Events

Native garden plants that benefit birds, bees and butterflies are again available through the Keweenaw Wild Ones online plant sale at keweenaw.wildones.org.

Keweenaw Wild Ones is the local chapter of Wild Ones, a national nonprofit that encourages landscaping with native plants.

For the second time this summer, Keweenaw Wild Ones is offering a variety of species, including butterfly weed and red milkweed, New England aster, blue vervain and other garden-worthy natives. The sale also includes mini-gardens for butterflies. All of them provide special benefits to wildlife, especially birds and pollinators.

“The beauty of native plants isn’t just that they are beautiful,” said Marcia Goodrich, president of the Keweenaw chapter. “Unlike turf grass and many conventional garden plants that originated in Eurasia, native plants have been part of the American landscape for thousands of years. Over the centuries, our native birds and insects came to rely on these plants for their survival.”

As native plants were replaced by crops and nonnative gardens, bird and insect populations suffered. “By choosing natives, you can help the monarchs, native bees and birds that depend on them,” said Goodrich.

Customers can order online at keweenaw.wildones.org and pick up their plants in Houghton on July 31-Aug. 1. Details are available at the website.