These are valuable information and gardening sources created to improve gardeners’ awareness, skills, and resource stewardship.
Member Businesses
The Cabin Farmstand
A unique farm stand located at 578 Industry Road in Farmington, offering organic hemp flowers and herbal infusions, a well-stocked bakery case, dried herbs and flowers, art and artisan works, health and beauty products and more
Vera’s Iron and Vine
Vera Johnson is a local artisan and blacksmith who crafts one-of-a-kind garden and home décor metal art pieces. She accepts custom orders and commissions. Her boutique, located at 319 main Street in Wilton, showcases 30+ craftsmen and features handmade copper and sterling jewelry, hand forged copper and ironwork, kitchen items, wall art and more.
Recommended Local Gardening Resources
- Black Acre Farms – composted cow manure
- Buy Nothing Group for Mt. Blue Area – local freecycling is earth-friendly
- Fedco – great selection of Maine-proven bareroot trees and shrubs
- Grazing Glory – pig and goat rental for clearing land
- Johnny’s Selected Seeds – favorite source of fruit, flower, and vegetable seeds, berry canes, asparagus crowns, garden and farming tools
- Living Acre Farms – bagged and bulk compost and soil mixes
- Riverside Greenhouses & Florist – full service florist and garden center
- Robin’s Flower Pot – seedling starts, perennials, garden supplies and décor
Main Native Plants
Choosing native plants helps our environment in numerous, invaluable ways. Primarily, doing so avoids spreading invasive species that crowd out native ones. In addition, it’s important to realize that native plants co-evolved with the birds, insects, and fungi of our area. When you plant native species in your garden it not only ensures you have a plant best-suited to our environment, it also ensures those vital, mutually beneficial relationships can continue.
Many non-native garden plants don’t provide enough food — or the right food — for our local birds and beneficial insects. In fact, some actively harm them!
Learning about the benefits of native plantings is easy. There are many resources available to help you understand more about these plants and find the right ones for your garden. Here are just a few:
- Plants to Use and Plants to Avoid by the Maine Cooperative Extension
- Yardscaping: Maine Plants by Maine.gov
- Plants for the Maine Landscape by the Maine Cooperative Extension
- Native Plant Finder by the Native Plant Trust
- Maine Native Plant Finder for Birds and Insects by the Maine Audubon Society
- Native Plant Profiles by the Native Seed Project
Maine Invasive Plants List
Knowing what NOT to plant is an important part of being a wise gardener and good environmental steward. Some seemingly innocent garden plants escape into the wild and out-compete native plants, threatening to destroy our forests and other natural wild areas.
You may be surprised to find many of your traditional gardening favorites on the invasive list, so be sure to check before planting anything new. To be even more eco-conscious, you can use these lists to evaluate plants already present in your garden and consider replacing invasives with native alternatives.
Here are some links to help get you started:
- Top Invasive Plant Photo Gallery by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
- Maine’s Invasive Plants by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
- Advisory List of Invasive Plants by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
- Printable List of Invasive Plants by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
- Native Alternatives to Invasive Species by the National Forest Service
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), formed in 1971, is the oldest and largest state organic organization in the country. MOFGA is a broad-based community that educates about and advocates for organic agriculture, illuminating its interdependence with a healthy environment, local food production, and thriving communities.
Square Foot Gardening
Square Foot Gardening creator Mel Bartholomew started the Square Foot Gardening Foundation in 1996 with the mission “To help end world hunger one Square Foot at a time.” Now entering its third decade in operation, the Foundation continues Mel’s mission by introducing new gardeners to the Square Foot Gardening Method.
Farmers Almanac
Published in Lewiston, Maine, since 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac provides long-range weather predictions for both the U.S. and Canada. The periodical also provides calendars, and articles on topics such as: Full moon dates and lore, natural remedies, and the best days to do various outdoor activities.
Mt. Blue Area Garden Club 