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Planting Amazing Natives
In-Person workshop
or Buy a Kit 

Reading a Book

Planting natives is:

  • a very good way to restore biodiversity

  • The promise of a colorful landscape

  • The promise of a low maintenance landscape: less watering and mowing.

  • The restoration of monarchs habitat and other insects species

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This workshop/kit is for anyone interested in planting seeds of native flowers. 

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Native plants are the ones that were already on the North American continent before European settlers arrived. 

They provide habitat and food for many pollinators, bees and butterflies. 

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My plant selection

I chose 6 plants that are all perennial, which means that their life cycle lasts  3 years or more. They are recommended for home landscaping because they won’t spread widely.

They produce beautiful flowers and provide habitat for various insects, especially Asclepias tuberosa will host monarchs caterpillars and some others can be used for medicinal purposes such as Monarda: leaves can be used to make a flu-fighter tea according to native Americans. 

They are all deer-resistant, and do well in full/partial sun.

 

The pictures and descriptions below are from Prairie Moon Nursery a reliable nursery where I get my seeds, click on the flowers pictures to learn more.

Asclepias tuberosa BUTTERFLY WEED.png
Baptisia australis BLUE WILD INDIGO.png
Echinacea purpurea PURPLE CONEFLOWER.png
Heliopsis helianthoides EARLY SUNFLOWER.png
Monarda fistulosa WILD BERGAMOT.png
Penstemon digitalis FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE.png
Yellow Flowers

How

Attend one of my in-person workshop:

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- Marquand Park January 29th 1-3PM

Update: due to snow, the workshop at Marquand Park is cancelled tomorrow. It will happen next week: Sat Feb. 5th @1PM-4PM Sign up (walk-in welcome)

New date: Herrontown Woods -> Sun  Feb. 6th @ 10AM Sign up (walk-in welcome)

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Buy a kit -> click here to buy a kit

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Cost: kits cost $10! In-Person workshops are free by donation 

What you'll get if you buy a kit

A kit contains all you need to start the 6 plants presented above. You'll also get a link with a video on the how to.

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Included supplies:

- seeds

- potting mix

- sand

- labels

- marker

- containers (optional)

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Supplies needed from home:

- water

- salad bowl

- pencil

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I value reuse and recycle so you may choose to not want containers. You can either use old containers as post such as one-serving yogurt pots or reuse some old pots you already have. Beware that the container will be outside all winter long so use plastic and not cardboard containers. If you plan to reuse old pots, I recommend that you wash them with a 10% bleach solution to kill any remaining bacteria or fungus that could harm your seedlings.

Image by Stephan H.

Why start natives from seeds?

Starting seeds is rewarding!

Starting natives from seeds makes them your babies. It may sound like more work but it’s not. Once the seeds are planted, they will start their life outside without any help. In the spring you'll have to transplant them in the garden, as you would do with plants purchased from a local nursery.

Because you give them a start with fun and love, it creates a sort of bond. You give them this wonderful role: bringing life and colors into your garden and they give you purpose: you are the one growing them, and you will check once in a while if everything goes well, you will transplant them, and watch them grow… you will tame each other and you will become friends :) and this all is very rewarding.

Note: some plants may start blooming on year 2. 

 

So let say that:

  • You’ll get to know how to start them

  • They won’t be transported from one place to another place which is better as transportation can weaken the plants.

  • It is less expensive than buying already grown plants

Who am I?

©TamaraGillon2020-117_edited.jpg

My name is Mathilde Burlion, mother of 4 children aged 9 to 1. My wish is to raise kids awareness to a sustainable future. I offer nature and gardening workshops for children accompanied by an adult. Children get to know their surroundings better through fun stories and activities that leave them great memories.

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See what parents who participated in a workshop said about it

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FB lives at 9.05 PM

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January 12th: How to plant native flowers

Are you willing to implement native flowers to your landscape? 

2 ways to start this project. I'll discuss it in this live. 

 

January 19th: Increasing biodiversity in the pandemic era

During this live, we'll take a look at the IPBES workshop on biodiversity and pandemics. (IPBES stands for Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)

 

January 26th: Beautiful meadows

The good places I recommend around Princeton NJ to bring kids and enjoy native flowers, playground, activities...

FAQ

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How many children will be there?

In-person workshop in Kingston: max 4 families.

 

What about COVID and In-person workshops?

The idea is that there will be one table with everything set up to plant seeds. One family at a time comes and do the activity. 

I do not provide any insurance cover for the participants. By participating, you assume any risk, and take full responsibility and waive any claims of personal injury and disease, associated with Grow Little Gardener activities.

Wearing a mask help us not spread the disease.

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©2023 by Grow Little Gardener LLC
Photos: Tamara Gillon Photography & Mathilde Burlion

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