Winter may not be a good time for planting, but it is certainly the right time for planning.

Why native plants and why plan a garden in the winter?

Challenges we face in the Hopewell Valley include our “sour” land conditions, fluctuations in weather and either too much water or too little water. To minimize the impact of these problems, a plan should focus on plants adapted to the climate and soil conditions that naturally occur here. What we are looking for are plants that have developed over thousands of years in our Hopewell Valley ecosystem. Known as native plants, they have the additional benefit of providing necessary food and shelter for native birds, butterflies, beneficial insects and other wildlife.

By Mark Bean and Andrew Plunkett, Environmental Commission

Read more here.