High Park - the native plant sale

Native Plant Sale - Sunday May 3rd
11am to 2pm in front of Greenhouse

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About the native plant sale
The borders of High Park and the Oak Savannah are expanded when area residents grow native plants in their own yards

$5.00 for all wildflowers and grasses. $10.00 for trees.

List of available plants - click here to download PDF file

....all text this post from HPCAC...


High Park Native Plant Nursery
The City of Toronto Parks & Recreation Division, High Park Native Plant Nursery was established in order to address the need of propagating plants for the restoration and preservation of the High Park Black Oak Savannah and other natural areas in the Park. In addition, the nursery supports the native plant propagation program that supplies plants for use in natural areas, ornamental beds, schoolyards and community gardens throughout Toronto. The efforts of the many volunteers involved in the High Park Stewardship Program have significantly contributed to the plant collection in this nursery. Volunteer activities www.highpark.org or inquiry line: 416-392-1748 This site has developed over many years, transformed by both human design and natural processes to become a dynamic and vibrant habitat.


Advantages of Native Plants



They are uniquely suited to their natural habitat and can therefore survive with less maintenance than do ornamental cultivars.
They provide similar aesthetic qualities to perennial beds and ground covers while having an extended blooming period. Native plants are non-uniform in blooming time as an inherent survival mechanism. Plant breeders bred this out as undesirable, hence cultivars are more uniform.
Beds of native plants become sources of seed and division for propagation and use in other displays. Cultivars, in general, require greater technical care for propagation.
Native plant displays are a link to our natural heritage. Their value as symbols of ecological restoration and environmental protection is significant.
Native beds tend to evolve and develop. As such, they are invaluable as educational devices for the study of biology and ecology. Ornamental displays tend to emphasize growing cycles and cultural requirements. Native beds go beyond this to the very processes of nature itself.
Native plants tend to attract more wildlife (butterflies, etc.) than do ornamental beds. This adds an additional dimension to the display along with the obvious educational advantage. For example, the native Lupine is the exclusive host plant for the Karner Blue Butterfly (extirpated in Canada).
Price
$5.00 for all wildflowers and grasses. $10.00 for trees.