We seek peace in our own lives through meditation and the study of the Dharma (the traditional Buddhist teachings). We contribute to peace in our communities through ecological restoration, as a remedy for some of the violence done by development.
At our Wild Plant Nursery and the field sites that it serves, we work to conserve the native plant communities of the greater Washington region, home to one of the richest floras in eastern North America. Our Tree Bank / Hispaniola is conserving the forests of central Hispaniola, the richest surviving remnant of the Caribbean forest biome, a global biodiversity hotspot.
We see ecological restoration as essential to conservation because many natural areas are now too small and isolated to persist over the long term in their current state. In the greater Washington region, we are reestablishing forests and meadows on degraded sites. In central Hispaniola, our Tree Bank farmers are replanting native forest on their lands.
Propagating Local, Native Plants for Ecological Restoration
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery provides a comprehensive and genetically appropriate plant supply for ecological restoration in the Washington, DC, region. The nursery propagates about 250 species of native trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants. To see our inventory, review the Wild Plant Nursery Species List.
All plants are grown from local, wild seed that the we ourselves collect. To learn why we collect our own seed, read our Backgrounder on Local Propagation.
The Wild Plant Nursery was built and is run largely by volunteers. You can become a nursery volunteer!
You can visit and purchase plants year-round by appointment; email us at info@earthsangha.org, or call us at (703) 764-4830.
OUR SPRING NURSERY OPEN HOUSE AND PLANT SALE, HELD ON MAY 5, WAS A HUGE SUCCESS! WE RAISED OVER $18,500 FOR RESTORATION WORK IN LOCAL PARKS. MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT!
Are You a Home Gardener?
We have elegant native plants for your home garden, year round. If you have shied away from native plants for fear of having a "weedy" garden, please visit—you’ll be amazed at what you see.
All proceeds from our plant sales support our restoration work in Fairfax County Parks. Your purchase buys two things at once: a beautiful home garden and healthier local natural areas.
To review our inventory, take a look at the Wild Plant Nursery Species List.
Our spring and fall plant sales are a great time to restock your garden, but you can buy at other times too. Just email Lisa, at info@earthsangha.org, or call her at (703) 764-4830.
Please let us know if you plan to come out. Our nursery is a nonprofit operation designed to support ecological restoration projects; it doesn’t have all the standard retail amenities, like an office or full-time staff!
View a slide show of Selected Nursery Species.
Are You a Conservation Professional?
Our nursery is at your service. With some 250 species, all from wild-collected local-ecotype stock, we are in a unique position to help you manage your restoration projects.
To see our inventory, review the Wild Plant Nursery Species List.
What can we grow for you? Tell us what species you’re going to need and we may be able to propagate them for you, even if they are not in our current inventory. Email Lisa at info@earthsangha.org, or call her at (703) 764-4830.
You can contract with us. Earth Sangha is a fully bonded contractor to Fairfax County for the provision of local-ecotype native plants. Fairfax County is Virginia’s largest jurisdiction economically, and has a rigorous contract development process. Other agencies in the region often find it cheaper, faster, and easier to work with Fairfax County contracts than to start from scratch with their own contracting. Your office may welcome this option too.
Our Fairfax County contract is available online. There is no permanent, stable link to it, but here’s how to reach it: go to the Fairfax County Contract Register. In the search page, enter "Earth Sangha" in the Contractor Name Field. Click "View Details" in the results page. In the Contract Details page, click the links under "Contract Documents." Note: the Fairfax County Park Authority is designated as the sole "Authorized User" in our contract but that doesn’t exclude other county agencies or county contractors from using the contract.
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Watering: The essential growing-season chore.
Potting and transplanting.
St. John's volunteers in our container yard.
Installing irrigation pipe.
Our growing-trough irrigation system.
Weeding spice-bush pots.
Picking plants for sale.
An aquatic growing-trough.
Our "Wild Herb Corral" in early September.
Our native-grass beds in early fall.
Acorns being prepared for winter.
Cleaning native-grass seed—an indoor chore!
Mulching container plants for winter.
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The Wild Plant Nursery offers internships during the summer, as well as during the school year. Interning is an excellent way to learn about local native plants—and about how to propagate them. If you would like to intern, or just volunteer on a casual basis, contact Lisa Bright, at info@earthsangha.org, or call her at (703) 764-4930.
KEY LINKS:
Comments to info@earthsangha.org | Copyright 2012 Earth Sangha. | All rights reserved.
Earth Sangha | 10123 Commonwealth Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22032-2707 | (703) 764-4830
