Gardening with Native Plants and Why It Matters

The Natick Garden Club will present a program, “Gardening with Native Plants and Why It Matters,” on Thursday, March 16, 7 p.m., at the Morse Institute, Lebowitz Room, 14 East Central St.
Native plants are increasingly recognized as important to our gardens and landscapes. Claudia Thompson of Grow Native Massachusetts will give us an overview of their essential role in ecosystem health – starting with the concept of co-evolution between plants and animals, and ending with a tour of her 7,000-square foot garden in Cambridge. Thompson will explain the differences among native, naturalized and invasive plants and explore the food web that links plants to insects to birds, wildlife and humans.
Thompson is the founder and president of Grow Native Massachusetts, an organization she founded in 2010 as the culmination of an extensive career as an environmentalist and educator. She has developed programs for public schools, and worked for the Appalachian Mountain Club, Drumlin Farm, and the New England Wild Flower Society.
For more information, visit www.natickgardenclub.org/NGCPrograms. Please help support the Natick Service Council Food Pantry by bringing a few canned goods to the meeting.