Where can I buy native plants for a rain garden, and when is the best time to plant?
Answer
Dear Stephanie: Frequently local nurseries have many native plants available. Places in the Philadelphia area that specialize in native plants are: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia and the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, PA. If you Google these places you wil find their addresses. The best time to plant is spring. Fall planting is okay, but if you are planting perennials or small shrubs, care must be taken to prevent the plants from heaving out of the ground due to the freezing and thawing all winter long.