BALTIMORE — "I love working with the plants. I've been doing this now for getting close to 40 years," said Robert Jenkins, the manager at Herring Run Nursery.
For Jenkins, it’s a passion that’s been blooming for decades. He’s making his pitch for people to pick up native plants for their yards.
“This is the only place we’ve got to live,” Jenkins explains. “If we don’t do what we need to do to make it better and more sustainable for all of us, then what are we doing? Where are we going?"
Herring Run Nursery is part of Maryland’s Best Native Plant Program, an initiative led by the Maryland Department of Agriculture to support biodiversity and ecological health.
The program certifies nurseries that commit to stocking native species — at least 20% of their inventory. Jenkins says they’ve gone far beyond that.
“We’re at the 70% threshold,” he notes. “But we’re shooting for the stars — aiming for 80 or even 90%.”
Kristin Hanna with the Department of Agriculture says 21 different nurseries across the state are already on board.
“Native plants are naturally suited to our environment,” says Hanna. “They’re more eco-friendly, and they encourage pollinators like butterflies and beneficial insects that keep ecosystems in balance.”
In addition to giving a boost to wildlife, native plants require less water since they’ve adapted to the local climate and rainfall. They typically don’t need fertilizer and using fewer pesticides helps improve water quality.
“We’re helping to reestablish truly functional ecosystems,” he says. “These plants have evolved here over thousands of years."
Click here for more information on Maryland's Best Native Plant Program.
