Native plants of the mid-Atlantic region are beautiful, inspiring, and critically important for healthy landscapes. From the subdued colors and fragrances of spring wildflowers to the exuberance of summer perennials and the captivating hues of fall foliage, discover a wealth of plants that satisfy your gardening needs throughout the seasons. Using Mt. Cuba Center’s stunning
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Non-native invasive plants, like Japanese barberry and English ivy, damage our environment by invading natural areas and outcompeting native plants. To help stop the spread, the Delaware state legislature recently passed a law banning the sale of 36 invasive plant species. Join Leah Brooks as she presents beautiful native alternatives to these invasive ornamentals and
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The study and preservation of the iconic monarch butterfly is a focal area for the conservation and research team at Mt. Cuba. Join Ellen Lake, director of conservation and research, and Sam Hoadley, manager of horticultural research, who will introduce the monarch’s biology and interactions with milkweed and discuss the fascinating nature of their migration.
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What we know about the nature of plant-pollinator interactions, and how this drives their evolution is the foundation of many of the management decisions and recommendations given to protect pollinators and biodiversity. Travel across the biology of pollination interactions and their conflicts with Anahí Espindola, PhD, from the University of Maryland. Learn about pollination’s importance
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Explore Mt. Cuba’s natural areas with Rowan Nygard, experienced mycophile. Scout and learn about the fungal diversity in the area. Be prepared for a lengthy hike through hilly, uneven, and occasionally steep terrain. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle. This program takes place in person in Mt. Cuba Center natural lands on
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Rare plant conservation is a science that requires a high degree of expertise and knowledge of regulatory frameworks, such as botanical identification and species permits. Gain a deeper understanding of rare plants and the systems to classify and protect them with Élan Alford, Mt. Cuba Center’s conservation fellow. Explore the gardens with Élan as she
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Connecting your yard with surrounding landscapes creates vital flight corridors for native and migratory birds, including bluebirds. Using ArcGIS technology, ornithologist Ian Stewart demonstrates how personal gardens contribute to a larger ecosystem and support bluebird populations. Learn the role of nest boxes in bluebird reproduction, identify where to place one in your yard, and leave
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Ecologically sound landscapes are adapted to local environmental conditions and require fewer inputs to achieve success. Learn how to measure, inventory, and analyze a site; then make a conceptual design and planting plan using the “right plant, right place” approach. Broaden your design perspective, increase biodiversity in the landscape with native plants, decrease lawn, and
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While Mt. Cuba Center’s gardens showcase how native plants can enhance formal and naturalistic gardens, behind the scenes, Mt. Cuba conducts conservation programs at many scales, ranging from individual species to whole ecosystems. We monitor and propagate rare plants, cultivate breeding habitat for bird species of conservation concern, and conduct a 100-year reforestation experiment. We
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Even as scientists make discoveries about navigational and physiological feats that enable migratory birds to cross immense oceans or fly above the highest mountains, go weeks without sleep or remain in unbroken flight for months, humans have brought many migratory birds to the brink. Based on his bestselling new book “A World on the Wing”,
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