Our Vision
We believe that any open piece of ground has the potential to support biodiversity, whether it's 5 square feet or 5,000 acres. We grow our plants so that one more piece of empty land can become a thriving, habitat-providing landscape once again.
What We Do
By pairing state-of-the-art growing methods and careful species selection, we provide superior nursery stock well-suited for conservation projects, both public and private. We believe there's no project too large or too small, and we're always happy to provide guidance for any situation.
Sustainable Landscaping
Our native landscapes of Eastern North America are incredibly diverse, supporting thousands of different species of plants, animals and insects. Unfortunately, these original landscapes are becoming more and more rare - With increased development and land usage, undisturbed old-growth vegetation is almost completely confined to parks and nature preserves.
Much of this development is in the way of residential housing - These are often the worst threat, because the land is replaced with non-native turf and ornamental plants. If only 5% of the land of each of these new developments was devoted to self-supporting native plantings, this would represent thousands of acres per year preserved!
While we're not native plant purists, we do focus primarily on native plants. Especially plants that are able to maintain their own colonies, self-perpetuating indefinitely. A garden does not have to be high-maintenance, and our plants are specially selected for their vigor and adaptability, plus their ability to support the thousands of different insects that make up the most basic level of the food chain.
It is entirely possible to plant a landscape that recognizes the need for sustaining our native communities, while offering well-rounded garden aesthetic - this is what GreenTec Nursery exists for.
Today's Landscapes
In the last few years, as we've been observing trends in horticulture and in landscape design, we've realized that there is a huge need for focus on ecologically beneficial plant species.
We have begun to expand our list of offerings to include additional native perennials, including cultivars - There has been a lot of work in developing cultivars of native plants lately, and we are committed to making those available to landscapers and home gardeners alike.
In the details panel of our plants, you can now find at-a-glance information about the plants, including their ecological benefits.
Our History
GreenTec Nursery came into existence as a result of futile searching for many native Eastern North American plants.
We realized that what was needed was a nursery devoted to making the plants of the Eastern Forests and Meadows and the Midwestern Prairies available to the mass public. We also realized that we needed to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability and conservation in ordinary landscaping.
Driving from the East Coast to the Mississippi River, the diversity of different communities is staggering. From the vibrant ground cover of Spring Wildflowers to the unparalleled Autumn Colors, the Eastern Forests are beautiful in all seasons.
The Prairies and Meadows of North America are filled with striking grasses and beautiful wildflowers, and the spacious, gently rolling land makes the sky seem incredibly expansive.
With this abundance and variety of plant life, we realized our mission had to be to make these plants available to gardeners and landscapers across the region.
The System Behind Our Stock
When we first set up, we realized that what was needed was not just plants.
If a plant doesn't start out with a robust root system, it can't establish quickly. This ends up requiring tons of effort on the part of the gardener to weed and water. Weaker plants also require replacement more often, which takes up additional resources.
This is why we have set the nursery up using the best growing methods available.
the Rootmaker system offers a robust, well-branched root system through air root-pruning techniques. Studies have shown that Rootmaker-grown plants far out-perform standard nursery stock.
The reason is simple: Rootmaker-grown plants have hundreds of times more root tips than standard stock. This allows the plants to anchor into the ground much more quickly, plus take up many times more water and nutrients than standard stock.
The secondary benefit is plants that don't become rootbound. This means that roots can grow at their full vigor into the soil once they've been planted.
The result is less establishment time, and more growing time! This is perfect for naturalized plantings, as they require less subsequent care than traditional bareroot or standard nursery stock.