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Native Plant Garden

at Town Hall

Goldenrod and New England Aster at the Native Garden

This garden was planted at Groton Town Hall in 2021 to provide members the opportunity to use native plants in a public setting. The Club uses this garden to see how these plants perform in Groton and to help us understand the significance native plants have in supporting wildlife, enhancing our ecosystem, and providing a beautiful garden for the town.

 

The committee is responsible for maintaining the garden and evaluating the plants' beauty and performance. The objective is to enhance the committee members' knowledge of native plants and encourage residents to incorporate them into their gardens.

 

In 2024, native strawberry plants were added under the elm tree as an example of hardy ground cover that can serve as a low-maintenance lawn alternative.

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Home Grown National Park's video entitled What's the Rush provides information on the importance of native plants in our ecosystems.

Plant List

Native gardens don't function like a typical planned garden. The plants move over time based on self-sowing, conditions, and the life cycle of the plants themselves. We've provided a list of plants, but things won't necessarily be where we expect them to so a true garden plot is difficult to provide. This garden loves a good volunteer - a native plant that self-seeds thanks to the wind, avian and mammal visitors, and water - so our plant list is ever-evolving! We do actively "weed" non-native exotics out of the garden.

Culver's Root - Veronicastrum virginicum

New England Aster - Symphyotichum novae-angliae

Showy Goldenrod - Solidago speciosa

Bergamot - Monarda fistulosa

Golden Alexander - Zizia aurea

Butterfly Weed - Asclepius tuberosa

Little Bluestem - Schizchyrium scoparium

Prairie Dropseed - Sporobolus heterolepis

Lupine - Lupinus perennis

Smooth Penstemon - Penstemon digitalis

Brown Eyed Susan - Rudbeckia triloba

Hoary Mountain Mint - Pyncnanthemum Incanum

Dotted Mint - Monarda punctata

Orange Coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida

Anise Hyssop - Agastache foeniculum

Pussytoes - Antennaria plantaginfolia

New York Ironweed - Veronia noveboracensis

New England Blazing Star - Liatris novae-angliae

Thread Leaf Coreopsis - Coreopsis verticillata

Wild Strawberry - Fragaria virginiana 

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Dotted Mint
A newly planted garden bed is in the early stages of growth, with small seedlings scattered across the bare soil. In the center of the bed, a large rock bears a sign that reads "Groton Garden Club at Work," indicating that the area is under development by the garden club. The bed is circular and surrounded by green grass, with a parked car and a brick building visible in the background. The scene captures the beginning of a gardening project, showing the initial steps before the plants have fully established and filled out the space.

Native Plant Garden - Spring 2021

A thriving garden bed filled with tall, leafy plants and various blooming flowers is situated next to a brick building. The garden includes a mix of green foliage and colorful flowers, with some plants reaching impressive heights, creating a layered and textured display. The building's windows and architectural details serve as a backdrop, highlighting the contrast between the natural garden and the structured facade. The well-maintained lawn surrounding the garden enhances the overall appearance, making the garden a vibrant and attractive feature of the landscape.

Native Plant Garden - August 2024

A newly planted garden bed featuring a variety of young, green plants is situated next to a brick building. In the center of the garden, a large rock serves as a focal point, surrounded by emerging foliage and small clusters of plants. The garden is bordered by a well-maintained lawn, with some flowers beginning to bloom, adding hints of color among the greenery. The scene captures the early stages of the garden's development, showing promise as the plants continue to grow and fill out the space. The surrounding environment, including trees and additional plantings near the building, adds to the overall sense of growth and natural beauty.

Native Plant Garden - Spring 2023

A gardener waters a newly planted bed of native strawberries surrounding an elm tree in a public space. The small strawberry plants are spaced out in the mulched soil, with the tree standing tall at the center of the bed. The area is bordered by large stone slabs, providing a defined edge to the planting bed. In the background, a sidewalk, a street with crosswalks, and an American flag are visible, indicating the garden's location in a well-trafficked public area. The scene captures the early stages of establishing a native plant garden, with the gardener tending to the young plants to ensure their growth and success.

 Wild Strawberry Patch - Spring 2024

“Gardening is like cooking. It is tempting to cook only with the goal of achieving great taste, with no thought of healthy eating, but that often results in tasty concoctions so full of fat, sugar, and salt that they are deadly in the long run. Similarly, it is tempting to garden only for beauty, without regard to the many ecological roles our landscapes must perform. All too often, such narrow gardening goals result in a landscape so low in ecological function that it drains the vitality from the surrounding ecosystem.”

― Douglas W. Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard

Native Plant Garden Gallery

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