Recommended Nurseries

Ensuring that each plant we lovingly place into our gardens is ethically-grown and sourced is imperative if we as gardeners hope to expand habitat for wildlife. The nursery trade can often be a source of harmful pesticides that further damage wildlife when placed in our gardens. A plant that we hoped to see support hummingbirds and native bees when treated with these pesticides will in fact be a toxic food source, damaging fragile wildlife populations. One recent class of insecticides that are specifically toxic are neonicotinoids, which act on receptors of invertebrates without discern for pests or beneficial insects. These are especially harmful as they are systemic chemicals that are taken up into plants, where they are long lived, staying in ecosystems for months to even years.

What follows is a list of nurseries that offer neonicotinoid free plants in the Willamette Valley. Additionally, these nurseries each have unique opportunities whether that be different plants, available advice, or garden spaces that offer novel ways for combining plants. I always look forward to visiting small plant nurseries as I find the community thrilling with gardeners and nursery workers engaged in passionate conversations about plants. Advice is also willingly given, along with favorite varieties or plants that work in a specific habitat niche. May this list be an opportunity to further connect with community members who are also actively interested in healing and restoring our garden spaces.