Woodland Edge/Savanna Kit

PLEASE NOTE: Pickup is June 5-7 in Maywood or June 6-7 in Lemont. Click the link in your order confirmation or main webpage to sign up for a time slot in either location--Maywood or Lemont.

This 15 plant kit is great for partial shade, such as near the edge of a deciduous tree, where it gets spring sun before the tree leaves grow out and then gets partial shade later in the season.

The plants in this kit welcomes a variety of important native pollinators throughout the seasons, ranging from spring foraging bees to fall migrating Monarchs.  The plants grow in part-shade in medium to medium-dry soil.  The plants range from short to medium height (see note on Purple Coneflower below). It can be planted in an area of 10-15 sq. ft. and would work on a partly shady parkway, but check with your municipality for height restrictions (In Oak Park it is 30 inches, and be careful about lines of sight at corners).

Kit contains 3 plants of each species:

• Wild Columbine whose unique red and yellow flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies and moths in the early summer.
• Golden Alexander's bright yellow flowers in late May offer pollen and nectar to bees, small butterflies and other insects.  This plant is a host for Black Swallowtail caterpillars.
• Purple Coneflower provides mid-summer nectar for a variety of insects and seeds for the birds in fall and winter. In full sun, this plant can reach 4 feet and would be too tall for the parkway.
• Sky-Blue Aster's light blue flowers provide pollen and nectar to butterflies, skippers, myriad bees-including bumbles in late summer and fall.
• Zig-Zag Goldenrod has spikes of attractive late-season yellow flowers for bees, Monarchs and other pollinators. (not available separately, though Elm-leaved Goldenrod is similar)
  

See the individual plant page links for more information and photos.  All plants are plugs. Plugs are a bit smaller than pint-sized plants, but develop a strong root system and are more affordable. 

PLEASE NOTE: We reserve the right to substitute suitable species if there are last minute availability problems. We will not offer refunds if plants must be substituted. Thank you for understanding.

Add Grasses and Sedges

We recommend planting kits interspersed with grasses and/or sedges to create a native plant community.  In a savanna native flowering plants grow intermingled with grasses which creates habitat for wildlife. The grasses provide food and cover for birds, insects and other small animals. This approach also helps control weeds.

Recommended Grasses and Sedges:

White Tinged Sedge, Plantain-Leaved Sedge, Common Oak Sedge, Curly-Styled Wood Sedge, Long-Beaked Sedge, Bottlebrush Grass, Silky Wild Rye

Kit Details:

• Kit is $45. You save $7.50 over the cost of purchasing plants individually.
• Light: Partial sun
• Soil: Medium-medium dry
• Height: 1-4 feet
• Blooms:  May-September

Plant Care Tips: New plants need care for the first growing season.

• Plant ASAP in a spot that is partly shade or at least not full sun. 
• Water them every couple days for the first month, or as needed to keep fairly most, depending on precipitation and other weather conditions.
• Consider protection from rabbits in the first season.
• Mulch and regular weeding are also required until plants fill in. 

Photo credits: Illinois Wildflowers, Midwest Groundcovers. Multiple columbine By Ghislain118 (AD) http://www.fleurs-des-montagnes.net - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12807567