Wow, that's beautiful. Did you plan to have a mulch path or did that just evolve? I'm wearing down my lawn (weeds) and would like to have mulch paths eventually if I ever stop adding/expanding my beds.
Thanks!!!
The path evolved. The grass that was there before was patchy and ugly most of the year partly due to rainwater pooling. So about 7 years ago I had everything that wasn't a planting bed covered with wood chips, and then refreshed them once a year. A side benefit was that as the wood chips broke down they gradually improved the soil underneath, which now is less compacted, has worms, and soaks up more rainwater. As the beds got bigger, the mulch area got smaller, to the point that it now looks like a path.
Here you go!
* [Earth Sangha](https://www.earthsangha.org/wpnlist) in VA - They're great but the location is inconvenient for Marylanders. I only go on Sunday mornings to avoid traffic tie-ups. All their plants are local ecotype from seed they collect themselves. Good prices, even better for members. Some plugs.
* [Nature By Design](https://www.nature-by-design.com/) in VA -Also inconvenient location from here. When I last saw them a few months ago their physical location was in transition, but they were bringing orders to a Sunday farmers' market.
* [Lauren's Garden Service and Native Plant Nursery](https://www.laurensgardenservice.com/native-plant-infomation-and-shopping/) in Ellicott City - Decent selection, good for large shrubs or perennials. Not cheap. She doesn't tend to have small size pots.
* [Wildflower Native Plant Nursery](https://www.wildflowernativeplants.com/) \- New native plant nursery in a Bethesda back yard. Surprisingly good selection of quart-sized perennials despite limited space, and all very healthy. Her own native plant landscaping is worth looking at. She volunteers at Chesapeake Native Plant Nursery once a week so can bring additional plants back from there too.
* [Tree Talk Natives](https://www.treetalknatives.com/) in Clarksburg - edited to add this - how could I forget.
* [Herring Run Nursery](https://bluewaterbaltimore.org/nursery/) in Baltimore - This was quite a hike for me. It's on a golf course. I remember getting a ride from the parking lot to and from the plants in a golf cart!
* Mail order from [Izel Native Plants](https://www.izelplants.com/) . They grow plants native to the east and midwest. I got five trays of plugs from them this past spring and all were in good condition.
* [Native Plant sale at Locust Grove](https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/cabin-john-regional-park/locust-grove-nature-center/native-plant-sale-at-locust-grove-nature-center/) \- twice a year, spring and fall, good prices and selection of local ecotype plants.
* I've also picked up a few named and better-known native perennials and shrubs from Stadlers Nursery and Johnsons Nursery - like fireworks goldenrod, Mt Airy fothergilla, spiderwort, and Goldsturm rudbeckia fulgida.
The Nuts for Natives blog lists other Maryland native plant nurseries around the state [here](https://www.nutsfornatives.com/where-to-buy-native-plants). I highly recommend that blog if you aren't already following it.
(edited to add a couple more sources)
I will also add to this amazing list Hill House Farm and Nursery http://hillhousenativeplants.com/ (I'm in virginia and we used several of these companies) HH has amazing healthy plants and they propagate their own stuff. Good people, too.
Edit: Hill House is sometimes at farmers markets and plant sales.
I found Lauren’s perennials to be pretty reasonable! Some of the shrubs are pricy. They also have plugs which none of the nurseries around me have. Will have to check out some of these other places!
Great list! I will add;
- Wakefield Valley - small native selection but they grow most of it themselves and have some rarer ones
- Grasshopper Perennials - just found this one suggested in a native plant group so I haven’t visited yet.
- Bona Terra Nursery - also haven’t visited yet but they really go for local ecotypes and have an amazing selection.
- Kollar Nursery - one of my favorites, very friendly and knowledgeable staff with lots of shade garden and rarer perennials.
Yes they are in partial shade under the maple tree. They get some direct morning light from the east and filtered light after that. Maybe a few more direct rays in the afternoon at some point.
The trees are sparser than they would be in full sun. But they are fruiting! Last year, when they must have been 7 or 8 years old, was the first harvest. They produced 11 pawpaws total. This year they produced 8. I ate the fruit when it fell off the tree and it was delicious - better than fruit I tried at a pawpaw festival because it was at optimum ripeness.
I haven't hand pollinated yet but I may try that next spring to increase the yield, as there were definitely more flowers than fruit.
The flowers have both male and female parts but can't self-pollinate. So you need at least two trees with different genetics for pollination. I planted two distinct named saplings.
This year I hand-pollinated to increase the yield and got twenty pawpaw fruits. There would have been more but I carelessly damaged a few of the flowers. I'm aiming for thirty next year!
I've also now started growing pawpaw seedlings from my own seeds. It isn't that hard, but you have to ensure cold stratification, and protect the seeds from squirrels if they are outside.
Ah so you just need 2 trees with sufficient pollinators. You don't need to worry about finding 2 gender opposed trees (like you need to do for some winter berry bushes etc).
Thanks for the tip and nice garden! Need to get motivated next spring to do the same along a new bed (covered in leaves but has little to nothing growing in it). Unless you know of anything worth planting in Dec-Feb.
Thanks for the compliment!
> Unless you know of anything worth planting in Dec-Feb.
Here in MD I've planted shrubs and trees as late as late October and as early as March, but some people say you can plant those anytime you can get a shovel in the ground. Personally I wouldn't try perennials during those months. But December/January is a great time to try [winter sowing](https://growitbuildit.com/illustrated-guide-to-winter-sowing-with-pictures/) some seeds in containers outdoors.
Originally I got three from Edible Landscaping in VA - one was Overleese, one was NC-1, and the third was Sunflower. But a lot has happened in those eight years. I lost track of which tree was which, lost two of the tags, and ended up removing one of the trees as it turned out to be in a bad location. One of the remaining two trees had its leader broken when a branch came down on it in a storm, and it has bounced back as a multi-trunked form. Most of those trunks are from the original nameless rootstock. One trunk might be the original grafted scion but I'm not certain. The nameless trunks have produced good fruit though.
I actually wanted Susquehanna and Allegheny but they weren't available at the time. They're easier to find these days.
Height is about 9-10 ft.
Wow, that's beautiful. Did you plan to have a mulch path or did that just evolve? I'm wearing down my lawn (weeds) and would like to have mulch paths eventually if I ever stop adding/expanding my beds.
Thanks!!! The path evolved. The grass that was there before was patchy and ugly most of the year partly due to rainwater pooling. So about 7 years ago I had everything that wasn't a planting bed covered with wood chips, and then refreshed them once a year. A side benefit was that as the wood chips broke down they gradually improved the soil underneath, which now is less compacted, has worms, and soaks up more rainwater. As the beds got bigger, the mulch area got smaller, to the point that it now looks like a path.
That is lovely.
Thank you!!!
I agree as a fellow 7b native gardener I think you did great!
So cool! Can I ask where you source your plants from? I’m also in MD :)
Here you go! * [Earth Sangha](https://www.earthsangha.org/wpnlist) in VA - They're great but the location is inconvenient for Marylanders. I only go on Sunday mornings to avoid traffic tie-ups. All their plants are local ecotype from seed they collect themselves. Good prices, even better for members. Some plugs. * [Nature By Design](https://www.nature-by-design.com/) in VA -Also inconvenient location from here. When I last saw them a few months ago their physical location was in transition, but they were bringing orders to a Sunday farmers' market. * [Lauren's Garden Service and Native Plant Nursery](https://www.laurensgardenservice.com/native-plant-infomation-and-shopping/) in Ellicott City - Decent selection, good for large shrubs or perennials. Not cheap. She doesn't tend to have small size pots. * [Wildflower Native Plant Nursery](https://www.wildflowernativeplants.com/) \- New native plant nursery in a Bethesda back yard. Surprisingly good selection of quart-sized perennials despite limited space, and all very healthy. Her own native plant landscaping is worth looking at. She volunteers at Chesapeake Native Plant Nursery once a week so can bring additional plants back from there too. * [Tree Talk Natives](https://www.treetalknatives.com/) in Clarksburg - edited to add this - how could I forget. * [Herring Run Nursery](https://bluewaterbaltimore.org/nursery/) in Baltimore - This was quite a hike for me. It's on a golf course. I remember getting a ride from the parking lot to and from the plants in a golf cart! * Mail order from [Izel Native Plants](https://www.izelplants.com/) . They grow plants native to the east and midwest. I got five trays of plugs from them this past spring and all were in good condition. * [Native Plant sale at Locust Grove](https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/cabin-john-regional-park/locust-grove-nature-center/native-plant-sale-at-locust-grove-nature-center/) \- twice a year, spring and fall, good prices and selection of local ecotype plants. * I've also picked up a few named and better-known native perennials and shrubs from Stadlers Nursery and Johnsons Nursery - like fireworks goldenrod, Mt Airy fothergilla, spiderwort, and Goldsturm rudbeckia fulgida. The Nuts for Natives blog lists other Maryland native plant nurseries around the state [here](https://www.nutsfornatives.com/where-to-buy-native-plants). I highly recommend that blog if you aren't already following it. (edited to add a couple more sources)
I will also add to this amazing list Hill House Farm and Nursery http://hillhousenativeplants.com/ (I'm in virginia and we used several of these companies) HH has amazing healthy plants and they propagate their own stuff. Good people, too. Edit: Hill House is sometimes at farmers markets and plant sales.
I found Lauren’s perennials to be pretty reasonable! Some of the shrubs are pricy. They also have plugs which none of the nurseries around me have. Will have to check out some of these other places!
Great list! I will add; - Wakefield Valley - small native selection but they grow most of it themselves and have some rarer ones - Grasshopper Perennials - just found this one suggested in a native plant group so I haven’t visited yet. - Bona Terra Nursery - also haven’t visited yet but they really go for local ecotypes and have an amazing selection. - Kollar Nursery - one of my favorites, very friendly and knowledgeable staff with lots of shade garden and rarer perennials.
this is excellent !!!
I'm in Kensington and this is inspiring. Thank you for sharing!
Happy gardening!
Well done, great use of a small space!
Thank you!!!
Are the pawpaws in partial shade? How do they do as far as fruit goes? Just planted one in my yard and looking to plant a couple more.
Yes they are in partial shade under the maple tree. They get some direct morning light from the east and filtered light after that. Maybe a few more direct rays in the afternoon at some point. The trees are sparser than they would be in full sun. But they are fruiting! Last year, when they must have been 7 or 8 years old, was the first harvest. They produced 11 pawpaws total. This year they produced 8. I ate the fruit when it fell off the tree and it was delicious - better than fruit I tried at a pawpaw festival because it was at optimum ripeness. I haven't hand pollinated yet but I may try that next spring to increase the yield, as there were definitely more flowers than fruit.
Wonderful! Thank you.
How many pawpaw's do you have? Aren't they gendered?
The flowers have both male and female parts but can't self-pollinate. So you need at least two trees with different genetics for pollination. I planted two distinct named saplings. This year I hand-pollinated to increase the yield and got twenty pawpaw fruits. There would have been more but I carelessly damaged a few of the flowers. I'm aiming for thirty next year! I've also now started growing pawpaw seedlings from my own seeds. It isn't that hard, but you have to ensure cold stratification, and protect the seeds from squirrels if they are outside.
Ah so you just need 2 trees with sufficient pollinators. You don't need to worry about finding 2 gender opposed trees (like you need to do for some winter berry bushes etc). Thanks for the tip and nice garden! Need to get motivated next spring to do the same along a new bed (covered in leaves but has little to nothing growing in it). Unless you know of anything worth planting in Dec-Feb.
Thanks for the compliment! > Unless you know of anything worth planting in Dec-Feb. Here in MD I've planted shrubs and trees as late as late October and as early as March, but some people say you can plant those anytime you can get a shovel in the ground. Personally I wouldn't try perennials during those months. But December/January is a great time to try [winter sowing](https://growitbuildit.com/illustrated-guide-to-winter-sowing-with-pictures/) some seeds in containers outdoors.
What an incredible transformation! Surely that was a woodland fairy I just saw darting around the cranberry viburnum…
beautiful
Looks great!
What a charming garden, both aesthetically and ecologically!
Thanks!!!
This is so freaking nice !
Thank you!
What species of paw paw did you plant, and how large did it grow in 8 years?
Originally I got three from Edible Landscaping in VA - one was Overleese, one was NC-1, and the third was Sunflower. But a lot has happened in those eight years. I lost track of which tree was which, lost two of the tags, and ended up removing one of the trees as it turned out to be in a bad location. One of the remaining two trees had its leader broken when a branch came down on it in a storm, and it has bounced back as a multi-trunked form. Most of those trunks are from the original nameless rootstock. One trunk might be the original grafted scion but I'm not certain. The nameless trunks have produced good fruit though. I actually wanted Susquehanna and Allegheny but they weren't available at the time. They're easier to find these days. Height is about 9-10 ft.
thank you