Why native plant landscapes matter

Native plant landscapes were the norm only several hundred of years ago and are essential to our future — supporting human health and organic food production as much as they are important to biodiversity as a whole. Restoring native plant communities deserves to be a priority for gardeners, landscapers and farmers — indeed for all of us. Come consider the co-evolution of plants and animals, the ecological importance of your garden, and discuss ways to better steward this planet.

Ms. Thompson founded Grow Native Massachusetts in 2010, as the culmination of an extensive career in the environmental field. In the 1970s she was a teacher and environmental educator committed to getting students out into the field, and she helped to develop programs at Thompson Island in Boston Harbor. More recent roles have included serving as the Director of Education for the Appalachian Mountain Club, Director of Drumlin Farm for Mass Audubon, and board member of the New England Wild Flower Society. Claudia’s happiest moments are spent in her own gardens, watching a diverse array of hawks, migrating songbirds, and even rare species such as woodcocks — all taking sustenance and utilizing the habitat she has created on a relatively small parcel in urban Cambridge.

All Somerville Garden Club meetings are free and open to the public. Meetings are usually held the second Wednesday of each month at the Tufts Administration Building, (TAB), 167 Holland Street, second floor, wheelchair accessible. Parking is available, and the building is a ten-minute walk from the Davis Square MBTA stop.