After a cold, snowy winter, we are now ready to get out and enjoy some beautiful spring weather in our garden and adjacent woodlands.

        As of April 1, Native Landscapes and Garden Center is open for business on a daily basis. We will have in stock a wide variety of native plants and accessories.

This year we will be focusing, where we can, on straight species native trees, shrubs, perennials and vines. This genre of plants has the highest nutritional value and will sustain wildlife in our area. Native will also have in stock a wide variety of fruit trees and fruiting shrubs.

A handful of events will highlight this growing season at the Garden Center. The Appalachian Trail runs though the Center and Native Landscapes, along with the Harlem Valley Appalachian Trail Community have partnered in three events this season.

Native Landscapes Garden Center will host an Earth Day event on Sunday, April 19 from 11:30am – 2:30pm. Pete Muroski, owner of Native Landscapes, will begin the morning with a talk at 11:45am on The History of Earth Day and Why It Is So Important to Plant Native Plants in the Landscape this spring season. Pete will also lead a walk on The Appalachian Trail in search of spring flowering ephemeral plants. Ephemerals are some of the most important early season native flowering plants and a nectar source for early season pollinators. A beautiful time of year to search the forest floor for these indigenous gems.

Our second event is Trail Magic Day on Saturday, June 27 from 11:00am to 3:00pm. The day will feature a BBQ, lawn games and chatting with the A.T. Hikers as they tell their stories about their Appalachian trail adventures. This is usually our most popular A.T. event of the season, as many hikers will be heading North from Georgia and now passing through the Garden Center. The through-hikers are looking to finish their walk by climbing Mt. Katahdin in Maine.

Our third event of the season will be a Trail Days Hike for Mental Health on Saturday, October 3 from 11:00am to 3:00pm. The Great Swamp should be in full Fall color in early October. A hike, some food and the apple cider press will be flowing. Bring your binoculars and your appetite. It is always a fun day.

It is going to be a busy season at Native Landscapes and Garden Center as our landscape construction crews continue to build residential and commercial landscapes including the very popular firepit, stonewalls, patios, walkways and plant ecological friendly landscapes in our yard with the help from native plant experts here in Pawling. Stop in and chat plants with us. For more information, we can be reached at nl*******@***il.com or 845-855-7050. We look forward to working with you this season.

–Pete and The Natives

Native Landscapes and Garden Center is located at 991 Route 22, Pawling, NY.