While we have a wide range of plants many of the species we grow are native to the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Vermont native plants are best adapted to be our landscape material of choice. They thrive in the local climate and often have a naturally selected resistance to many diseases and insect pests found in the area.
Because of this natives require less specialized care and maintenance than many species that are available to the consumer.
While the new USDA plant hardiness map of January 2012 allows for some flexibility in selecting plants that may be on the fringes of our zone we subscribe to the theory that a sugar maple grown in a nursery on the old tobacco fields of Connecticut and shipped to a dealer in Vermont is still a sugar maple adapted to zones 6a thru 6b while the bulk of Vermont and most neighboring states fall into zones 4b thru 5a.
Native plants also exist in harmony with our ecosystem while imported nursery varieties may have negative effects on the natural world. Over the years many introduced varieties have arrived in New England such as purple loosestrife, Eurasian millfoil and Japanese knotweed. These introduced species may disrupt the environment often drastically altering natural habitats thus wreaking havoc with native plants and animals alike.
Here at Miller Hill Farm we believe the time has come to recognize native plants as the standard in landscape design. By using native plants as the foundation of our landscaping and then placing selected proven exotics into this frame we will achieve a greater balance with the environment.
Come visit Miller Hill Farm and take a closer look at our native plant nursery – grown in Vermont.