The Ecological Landscaping Association will sponsor a program on Thursday, June 26, from 10 – 12:30 on Native Plant Gardens: For Beauty and Bounty, featuring three gardens designed by Nanette Masi in Amesbury, Massachusetts.

The gardens feature native plants, natural garden design, and beauty for humans, as well as bounty that attracts a variety of birds, butterflies and other wildlife.  Once established, native plant gardens require fewer inputs (fertilizer or water) which benefit the environment while saving on maintenance costs.

Nanette’s private gardens were overrun with invasives when the property was purchased in 1994.  Nanette was hooked by the  natural setting: a freshwater tidal marsh, a stream, and a view of the Merrimac River.  The reclamation started with small foundation plantings, when native plants were scarce.  Now there are small shade gardens, a sunny meadow-based garden, a vegetable garden with grape-covered pergola, and a steep front hillside of clay where invasives continue to taunt.

The second garden you will see was Nanette’s first residential design for a narrow condominium backyard.  The property was transformed from a struggling, uneven lawn to a pleasing garden with a bubbling stream, mini pond, and visiting frogs.  Along with many native perennials, a dwarf, flowing Japanese maple was included in the design, at the owners’ request.  To add depth and a sense of enclosure, trellises were attached to the fences on either side.

The third garden is a recent design.  The property is carved out of a steep knoll with close to a 1:1 slope within 10 – 15 feet of the side of the house.  The rear of the property slopes down steeply to a series of granite terraces featuring wide granite walkways with curves and beach stone ribs as spaces.  Creative stonework was installed by the talented mason Adam Bennett of Colonial Stoneworks.

$20 for ELA members, $25 for non-members.  Register at https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1010985.