Plants! Plants! Plants! (and their databases)

Two wonderful websites about using native species in your landscape:



USDA - Natural Resources Conservations Service

and

American Beauties - Native Plants



The first website by the US Dept. of Agriculture is a bit more technical, with lots of scientific information (in case you're into that kind of thing). The second is a wonderful website for disseminating information as well as advertising to prospective buyers. Two nursery companies, respectively located in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, created a partnership to grow and distribute native species throughout the region. Every purchase from their participating nurseries results in a small donation to the National Wildlife Federation. How much more evidence can there be for an environmentally and socially responsible company that can still use the free market to advance itself successfully? I love it.