Our Native Plant Sale has begun

We have over 100 species of native perennials, shrubs and trees on sale online and at our on-site plant sale. We also have organic compost and mulch available. Spring is a great time to get going with your native garden, so we hope to see you! Order online through May 1 and shop at our office at Almond Marsh from May 16-31.

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Native plants finder can help with your natural garden planning

We discovered that the website we created for our native plant sale this year is also a great tool for identifying some of the native plants you might want to use in your native garden. So when the winter winds blow and you start dreaming about next year's garden plans, check it out!

Plant Finder

Conservation@Home Featured Property

This spring, when Jim Futransky and Amy Dickinson of Libertyville began to install the 8,000 plants called for in their new landscaping plan, little did they know we were headed for a rainless summer of record-breaking heat. As the owners of Veggie Cooking Around the World, Jim and Amy are no strangers to the impact of weather on plants. Watering late into the evening on many occasions, they persevered and so did their plants. The yard's makeover solved drainage issues with beautiful rain gardens and bioswales. It easily scored the 100 points needed to qualify for certification in the Conservation@Home program.

Conservation@Home Featured Property

This spring, when Jim Futransky and Amy Dickinson of Libertyville began to install the 8,000 plants called for in their new landscaping plan, little did they know we were headed for a rainless summer of record-breaking heat. As the owners of Veggie Cooking Around the World, Jim and Amy are no strangers to the impact of weather on plants. Watering late into the evening on many occasions, they persevered and so did their plants. The yard's makeover solved drainage issues with beautiful rain gardens and bioswales. It easily scored the 100 points needed to qualify for certification in the Conservation@Home program.

Choose one of the packages below!

PACKAGE A - Property consultation and/or certification  $50
Includes attractive certification sign for qualifying properties

PACKAGE B - Above plus one-year membership to Conserve Lake County  $100
Includes two free admissions to Annual Meeting

PACKAGE C - Above plus discounts on both of the following items  $200
20 percent off your next purchase of trees, shrubs or plants from Conserve
20 percent off one admission to our annual Prairie Harvest Celebration benefit

Return Visit for property consulation and/or certification $50
Includes attractive certification sign for qualifying properties

Winter is the time to control buckthorn

Buckthorn is a shrub or small tree growing up to 20-25' tall and left unchecked invades forests, woodlands, oak savannas, and prairies. (Click on the listing for common buckthorn on our Invasives Species list for more information). The best time to eradicate buckthorn is in the late fall and winter. Here's what to do if you have buckthorn on your property.

• Remove your largest, berry-filled plants first.
• For trunks over six inches wide, cut the trunk and immediately swab the stump with trichlopyr herbicide and oil. (Stop when the spring thaw begins.)
• For smaller trunks, skip the cutting and spray the base of a dry, frost-free trunk with trichlopyr and oil.

Tordon RTU, is pre-mixed trichlopyr with oil. Be sure to read and follow label directions. See our Local Vendors page to find where to purchase Tordon RTU.