Elgin Native Roots Program

Elgin Native Roots Program - Bringing native plants to your home's garden, one plant kit at a timThe Elgin Native Roots program is designed to educate residents about native plants and their benefits, and get more native plants into our community! Plants will be given out for free in groupings of five. These groupings are designed to give residents a jump start on their native gardens. 

The Sustainability Commission will be tabling at the 2022 Elgin Farmers Market for five Fridays, from 3pm-7pm: July 29th, August 12th, August 19th, September 2nd, and September 23rd. 

The commission will be giving out free Butterfly garden kits on July 29th while supplies last.

2021 Elgin Native Roots: Gardens by the Week

September 3rd: Butterfly Garden

  • Butterfly-weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
  • Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea)
  • Rough blazing-star (Liatris aspera)
  • Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
  • Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

September 10th: Hummingbird Garden

  • Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
  • Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
  • Foxglove beardstongue (Penstemon digitalis)
  • New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
  • Butterfly-weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

September 17th: Rain Garden

  • Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
  • Marsh blazing-star (Liatris spicata)
  • Culver’s-root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
  • Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
  • Lake sedge (Carex lacustris)

September 24th: Micro-Prairie Garden

  • Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
  • Rough blazing-star (Liatris aspera)
  • Nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum)
  • Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
  • Side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)

October 1st: Woodland Edge Garden

  • Bottlebrush grass (Eymus hystrix)
  • Culver’s-root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
  • White wild indigo (Baptisia alba)
  • Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)
  • Purple Joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

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