Yikes, you will have a big job. And a big backache! I suggest you recruit some helpers and not of the 5 and 7 year old variety:)

Sounds like a neat project

You are both right! I am looking forward to it. Working out for a year now, so back is in pretty good shape, but I am not above sitting on the ground and scooching from one place to another. Just pay no attention when I am getting up and down-not a pretty sight. HA. Hoping my two meniscus tears heal by then or I get my second knee replacement-in which case I will put DH and son and daughter-in law to work. Once I set them out in a matrix, they should be able to do it pretty efficiently. Maybe. ;-)

Thanks for the encouragement!

The really fun part is going to be keeping them weeded.

Mad, ah, but isn't that always the fun part?

What are they, then. We need to know.

And which vendor did you order from? The heat may be getting to me also.

Cool! I checked out the Wild Ones website but didn’t find any links to a nursery. I did find that there is a Wild One chapter that’s not too far from here and it encompasses several counties, including my county.

The nursery list was in the journal. I didn't realize that you couldn't get to that from the website. Here is the link to the Izel Nursery. They also have a tutorial about planting plugs if you are not familiar with them. You may need to subscribe, but the nursery subscription is free. I did join Wild Ones.

Izel Plants

Also, this is how I found the list of nurseries: "The newest issue of the Wild Ones Journal can also be accessed by logging in to your Wild Ones account." If you do join and check out the journal, the Izel site will let you know where you can purchase. My orders are coming from Pennsylvania.

Thank you! I'll enjoy browsing the Izel website.

Um, think the heati sent me a bit over the top cos I have casually ordered 900 tulips and another 400 or so anemones, narcissus and fritillaria. Haven't got started on the species tulips yet...

We can moan and sympathise with each other when the actual effort brings us back to (painful) reality, cyn.

Yikes, Suzy. We are both in trouble. However, if we do succeed, we will have beautiful gardens. That said, my 'good' knee is a mess and if it doesn't heal soon, I will be asking for my second knee replacement, so I can start my planting in late September. I may have to break down and hire someone to help me prepare the beds this summer-cover the area with cardboard/newspaper and cover that with mulch to kill the weeds...or stock up on popsicles and ice cream cones so I can train three little hobbits in the finer point of gardening. Never too young.

Completely agree...why else do we have offspring if not to keep them under the maternal thumb. They will be grateful... eventually. All mine are now fully invested in gardening...with the next generation falling nicely in line. Bribery totally acceptable (mine were cheap, too...a bag of crisps or an ice lolly did the trick.

I'm tired just thinking of all that work to plant LOL! But it will look great when it's done, and I'm so happy to hear you chose natives!! Since they're plugs, I wonder if a dibble would make easier/faster work of it?

Thanks for posting the native plants site link! I'm noticing that I already grow a majority of the best native plants that are listed for my area. My one failed attempt was Lilium Canadense (Canada Lily)... my BF's SIL grew them and I finally got some small bulbs from her to start on my own. They grew and flowered one year, but never made it through the second winter It made me sad to lose them.

Be careful about some natives..... I am currently ripping out miles of Clematis virginiana. It's a gorgeous plant, but it's just showing up everywhere and trying to take over. At least it's easy to rip out and doesn't require digging or anything extreme. :)

Thanks for all the responses. You are all so kind! I have been planting only natives for almost ten years and eveytime I suggested them to other posters here, I was severely criticized by one poster. This is my first post in a couple of years (I think). There are some perennials and annuals that I put in pots rather than in the ground and I still fight invasive plants left from the previous owners (30 years ago. Sigh).

I would like to get up to White's Nursery in Germantown, MD this weekend to get a couple more native rhododendron. There is a nightmare shrub (non-native Euonymus) that I have been trying to destroy for several years. My husband does not want me to get rid of it because it shield one of his bedroom windows from neighbors. I think he might be okay if I cut it down once nesting season is over and replace it with the rhodies.. The Euonymus has grown to about 10 feet tall and wide and it spreads like mad . I really detest it. So invasive. I may have to tape up some black paper on his window until the new shrub gets going.

In VA we have the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora that I use every time I want to check before I plant, which is just about every time. link: VA plant atlas

Very cool resource.

Porkchop, I hadn't though of a dibble-will check them out once I see how small/large the plugs are. Thanks for that suggestion.

Partymusic, agree about that Clematis! I definitely don't need anything else that will try to take over. I have enough of that already.

Honestly, the folks before us covered the back yard with bamboo, ivy , and periwinkle. It is still a constant battle. I don't know how long we will be here-73 yrs old and DH is 79-but I fear the next owners will be cursing me thinking I left those for them. :-(