THE WHAT AND WHY OF NATIVE PLANTS
A plant is considered native if it grows naturally in the region where it evolved. Since this occurs over thousands of years within a complex and changing web of organisms, climate and geology, native plants grow in close harmony with their surroundings.
There are numerous advantages to landscaping with natives. Native plants have adapted to the climate of their region and are the foundation of the local habitat. They support wildlife by providing food and shelter, and their deep root systems help prevent erosion and soil compaction.
The native wildflowers, grasses, perennials and trees found in Quarry Park are ideal sources of pollen, nectar and habitat for our local pollinators. These pollinators, which include bees, butterflies, moths and hummingbirds, are essential to the reproduction of most flowering plants and they have evolved to be uniquely adapted to one another.
Many pollinator populations are diminishing due to factors such as pesticide use and loss of habitat. Some are so closely dependent on the plant species with which they have evolved that their survival is threatened should those plant populations decrease or disappear.
Monarch butterflies, for example, are entirely dependent on milkweed plants to propagate their species; they lay their eggs on the leaves, the only food their caterpillars eat. Monarch populations are in steep decline, in large part due to widespread loss of milkweed habitat.
Native plants are integral to the food web of a region. Insects, birds and small mammals such as squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits eat their leaves, seeds and fruits. In the process, animals help propagate plants by dispersing seeds; for example, squirrels store acorns that can grow into new trees. In turn, small mammals are food for red-tailed hawks, owls and other predators.
Quarry Park illustrates how beautiful this biodiverse approach can be while supporting our local ecology.
Landscape design by Matthews Nielsen Landscape Architects.
This pollinator-friendly habitat is part of the pollinator pathways project. Learn how to make your own pollinator habitat and join our local pathways at hastingspollinatorpathway.org
GUIDE TO THE PLANTINGS
A. Panhandle
This glade highlights the sculpted topography with a lush grassy meadow and transitions to the edge of the Wooded Bluff. Grasses such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) provide food and nesting material for wildlife. As the different grasses bloom, go to seed and change color throughout the seasons, the rolling slope provides a vibrant natural habitat.
B. Rose Bramble
A wide expanse of over 1,000 Carolina rose bushes (Rosa carolina) is planted along the eastern edge of the park, at the base of the marble cliffs. Pink flowers bloom in May, attracting bumble bees and many other pollinators. In late summer and fall, songbirds, wild turkey and small mammals eat the fruit. The roses’ leaves and canes also provide excellent shelter for wildlife year-round.
C. Terrace Grove
In Terrace Grove, a group of red maple (Acer rubrum) are planted with a few American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Red maple seeds, buds and flowers are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks and other wildlife. Many insects, especially bees, visit its flowers, too. Dogwood fruit are eaten by numerous animals. The red maples will provide shade for generations to come and are located to frame views of the nearby Hudson River.
D. Flowering Meadow
This beautiful meadow consists of a base of little bluestem grass and is embellished with a dozen native flowering herbaceous plants such as mist flower (Eupatorium coelestinum), lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). These diverse and long-blooming flowers provide valuable habitat for native bees and other pollinators. Also in the meadow is butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), one of the milkweed species preferred by monarch butterflies for egg-laying. Little bluestem is a native grass that serves as the larval host plant for several species of skipper butterflies. Its seed is eaten by many types of birds and the plant provides overwintering habitat for a variety of insects, ground birds and small mammals.
E. Birch and Dogwood Walk
A mixture of flowering dogwood and dwarf river birch (Betula nigra “Little King”) lines this welcoming wooded walkway south of the Terrace Grove. Flowering dogwood is a wildlife magnet throughout the seasons. In spring, native bees and other pollinators are attracted to its flowers. Bright red fruits are produced in the fall, which are eaten by many songbirds including American Robins and Northern Cardinals. The eastern chipmunk, skunks and many other mammals consume its fruit as well. In the winter, flowering dogwood provides shelter and overwintering habitat for various wildlife species.
