Giving Back to our Community with help from American Beauties Native Plants
When our president and CEO Steve Castorani started American Beauties Native Plants brand with Mark Sellew of Prides Corner in 2006, the mission was clear—create a cohesive brand that would spread awareness of our native plants’ importance in the landscape. With this intent, there was always a goal to give back and support local endeavors to connect people with their natural environments. Over the years, American Beauties Native Plants has given back to organizations whose mission is to raise awareness and spread the message of protecting and supporting the environment. (Read more about the mission behind American Beauties here: Nursery Management Magazine)
Working with nationwide projects is part of the idea—but we’re also devoted to giving back locally.
This past May, American Beauties partnered with William H. Zeigler Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to build a native plant garden. As North Creek Nurseries is a wholesale-to-the-trade company, we love to work with American Beauties to bring native plants to the public.
Last week, Peg and Steve Castorani departed Gateway Garden Center in Hockessin, DE with a sprinter van loaded to the brim with over100 perennials, shrubs, and one swamp white oak tree for Zeigler Elementary—like a native plant version of Santa and Mrs. Claus. These plants were then planted with the students in the school's side yard and also nearby the main entrance.
The new Ziegler Elementary native plant garden will be a refuge for local wildlife in northeast Philadelphia and also serve as an outdoor classroom for students —as part of their curriculum is tied to lessons about reading, mathematics, science, and more! Additionally, these new gardens will bring beauty and a place of restoration for staff, pupils, and neighborhood friends that live, play, and work within this community.
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