Visit one of the publicly-accessible demonstration gardens below to see how beautiful native plants can be in your home or business landscaping!

Plant ES Natives Demonstration Sites In Accomack County:

Chincoteague -

• Chincoteague Island Nature Trail - "Shady Wetlands Landscape"

• Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - "Bird Garden"

Onley -

• Onley Rural Health Center - "Healing Garden"

Wachapreague -

• Town of Wachapreague Seaside Park - "Shoreline Garden"

Willis Wharf -

• Willis Wharf Wildlife Observation Platform - "Shoreline Landscape"

Wallops Island -

• Surface Combat Systems Center - "Landscaping With Natives"

Plant ES Natives Demonstration Sites In Northampton County:

Cape Charles -

• Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge - "Pollinator Garden"

Kiptopeke -

• Kiptopeke State Park - "Wildlife Habitat'

Oyster -

• UVA Anheuser Busch Coastal Research Center - "Maritime Forest"
• The Nature Conservancy - "Living Shoreline"

Other gardens featuring Eastern Shore natives in the county:

• Nassawadox - Northampton Free Library - "Butterfly Garden"

Do you own or maintain a garden that features all Eastern Shore native plants, or a clearly defined native plant section?  The Plant ES Natives would love to highlight your garden.  The garden must be publicly-accessible, or available for viewing by appointment.  Please contact Virginia Witmer.        

This site highlights a variety of natives that do well in shady moist conditions.  The landscape, designed by In Full Bloom, Inc., a local landscaper, was kept as natural as possible - the native plants installed along the trail path are covered with pinestraw and blend beautifully into the existing native vegetation.  This site was funded by the Virginia CZM Program.  Eastern Shore Master Naturalists will be maintaining the site.

Native Plants at Site:

• Callicarpa Americana – American Beautyberry
• Magnolia virginiana – Sweetbay Magnolia
• Itea virginica – Virginia Willow
• Clethera alnifolia – Sweet Pepper Bush
• Amelanchier arborea – Downy Serviceberry
• Iris versicolor – Blue Flag
• Solidago caesia – Bluestem Goldenrod
• Gaultheria procumbens – Wintergreen
• Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas fern
• Osmunda regalis - Royal Fern
• Osmunda cinnamomea - Cinnamon Fern
• Chelone glabra – White Turtlehead
• Podophyllum peltatum - May Apple
• Ariseama triphyllum – Jack-in-the-Pulpit
• Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower  

This garden demonstrates how to create backyard bird habitat by providing food (native plants & bird feeders), water and cover (native plants & brush pile). The pump of the water feature in the garden is solar powered.  

The project was a cooperative effort among the Refuge, Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists with many volunteers from each organization.

• Juniperus virginiana – Eastern red cedar
• Llex opaca - American holly
• Prunas serotina - Black Cherry
• Morella cenifera  - Southern wax myrtle
• Morella Pensylvanica - Northern bayberry
• Llex verticillata - Winterberry
• Rudbeckia hirta - Black-eyed Susan
• Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal flower
• Coreopsis lanceolata – Lanceleaf coreopsis or Tickseed

Onley Rural Health Center - "Healing Garden"

This site will highlight the therapeutic power of Eastern Shore native plants in a “healing garden” at the new Onley Rural Health Center.  The garden will be installed in 2011 and will be part of a sustainable landscape surrounding the center. Signage in the “healing garden” will highlight the link between healthy landscapes and healthy people.  This demonstration site is a partnership between the Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (which helped fund the demonstration site design), Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Eastern Shore Resource Conservation and Development Council.

Eastern Shore Native Plants:

• Chionanthus virginicus – Fringetree
• Crataegus crus-gali – Cockspur hawthorn
• Viburnum dentatum – Arrowwood
• Rudbeckia hirta – Blackeyed susan
• Itea virginica – Virginia Sweetspire
• Panicum virgatum – Switchgrass
• Asclepias tuberosa – Butterflyweed
• Eupatorium fistulosum – Joe-pye weed
• Vaccinium corymbosum – Highbush blueberry

Town of Wachapreague Seaside Park - "Shoreline Native Plant Landscape"

This impressive 12,500 sq. ft. demonstration garden is located within Seaside Park at the edge of an Atlantic coastal marsh in the heart of Wachapreague. It showcases a diverse array of Eastern Shore native plants - 44 species, that are especially tolerant of inundation from flooding. The garden was funded by the Virginia CZM Program and designed and installed by Kim Owen, In Full Bloom, a local landscape designer. In Full Bloom adopted and will maintain the garden with a local nursery, Ivy Farms. Interpretive signage planned for the site will emphasize native plant benefits.

Native Plants at Site Include:

• Cercis Canadensis - Redbud
• Quercus phellos - Willow Oak
• Chionanthus virginicus - Fringe tree
• Cornus florida - Flowering dogwood
• Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress
• Morella (Myrica) cerifera - Southern wax myrtle
• Ilex verticillata - Winterberry
• Solidago caesia  – Bluestem goldenrod
• Chelone glabra – White turtlehead
• Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal flower
• Hibiscus moscheutos - Eastern rosemallow
• Monarda fistulosa - Wild bergamot
• Phlox paniculata - Summer phlox
• Rudbeckia hirta - Black-eyed Susan
• Panicum virgatum - Switchgrass
• Andropogon virginicus - Broomsedge bluestem

The native plant landscaping surrounding the Wildlife Observation Platform in Willis Wharf highlights native species that can tolerate the shore's bright sun and salt spray.  This site, funded by the Virginia CZM Program, was designed by Appleseed Nurseries, Inc, a local landscaper, with assistance from Eastern Shore Master Naturalists.  Maplewood Gardens has adopted and is maintaining the site.  The landscaping was the backdrop for the spring 2009 kick-off of the Plant ES Natives Campaign.

• Morella (Myrica) cerifera - Southern Wax Myrtle
• Juniperus virginiana - Eastern Red Cedar
• Panicum amarum - Coastal Panic Grass
• Symphyotrichum – New York Aster
• Diospyros - Persimmon
• Lonicera sempervirens - Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle
• Kosteletskya virginica - Seashore Mallow
• Solidago sempervirens - Seaside Goldenrod
• Chasmanthium latifolium - Sea Oats
     

Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle is doing gloriously at the Willis Wharf demo site.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge has installed two very large demonstration gardens.  The first is a 75ft in diameter landscape in front of the Visitor Center which includes natives most attractive to pollinators.  It is truly an example of how beautiful, colorful and varied natives plants can be in your landscape.  The area was completed in 2009 with funding from the Virginia CZM Program and involved many partners over its two year installation including the ESVANWR, The Nature Conservancy Coast Reserve, Back Bay National Wildife Refuge, Virginia Field Office Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Eastern Shore SWCD, Youth Conservation Corp and Refuge volunteers.  A second demonstration garden was installed at the ES Refuge Office.  Over 550 plants, many provided locally by Bloomers Garden Center, were planted in the two gardens.

Native Plants at the ES Refuge Demo Areas:

• Asimina triloba – Pawpaw
• Helianthus angustifolius – Narrow-leafed Sunflower         
• Chelone glabra - White Turtlehead
• Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower
• Kosteletzkya virginica - Seashore Mallow Seashore Mallow
• Conoclinium coeleatinum – Mistflower
• Pycnanthemum tenuifolium - Narrow Leaved Mountain Mint
• Baptisia australis – Wild Blue Indigo
• Vernonia noveboracensis - New York Ironweed
• Aster novi-belgii - New York Aster
• Solidago rugosa – Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod
• Aster novae-angliae – New England Aster
• Ruellia humilis – Wild Petunia
• Asclepias tuberose – Butterfly Weed
• Phlox divaricata – Woodland Phlox
• Solidago sempervirens – Seaside Goldenrod Seaside Goldenrod
• Hibiscus moscheutos – Rose Mallow
• Symphotrichum ericodes – White Heath Aster
• Lobelia siphilitica – Great Blue Lobelia
• Silphium perfoliatum – Indian Cup Plant
• Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower
• Verbena hastate – Blue Vervain
• Liatris spicata – Blazing Star
• Monarda fistulosa - Bergamot

Immediately after the Butterfly Weed above was installed in the demonstration garden at the ESVANWF, it began attracting butterflies. (bottom of photo).

Hundreds of native plants were installed in the ESVANWR demonstration gardens in the summe rof 2009 with the aid of a hardworking Youth Conservation Corp crew from Back Bay NWR. 

Sixteen Eastern Shore Master Gardeners worked over 550 hours designing and installing this demonstration garden in Kiptopke State Park on the CZM/Taylor Tract acquired in December 2009 as an expansion of the park. Over 900 native plants, shrubs, vines and small trees (17 species) were planted along the garden’s walkway as part of a grant to the park from the Virginia CZM Program to restore habitat on the property and provide public access amenities. A pergola and bench were installed that provide visitors with a view of the garden and a pond on site. Fencing and border edging were added, assisting with vine growth and protecting the garden from grass infestations. Signage at the garden highlights the value of natives.  The Eastern Master Gardeners continue to maintain the site, with assistance from Appleseed Nurseries and park staff.

Native Plants at Site Include:

• Amelanchier arborea - Serviceberry
• Ilex opaca - American Holly
• Juniperus virginiana – Eastern red cedar
• Magnolia virginiiana – Sweetbay magnolia
• Callicarpa americana – American beautyberry
• Lonicera sempervirens – Coral or Trumpet honeysuckle
• Gelsemcum sempervirens – Carolina jasmine
• Monarda fistulosa - Beebalm

•  Ascelepias tuberosa - Butterflyweed 

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This demonstration garden features flowering that provide nectar for butterflies, including a number of Eastern Shore natives.  Shrubs add winter interest while annuals add season long bloom.  This site was designed, planted and is maintained by the Eastern Shore Virginia Master Gardeners with assistance from The Nature Conservancy and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

Eastern Shore Native Plants Featured:

• Asclepias tuberosa – Butterflyweed
• Conoclinium coelestinum – Mistflower
• Ilex glabra – Inkberry
• Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal flower
• Phlox paniculata – Phlox
• Rudbeckia hirta – Black-eyed Susan
• Solidago rugosa – Goldenrod

This demonstration landscape features Eastern Shore natives that can tolerate sandy soils, low level salt spray and bright sun to partial shade.  Plants were chosen to provide year-round food sources to a wide variety of birds, butterflies and small animals.  The landsdcape was installed and is being maintained by staff at the Anheuser Busch Coastal Research Center.  Planning assistance was provided by many of the center's partners - the Eastern Shore Master Gardeners, Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District, Maplewood Gardens, Bloomers Garden Center/Appleseed Nurseries, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/Eastern Shore Regional Office, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality/Office of Environmental Education, and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Eastern Shore Native Plants:

• Morella (Myrica) cerifera – Southern wax myrtle
• Juniperus virginiana – Eastern red cedar
• Cercus canadensis – Redbud
• Prunus serotina – Wild black cherry
• Quercus stellata – Post oak
• Sassafras albidum – Sassafras
• Cornus florida – Flowering dogwood
• Amelanchier arborea – Downy serviceberry
• Rhus copallinum – Winged sumac
• Lonicera sempervirens – Coral honeysuckle
• Parthenocissus quinquefolia – Virginia creeper
• Panicum virgatum – Switch grass
• Schizachyrium scoparium – Little bluestem

Winged Sumac is an evergreen, understory shrub which provides food for birds
and small mammals.  It has greenish yellow flowers in June/July, red berries in October/November and leaves which turn a flaming red color in the fall.  It forms large colonies, providing abundant winter food for wildlife.  Photo by David Boyd.

A Living Shoreline in Oyster demonstrates how Eastern Shore Native plants help stabilize the shoreline, filter runoff and protect water quality.  The demonstration site, shown in the photo above prior to planting in November 2009, was installed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) with assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and is open to the public.  In future, TNC plans to install a walking trail and viewing platform, as well as interpretive signs describing the Living Shoreline and the importance of coastal habitat with assistance from the Virginia CZM Program.  An existing boat ramp for kayak and canoe use was kept in place.  This demonstration shoreline was funded by the NOAA Restoration Center, Chesapeake Bay Trust, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Campbell Foundation for the Environment.  

Living Shorelines are a natural alternative to bulkheading. For more information visit Living Shore.

by Marilyn Ailes, Ecologist, Surface Combat Systems Center

Navy Instruction 5090.1C, the Environmental Readiness Program Manual, states that "It is Navy policy to use regionally native plants for landscaping."  This policy encourages the use and appreciation of locally native vegetation, thereby improving wildlife habitat throughout Navy installations. It also saves money and protects the environment; by using the species adapted to the location, it reduces or eliminates the need for pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation.   

Here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, this policy is exceptionally easy to follow. The variety of colorful plants native to the Eastern Shore can provide year-round beauty if chosen carefully. In addition to local nurseries, the Master Gardeners and Plant ES Natives campaign are both excellent sources of information. The Virginia Department of Forestry also sells native seedlings at bargain-basement prices. And many local Arbor Day celebrations include handing out native trees to be carried home and planted. 
Our Navy base was constructed in the late 1980’s, mostly in an existing forest of mixed hardwoods and pines.  The original architects took extra care to place buildings and houses where the existing native vegetation could be preserved.  Over time, as the base needed more landscaping, we transplanted native volunteers, nursing them for a year before planting them where they were needed.  Other plants were purchased, and where possible native species were chosen.       

Routine maintenance was also modified to encourage the growth of native vegetation.  For instance, the forest floor is cleared every few years to keep it open for security reasons.  By keeping the mowers out during the spring growing season, we encouraged the growth and spread of wild Lady Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule).  Several hundred plants now grow in the woods next to our barracks each spring.

In some cases, we have experimented with native vegetation not normally used for landscaping.  For instance, the local sumac (Rhus copallina) is usually considered something of a trash tree.  It grows along Virginia’s roadsides, its summer leaves a delicate tracery and its fall flowers and leaves a brilliant red.  To capture that fall color, a wild specimen taken from a nearby lot was nurtured in a pot for a year, then transplanted.  The first year, as we do with all new transplants, the tree was monitored and additional water provided if required.  The tree has done well, growing into a nice shape with lovely fall color (see photo above).  A second wild sumac is now concluding its year in a pot, and will be planted near the first tree on Arbor Day this spring.  It is hoped that both trees will now hold their flowers to provide color throughout the late summer and fall season. 
Since we preserve the native habitat as much as possible, the local wildlife has enhanced our base with its presence.  Bird houses were placed on pines to encourage insect-eating birds (we do have a very healthy mosquito population here on the Eastern Shore).  They have been used by bluebirds, sparrows, wrens, chickadees, flycatchers, and a variety of typical forest species.  A few of the boxes have holes enlarged by knawing; these hold the dainty flying squirrels. Sometimes in the spring, they rest in their holes, enjoying the sun and watching the activity in the parking lot below.
        
Although it is impossible to guess what it would have cost without this program, we feel certain that we have been able to save significant amounts of money.  Native plants tend to be either free or less expensive to purchase than exotics.  In addition, we have almost never had to use herbicides, fertilizers, or irrigation.  The base is nonetheless attractive in the informal Eastern Shore style.  Our native habitat attracts a wealth of bird life even along the edges of the busy parking lots.  Color accents merge from one season into the next, providing beauty spots throughout the year.  And if you watch, you may glimpse some of the more special residents: pileated woodpeckers, or summer tanagers, or a red maple in its fall splendor.  

For comments or questions concerning this program's web pages, contact Virginia Witmer.

This website is provided by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program through a federal Coastal Zone Management Act grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce.