NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Community members will have the opportunity to learn how native plants support North Carolina wildlife, pollinators and sustainable habitats at the 11th annual Cape Fear Native Plant Festival.
The event will take place Sept. 16 to 20 and is offering educational programs and activities focused on supporting the local ecosystem. The festival is hosted by the Native Plant Alliance, a group formed in 2015 including Friends of the Arboretum, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, the Extension Master Gardener Association of New Hanover County, the N.C. Native Plant Society–South East Coastal Chapter, and Cape Fear’s Going Green magazine.
The festival kicks off with an evening speaker series 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the NHC Arboretum’s education center. The first speaker is Dr. Lori Sutter, who will give a presentation called “Rooted Against the Rising Tide: How Native Salt Marsh Plants Build a Resilient Coast.” It explores how native cordgrass helps salt marshes keep up with sea-level rise and store carbon along the Cape Fear coast.
Barbara Sullivan will give a presentation on Sept. 17 offering practical guidance on building sustainable, wildlife-friendly landscapes suited to a shifting climate, and Bryce Lane will speak Sept. 18 about how gardeners can use biodiversity principles to address stormwater runoff, invasive plants and wildlife protection.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 19, community members can visit native plant vendors, including Farmers Supply, Five Oaks Oleander, Pender Pines, Shelton Herb Farm, The Garden Shop on Moss and Wild Bird & Garden. Several places will host expert volunteers who can offer research-based advice, answer questions and help visitors find native plants that work for their garden.
To close out the event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 20 there will be a self-guided native plant garden tour. Those interested in the tour can sign up to explore residential gardens throughout New Hanover County. Volunteers from the New Hanover County Master Gardener program will be on hand to answer questions and offer guidance.
For more information and to register for events, visit the county arboretum website.
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