandmother back in my younger days. It was here that I first met Howard Boyd, author of "Wildflowers of the Pine Barrens of New Jersey", which I purchased from him and he signed the copy for me. I became a vendor when I started raising native plants in 2005. For several years I have done workshops on native plants and will be again this year, only with a different touch. I will be talking about native plants for pollinators. Because our pollinators are declining, I felt it was important to talk about how we can use native plants to help sustain them.

I usually include a handout with  coupon good at my table. This year the coupon will be for a packet of Common Milkweed seeds. Milkweed is the only larval host plant for Monarch butterflies. I will also be selling Swamp Milkweed.

I will also have the following plants available: 
Blazing Star
Turtlehead
Eastern Columbine
Common Milkweed
Boneset
Smooth Blue Aster
Maryland Golden Aster

Silene caroliniana, Sticky Catchfly

New England Aster
Orange Coneflower
Narrow Leaved Cattail
Sneezeweed
Slender Blue Flag
Goat's Beard
Creeping Phlox
Sticky Catchfly
Wild Stonecrop

The Sticky Catchfly is a new one I am carrying this year. I bought my first one at Bowman's Hill. I love this little plant as it is small for the front of the border, early and a long bloomer. It makes a nice splash of pink in a rock garden. I was able to source some so I will have it available for sale.

Hopefully the weather will be nice, not too hot or cold. But the festival goes in all kinds of weather so come on out and hear why our native bees are so important and how you can help them thrive. There will also be other workshops of interest like organic gardening, permaculture, backyard chickens and rain barrels as well as local environmental organizations, live music and good food. Check this Twitter hashtag to see more info. #ACUAEarthDay.  Hope to see you there.