Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Conservation Districts – why are they important?
The United States has 3,000 Conservation Districts. Many are called Soil and Water Conservation Districts. They work with millions of cooperating landowners and operators to help them manage and protect land and water resources on private and public lands in the United States.
The association was founded on the philosophy that conservation decisions should be made at the local level with technical and funding assistance from federal, state, and local governments and the private sector. While not all are called Soil & Water, almost every state has some type of Conservation District. Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota, among others, include “renewable natural resources”.
I mention them, because I just received my newsletter from RiceCounty SWCD where I bought plants for my butterfly garden. They do an amazing job of raising native plants for sale in the Spring. As I’ve said I lost about 3 plants out of 48, that’s amazing. AND the price was great. Check your local Conservation Districts to see what they offer the home gardener.
Not only am I offered the butterfly garden but also a raingarden selection. Native Plants specifically selected for my area. Included this year is a list of trees and shrubs. I can select transplants, pot grown and/or bareroot natives.
A new offering on my list is the thornless Honeylocust. I love this airy, easy care, fast growing tree. Its delicate leaves are finely-textured so you get this amazing graceful shimmer even in a light breeze! It’s beautiful filtered shade.
It has delicate, sweet smelling white flowers in Spring and yellow-gold fall foliage. It also has these cool looking brown seed pods that are great for crafting. Oh, and it’s really tolerant of urban spaces.
