St. Charles Park District to hold annual Native Plant Sale

Shop for your garden and discover which plants will thrive best during the St. Charles Park District’s 2nd annual Native Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center in St. Charles, according to a news release from the park district.

This year’s sale will feature more than 60 species of plants, stated Chris Gingrich, assistant superintendent of outdoor education.

“All of the plants are native to Illinois and suited to our local climate and local ecosystems,” Gingrich stated in the release.

He said the park district’s naturalists, who help restore natural areas and parks, have selected a variety of plants that will be included in the sale. Selecting native plants is beneficial to local wildlife.

“Typically, a greater variety of insects make use of natives than of non-native varieties. Insects in turn are a food source for birds and other animals. If you think of it in terms of how much value a plant brings to the area, natives provide more benefit to more creatures than non-natives,” Gingrich stated. “In addition, since they are adapted to our area, these plants often require less watering and chemicals to sustain them in the garden.”

Park district staff will be available to answer questions and help shoppers understand the various plants, benefits and of course, which work best in shade, sun and different soil types.