Dig In!

Milkweed plant with IMLS, Scituate Garden Club, and STL logos

A series on native plantings, pollinators, eco-conscious gardening and more...

Next in the Series (view our at-a-glance for the full schedule, and view the online calendar for even more programs for kids and teens):photo of speaker Claudia Thompson

Lessons from the Garden: Using Native Plants Successfully with Claudia Thompson

April 6, 2022, 7 p.m. via Zoom (Registration closed)
Integrating more native plants into our gardens andmanaged landscapes is today’s
model for being ecologicallywise. But creating beautiful and vibrant landscapes that
emphasize native species requires so much more than simplysubstituting indigenous plants for our old favorite horticulturalexotics. This program takes an in-depth look at how tosuccessfully garden with native plants in order to createlandscapes that have genuine ecological value.

Friends with Benefits: Helping Native Insect Pollinators in a Residential Landscape with Blake Dinius, Plymouth County Entomologist Educatora butterfly rests on a flower

May 10, 6 p.m. Library Community Room (No registration required)
It’s no question: Pollinators are critical to life as we know it.But, it’s important to stop and think about what we're all fighting for. What exactly defines a pollinator? How is it different from any other animal? Massachusetts is home to at least 365 species of native bees and myriad other pollinators. Each of these has unique requirements, behaviors, and seasonality.But, to truly help pollinators, we need to recognize and understand them. What are some common pollinators and pollinator groups? How is their biology unique among animals?How do these compare to pests we might see? What habits do we have today that might be negatively impacting their populations (even if inadvertent)? Pollinators need our help now more than ever. But, with the right knowledge, we can make a difference.

With a focus on insect pollinators and pests, we will review the following:

  • Common pollinator/pest identification
  • Gardening tips to helps support our native pollinators
  • Modifying our landscape practices to accommodate for insect friends

How to Build a Rain Garden: A Hands-On Workshop with Samantha Woods of the North & South Rivers Watershed Associationa butterfly rests on a flower

May 18, 7 p.m. Library Community Room (No registration required)
Live near a waterbody and want to reduce polluted runoff and recharge water supplies? Want to create bird and butterfly habitats? These are just some of the potential benefits of building a rain garden on your property! Learn how to build a rain garden that helps save our water and makes your property even more attractive to homebuyers and wildlife! Samantha Woods of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association will lead this hands-on interactive workshop where she will design a rain garden for the library! If you want to try to design one at the workshop bring a sketch of your property with dimensions if possible (she will also show you how to look up online) with septic leaching field and drinking water wells located on the sketch if applicable.   A free rain barrel will be given to one lucky attendee!

Even more is coming up, check out our "At-a-glance" for details on adult programs!

Past Lectures:

Sowing Native Seeds

November 7, 2021Blue Stem Native logo, gray block with light blue text and flower stem
Native plants require a period of cold stratification to germinate. There are many tips and tricks to ensuring good seedlings in the spring by establishing a good winter sowing setup. Working with the experts at Blue Stem Native, the library will host a hands-on workshop (all supplies included) to demonstrate how to create a mini-greenhouse from milk jugs, the proper way to plant native seedlings, and the care required throughout the winter to ensure germination. Registration is limited. This event is open to adults and high-school aged students. Weather permitting, this program will be held outdoors. In incelement weather, the program will move indoors to the library's Community Room. 

Blue Stem Natives is a women-owned business started by three friends who met at a local native plant garden club. Together they realized there was a lack of locally grown, native, pesticide-free plants in southeastern Massachusetts, so decided to do something about it. Blue Stem specializes in growing native plants from seed whenever possible, so as to encourage genetic diversity, and only straight-species, no ‘cultivars’. They are committed to using environmentally mindful growing practices.

Learn more about the process of cold stratification here

Learn more about one method for sowing seeds in milk jugs here

"Ditch the Fall Clean-Up"

October 3, 2021head shot of speaker Claudia Thompson

The standard fall garden “clean-up” is a disaster for our ecosystem, in more ways than most of us know. So, leave those leaves! Life abounds in the leaflitter of our gardens, and the seasonal cycles of both growth and decay are critical to building healthy soil. Come learn about a new approach to gardening that embraces and harnesses ecological systems, one that helps to sustain biodiversity, providing life for birds, butterflies, pollinators, and valuable fauna. It will save you money and time, and even promote your own health! Join us to dissect the conventional fall clean-up in detail— which practices should we keep, and which do we jettison for a better world.

Ms. Thompson founded Grow Native Massachusetts in 2010, developing its programs and leading the growth of this new nonprofit throughout its first decade. She is recognized nationally as a leader in the native plant movement. A published author and skilled photographer, she has had an extensive career in the environmental sector. She served as the Director of Education for the Appalachian Mountain Club and Director of Drumlin Farm for MassAudubon. She also served on the board of the New England Wild Flower Society.

Learn more about her work at: www.claudiagthompson.com