Gardeners go native at Lake County plant sale

A variety of native plants, flowers, grasses, shrubs, vines and trees were available for purchase Sunday at the Lake County Forest Preserve District's 17th Annual Native Plant sale at Independence Grove Forest Preserve near Libertyville.

Almost 1,500 were expected to attend the two-day sale held over Mother's Day weekend as a fundraiser to benefit the group's environmental education programs and events.

"We are thrilled with the attendance of eager gardeners,' said Nan Buckardt, the forest preserve's director of environment education and public affairs. "We had to restock overnight Saturday because we had over a 1,000 people the first day."

The sale was filled with groups of families looking to add to their yards and gardens.

"I think it's a beautiful day and we love gardening together," Gurnee resident Beatriz Werner said as she look at shade trees with her children, Julia, Nora and Austin.

According to the forest preserve district, native plants naturally thrive in Lake County soil and weather, requiring less time, effort and expense to maintain.

On Saturday, the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County and Lake County Stormwater Management Commission teamed up with the forest preserve district to sell rain barrels and compost bins.