Come celebrate the arrival of spring, the return of wildflowers, and the beginning of another gardening season at the Central Pennsylvania Native Plant Festival at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center! Enjoy a hike, talk to plant experts, and join us for our scheduled educational walks and programs.
On the first Saturday of every May, Shaver’s Creek partners with the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society (PNPS) to host this annual festival. We invite you to celebrate the interrelationships between native plants and our resident bird species with the combination of the Native Plant Festival and our 24-hour Birding Cup fundraiser on the same weekend!
Admission to the festival is free, but please come prepared to support our vendors through purchases of plants and/or local food! A portion of the proceeds from the Native Plant Festival will go toward supporting Shaver’s Creek.
Educational Walks and Programs
In addition to a smorgasbord of native plant species for sale, the festival offers a variety of free educational programs designed for visitors to enjoy during their visit. Walks and programs scheduled for the 2013 Native Plant Festival include:
Bring Home the Butterflies: Creating a Butterfly Haven in Your Backyard (10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.)
Learn what you can do to attract and support butterfly populations by adding native perennials, shrubs, and trees that provide food and shelter.
Presenter: Pam Ford, PNPS board member and Penn State Master Gardener
Shaver’s Creek Native Plant Gardens and Invasive Plant Management Projects (11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.)
Take a leisurely stroll through Shaver’s Creek landscaped and natural habitats and discover ways to promote native plants and manage invasive plants on your property.
Presenter: Eric Burkhart, Plant Science Program Director, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
Natives for the Home Garden (12:30 p.m.)
Discover the benefits and joys of gardening with natives and how to incorporate them into your backyard — or front!
Presenter: Elizabeth Goreham, Mayor of State College, native plant enthusiast, and gardener extraordinaire
Attracting Birds to Your Landscape with Native Plants (2:00–2:45 p.m.)
Take a leisurely stroll around Shaver’s Creek to view native plants and discuss their role in attracting birds to your yard by providing food and shelter.
Presenter: Stan Kotala, Juniata Audubon Society board member
Native Plant Gardening Resource Tables (All day)
Have questions about native plants? Wonder which native plants will do best in your yard or landscape? Stop by the PNPS “Ask a Sage” table, visit the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners booth, or chat with any of our plant vendors.
Edible Native Plants and Mushrooms Information Table (All day)
Chat with knowledgeable folks about native plant and mushroom foraging! Seasonal items like ramps (wild leeks) and morels will be available to sample. Meet featured guest forager and wild food purveyor Tom Patterson of Wild Purveyors.
Scavenger Hunt (All day)
Kids — of all ages — can venture off on a self-guided treasure hunt to discover (but not pick!) the bounty of spring wildflowers abloom at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. A fun prize for all who participate!
Shaver’s Creek Meet the Birds of Prey Program (1:30–3:00 p.m.)
Meet some of Shaver’s Creek resident raptors up close and learn interesting facts from our expert volunteers Carolyn Muse and Rodney Brubaker. You’ll have opportunities to touch raptor wings and talons, as well as ask plenty of questions! Visit our Meet the Creek page for more information on regular birds of prey shows.
Support Pennsylvania Native Plant Vendors
Each year, we invite local vendors of native plants and local food to the Native Plant Festival. Vendors scheduled for 2013 include:
Plant vendors:
Berglorbeer Farma (Windber)
Common Ground Organic Farm (Spring Mills)
Keystone Wildflowers (Robesonia)
Moonstruck Gardens (Port Matilda)
Perennial Gardens (New Bloomfield)
Sammis Greenhouses (Centre Hall)
Spring Haven Nursery (Newburg)
Food vendors:
Eden View Organics (Tyrone)
Information booths:
ClearWater Conservancy (State College)
Juniata Valley Audubon Society (Altoona)
Penn State Extension Master Gardeners (Centre County)
Wild Purveyors (Lawrenceville)
We hope to see you at the next Native Plant Festival and Sale!
