Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay member Amy Henderson is passionate about native plants. Read about Amy’s journey in her own words and watch Amy’s presentation on “Butterfly Trails and Pollinator Paths: Beautiful and Beneficial” presented at the Leonardtown Library earlier this summer.
I first became aware of and interested in native plants as I got involved with the installation of the Leonardtown Library Front Yard native plant garden in 2021. The world of ecological landscaping opened up as I learned about the importance of incorporating plants in home gardens in order to revitalize local ecosystems.
As my newfound knowledge “took root”, I noticed that most landscapes in my community were lacking native plants to support butterflies and bees. The town of Leonardtown had a “Butterfly Trail” concept to draw visitors to its shopping and dining options, but none of the town’s flower beds or landscaping contained plants that actually could feed insects! After contacting the town administrator and meeting with her, we formed a committee of interested gardeners to begin incorporating native plants into existing gardens around town.
We had non-native plants removed from the beds at the Leonardtown “Parkette” and replaced them with native species. Native plants were also installed alongside a nearby parking lot. We hope to continue planting native perennials in other gardens around town and also to encourage homeowners around town to plant natives in their yards. ~ Amy Henderson
Thank you, Amy, for all you do to promote native plants and biodiversity in our community.
