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HOW TO GET PLANTS
All the Massachusetts nurseries listed below have agreed to provide flats plants for the curriculum.  If you are looking for a nursery to purchase plants from other states in New England, see the list of Native plant nurseries on the Grow Native webpage.  Prices and sizes of pots will vary among nurseries. No matter where you buy the plants we recommend that you avoid buying cultivars. 

What's a cultivar?
A cultivar is a plant that has been selectively bred for more saleable characteristics - darker leaves, different colored flowers etc. Most traditonal and "Big box" nurseries sell mainly or exclusively cultivars of wildflowers. Some cultivars attract the same insects and pollinators as their wild or "straight" seeds.  Some, however,  have characteristics that make them inedible to the insects that rely on them. Other cultivars have sterile seeds to promote more purchases of the plant. In other words, cultivars may not create the habitat that is the focus of the curriculum.  You can identify a plant as a cultivar because after the Latin identifier, there will be another name in single quotations such as 'Bravado' or 'Fireworks.'  Read more about cultivars here.

FREE PLANTS
Schools that are part of MA's environmental justice communities can apply for free flats of plants from any of the nurseries listed on this page.  To see if your district is an EJ community,  click here.   In order to receive free flat(s),  you must agree to use the curriculum, publicize the project on school social media or  newsletter and/or send a press release to your local newspaper about the project.  We would also appreciate the opportunity to take some pictures of the project in process.  We will make sure that all photos follow the privacy guidelines of your school. Apply for free plants on the Curriculum page. 

 

Nurseries by county (east to west) 

Bristol County
The Butterfly Effect Farm
1869 Drift Road,
Westport, Massachusetts MA 02790
(774) 309 3151
PO's: Yes
Mail order: Some local delivery available
Website: https://www.butterflyeffectfarm.com/

Prickly Ed's Cactus Patch and Native Plant Emporium
6 Barneyville Road Barrington, RI 02806
(401) 248-4785
PO's: Yes
Mail order:
No
Note: The nursery is in Swansea MA which is the adjacent property. 

Website: https://pricklyeds.com/home-1


Plymouth County
Bluestem Natives
Village Gardens

376 Washington Street

Norwell, Massachusetts 02061  -   Rear lot
(781) 738-4869 
PO's: Yes
Mail order: Maybe (contact the nursery)

Website:
 https://www.bluestemnatives.com/


Weston Nurseries, Hingham
1099 Main Street
Hingham, MA 02043
(781) 749-3773
PO's: Yes
Mail Order: No
Website: https://www.westonnurseries.com/locations/hingham-garden-center/

 

Essex County
The Monarch Gardener
Hamilton, MA 
PO's: Yes
Mail order: No
Email: themonarchgardener@gmail.com
Website: http://www.themonarchgardener.com/home.html
 
Middlesex County
Weston Nurseries, Chelmsford
60 Pine Hill Rd, Chelmsford, MA 01824
(978) 349-0055
PO's: Yes
Mail order: No
Website: https://www.westonnurseries.com/


 
MIddlesex County (con't) 
Weston Nurseries, Hopkinton
93 East Main Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748
(508) 435-3414
PO's: Yes
Mailorder:No
Website: https://www.westonnurseries.com/
 
Garden in the Woods: Garden Shop (Native Plant Trust)
180 Hemenway Road
Framingham, MA 01701
(508)877-7630
PO's: Yes
Mail order: No
Website:
 
Worcester County
Lady Fern Farm
Worcester, MA
email: ladyfernfarm@outlook.com
PO's: Yes
Mail order: No
Website: https://ladyfernfarm.com/

Franklin County
Checkerspot Farm

30 Jacksonville Rd, Colrain MA 01340
(978) 944-0108
PO's: Yes
Mail order: Pussytoes Project Yes

website: https://www.checkerspotfarm.com/


Nasami Farm (Native Plant Trust)
128 North Street, Whately, MA 01373

413-397-9922
PO's: Yes
Mail order: No
Website: https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/for-your-garden/nasami-farm/

Hampshire County

Wing and a Prayer

48 Trouble St, Cummington, MA 01026

(413) 634-5659

PO's: Yes

Mail Order: No

Website: https://www.facebook.com/wingandaprayernursery?mibextid=9R9pXO

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