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Spring Native Plant Sale Blooms with Benefits 2021

By Judy Triska In Press Releases

 

NEWS RELEASE

Virginia Living Museum Spring Native Plant Sale Blooms with Benefits!

Onsite and Online Sales Support Environmentally Friendly Native Gardening

Newport News, VA (April 16, 2021) –  Spring is in bloom, and for the 34th year, the Virginia Living Museum celebrates the season with the Spring Native Plant Sale on-site and online. The Museum encourages planting native, extols the benefits to our environment, and teaches native gardening techniques through tours, class programs and acres of native gardens. Unique species include more than 143 native Virginia Living Museum nursery propagated perennials, vines, shrubs and trees for your yard and gardens.

The Museum offers plants both online and on-site, in-person. Visit the on-site sale in the Museum Conservation Garden which is free and open to the public for two weekends, April 17-18 and April 24-25 from 9am – 4:30pm.  Online sales began for Members only on April 12 and for the general public occur anytime from April 16 – 22. Pick up for all online orders will take place April 24-25 between 12pm and 4:30pm.

The Virginia Living Museum’s experienced team of horticulture staff and volunteers propagate plants in the Holt Native Plant Conservatory. Named for Museum founders Mary Sherwood Holt and her late husband Quincy, the Conservatory has enabled the Museum to expand its horticultural and garden education programs. With more than 830 square feet of plant propagation, greenhouse and horticulture storage space, the resource allows staff to grow large plant material for use in Museum gardens and animal exhibits, and to propagate hard-to-find ornamental native trees and shrubs, and to experiment with propagation methods for rare and endangered native plant species. All plants are nursery propagated at the Virginia Living Museum and many are not yet available in the commercial nursery trade.

Choosing native plants improves water quality and protects our local watersheds. Native plants help preserve biodiversity and aid in the conservation of native flora and fauna by providing the correct habitat for pollinators, birds, and wildlife that live in or migrate through our region. Perfectly adapted for Virginia’s soil and climate, native plants reduce the amount of watering and fertilizing they require as they naturally resist many diseases and pests in the local area. Their root systems help prevent erosion and absorb excess nutrients eliminating runoff and reducing pollution. This limits chemical use in yards and waterways, creating a healthier environment.

The wide variety of plants available includes options for many garden sites and styles, from wet ponds to dry rock gardens, and for attracting a variety of native wildlife. Area gardeners enjoy their local weather tolerance and ability to serve as food and shelter for area wildlife, while also providing a good show in the garden. To learn about blooming periods, light, soil, and moisture needs, click here for a helpful Plant Guide.

The Virginia Living Museum is a leader in the use of natural living exhibits (animals, plants, marine life, reptiles, amphibians, and birds) to present its mission—connecting people to nature through educational experiences that promote conservation. An independent 501c3 organization, the Museum is a successful public/private partnership with the City of Newport News and all guests. Accredited by both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums, the Museum’s high standards are its hallmark, as only fourteen institutions share this designation in the country. It is a certified Virginia Green attraction dedicated to environmentally friendly practices. Located at 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News (I-64, exit 258-A) it is open 9 to 5 daily.

For more information visit thevlm.org or call 757-595-1900. You can also find the Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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