Last year, I posted a mini video tour of various sections of the nursery or did a plant feature once a week. I figured I’d kick off this season with a sneak peak of the trees and shrubs I’m working on. Working on, you say? What could there possibly be to do and why aren’t they ready to purchase right now? I’m glad you asked! Below is a synopsis of what I discuss in the video followed by a list of species that will be available May 21-23 from 9am-5pm here in Washington, PA.
BACKGROUND
I ordered this lot of trees/shrubs wholesale from a grower that typically supplies them for large restoration projects. While I requested certain species and had a vague idea of what I’d end up with, we really didn’t have a true final inventory list until the truck was unloaded (during a veritable hurricane).
THE WORK
Right: Ribbons cut off, hang tags added, pots cleaned out and top-dressed, organized with signage
Each species was marked with a different color/pattern ribbon (no fancy tags). As I didn’t know what I was getting until I got them, I am now creating, printing, and cutting out all the hang tags for 420+ trees/shrubs. Pot sizes and pot colors vary. Some pots are new, others are falling apart so they need to be replaced. As everything was grown outside over the last few years some volunteer asters and other wildflowers are also growing happily with them. I am meticulously going through each pot, cleaning out what doesn’t belong, and adding a thin top dressing of fresh soil.
THE GOOD
Sampling some trees and shrubs to test out in my own landscape! 
Trying to figure out how to arrange them all! 
The old nursery layout is gone. We’ve expanded the walkways and added trees and shrubs around the perimeter. 
The dormant serviceberries shown on either side of the walkways in the last photo bloomed this spring!
You can expect to receive tough native plants that were not started in a greenhouse or coddled in any way. They were pot grown out “in the field” so to speak enduring our local weather for several years. The tags I’ve created will indicate wildlife value and the number of butterfly/moth species in our area that benefit from that particular tree/shrub! I purchased a trailer full of woodies for myself from this grower at the end of last season to sort of test the waters. They all made it through winter with ease and are thriving. You’ll see some of them planted along the walkways around the nursery.
THE BAD AND THE UGLY
These aren’t your local big box garden center trees. Nothing has been pruned to have the prettiest shape possible. As a matter of fact a few have been pruned (for reasons unknown to me) and their overall form is a bit, well, downright ugly for now. Maybe they’ll grow out of it? Some look like they will ultimately have a suckering habit instead of a pretty single trunked tree. So, while the more beautiful specimens you come across here may look fantastic in your front yard, others…meh, not so much. However, the birds, insects, butterflies, and other wildlife will still be thrilled to have them around and I hope you have a perfect spot on your property to tuck them away.
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET
If you found a tree or shrub you want to take home, feel free to inspect it thoroughly! Have doubts? Please don’t buy it! There will be no refunds, returns, or exchanges. When you visit you’ll also see a clearance section of specimens that really didn’t meet my standards due to not being rooted enough, being overly root bound, etc. I’ll be honest, you’re taking your chances with them. What you see is what you get, so make sure what you get is what you really want.
2022 TREE/SHRUB INVENTORY
Available Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays
9am-5pm (While Supplies Last!)
Washington, PA
- BLACKHAW VIBURNUM – VIBURNUM PRUNIFOLIUM
- ALLEGHENY SERVICEBERRY -AMELANCHIER LAEVIS
AMERICAN CRANBERRY – VIBURNUM TRILOBUMELDERBERRY – SAMBUCUS CANADENSISAMERICAN HORNBEAM – CARPINUS CAROLINIANABLACK WILLOW – SALIX NIGRA- NORTHERN BAYBERRY – MYRICA PENSYLVANICA
ARROWWOOD VIBURNUM – VIBURNUM DENTATUMBLACK CHOKEBERRY (ARONIA MELANOCARPA)- BLACK CHERRY (PRUNUS SEROTINA)
BUTTONBUSH (CEPHALANTHUS OCCIDENTALIS)FRAGRANT SUMAC (RHUS AROMATICA)- GRAY DOGWOOD (CORNUS RACEMOSA)
AMERICAN HAZELNUT (CORYLUS AMERICANA)SILVER MAPLE (ACER SACCHARINUM)COMMON NINEBARK (PHYSOCARPUS OPULIFOLIUS)NORTHERN SPICEBUSH (LINDERA BENZOIN)PAGODA DOGWOOD (CORNUS ALTERNIFOLIA)PAWPAW (ASIMINA TRILOBA)AMERICAN PERSIMMON (DIOSPYROS VIRGINIANA)- RED CHOKEBERRY (ARONIA ARBUTIFOLIA)
RED MAPLE (ACER RUBRUM)EASTERN REDBUD (CERCIS CANADENSIS)- SILKY DOGWOOD (CORNUS AMOMUM)
RIVER BIRCH (BETULA NIGRA)- WHITE OAK (QUERCUS ALBA)
- SWEETBAY MAGNOLIA (MAGNOLIA VIRGINIANA)
- TULIP POPLAR (LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA)
WHITE FLOWERING DOGWOOD (CORNUS FLORIDA)AMERICAN PLUM (PRUNUS AMERICANA)WINTERBERRY HOLLY (ILEX VERTICILLATA)RED TWIG DOGWOOD (CORNUS SERICEA)SYCAMORE (PLATANUS OCCIDENTALIS)BLACK GUM (NYSSA SYLVATICA)QUAKING ASPEN (POPULUS TREMULOIDES)- SWAMP ROSE (ROSA PALUSTRIS)*
*Roses are grown here at Arcadia Natives. PA Ecotype Rosa palustris are available!
A FINAL NOTE
It is very important to me that you have as much information as possible before you visit. I’m a brand new nursery and this is my first time offering trees and shrubs brought in from an outside source. I’m working on growing quite a few from seed, but it is a long process that will take years before having a saleable product. Your patience and support through all this has been much appreciated! I can’t wait to help you make a difference in your neighborhood and increase the wildlife value of your property!
Arcadia Natives 