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Native Tree and Shrub Nursery
Nursery scene at the Macphail Woods.
Specialing in native trees, shrubs, ferns and wildflowers. Sales from our nursery help support our restoration and educational efforts. You support our Island environment and help support our work.
Here you will find information on purchasing, identifying, collecting, and growing your own native trees and shrubs. The Macphail Woods nursery has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and has become a major source of native plants for other habitat restoration projects around Prince Edward Island. These have included many school ground plantings and raparian zones around streams.
We offer planting ideas and solutions for everyone, from woodlot owners wanting to restore native woodlands to the urban homeowners interested in attracting wildlife. We have a great selection of native trees and shrubs to choose from in a variety of sizes.
If you would like to keep up to date on whats happening at the Macphail Woods and it's projects, feel free to join our Mailing List.
2009 Nursery Schedule
OPEN THURSDAYS THROUGH SATURDAY, APRIL 30 to JUNE 6, 9am to 5pm
From Thursday, April 30 through Saturday, May 23, we will sell both bare root (as long as the plants haven’t
leafed out yet) and potted stock but after that all stock will be potted. Elderberries are only available as potted stock. After June 6, we are open only by appointment, but we try to be flexible.
Macphail Woods Nursery Catalogue - Updated for 2009
This year, we are offering a number of broad-leaved trees in the 1 foot up to 8 foot range. Over 7 species to choose from. For example, a 2 foot yellow birch is only $5, or a four footer for only $12. We have a more limited selection of needle-leaved trees species for sale, ranging from 1 foot up to 5 feet. We continue to offer a large selection of native shrubs at affordable prices. Like a 3 foot red-osier dogwood for $10, or a 2 foot high witch hazel for $10. We also are offering a number of ferns and native wildflowers for sale. This is just a sampling. Make sure to checkout the complete pricelist PDF viewer required.
**PLEASE NOTE: We are a local nursery and do not ship anywhere**
Nursery beds at the Macphail Woods.
Pruning Trees and Shrubs Workshop
The Macphail Woods holds annual pruning workshops at the nursery. Check the Events Calendar for dates and times. The workshop will be of interest to all those who work with woody plants. Proper pruning maintains and improves the health and value of plants, whether in a commerical forest, a watershed, a private woodlot or just around your home.
The workshop consists of a slide show on proper pruning practices, a discussion on the tools and publications, and a hands-on demonstration where participants can prune trees of different species and ages.
Community Nurseries
Community nurseries are a source of inexpensive plants for environmental restoration, beautification or wildlife enhancement. The following pages lay out the steps you can take to start your own nursery, large or small.
Guide to Native Shrubs of PEI and the Guide to Native Trees of PEI
Native plants are usually very reliable - they have adapted to the climatic conditions of the area and serve a variety of functions within the ecosystem. The trees and shrubs selected are "native", but more important they are proven performers - hardy, fitting into a wide variety of habitats, valuable to wildlife, useful for stabilizing streambanks and/or controlling soil erosion.
Nursery Articles:
Many of the following series of Webpages is based on the booklet "Tree Sheets. How and Where to Plant Native Trees and Shrubs", by Gary Schneider and Ruth Richman, Environmental Coalition of P.E.I. If your
interested in receiving a hardcopy of this booklet, please see our publications page.
Why Plant Native Shrubs?
One question often heard is "why plant shrubs instead of trees?" At Macphail Woods, we use a combination of trees and shrubs in all our plantings.
Growing Native Shrubs
One of the foundations of the environmental movement has been to "think globally and act locally". Growing and planting native shrubs is a wonderful example of acting locally to improve the environment.
How to Plant Trees and Shrubs
How to plant trees and shrubs from bare root stock, container stock and transplantings from the wild.
Nursery trees and shrubs in pots ready for sale.
Attracting Wildlife to your Backyard
The Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project has been working for years to promote the values of native plants and forest restoration.
Planning a Productive Acre
The idea for "Planning a Productive Acre" comes from seeing many older Island farm homes tucked into a grove of mixed woods.
Hedgerows and Windbreaks
Hedgerows, also called windbreaks or shelterbelts, once divided Island farms into a pattern of small fields. They provided shelter for livestock, protected houses and barns from winter winds and helped cool the buildings in the summer.
Planting a White Spruce Hedge
Hedges provide privacy, protection from wind, and reduced erosion. On Prince Edward Island, white spruce is often planted and pruned for a hedge near a house.
Tips on Transplanting
Tips on transplanting native trees and shrubs from locating and collecting seedlings to transplanting bare and container stock.
Areas to be Planted and Appropriate Species
A species list for wet or dry areas as well as sunny versus shade. Species suitable for shore plantings are also provided.
Native Trees and Shrubs propagation methods
Some species are best propagated by seeds while others can be easily reproduced via cuttings. See a list of many native trees and shrubs and how to easily increase their numbers.
The Macphail Woods Tree and Shrub Nursery is located in Orwell, Prince Edward Island, just off the Trans Canada Highway, on the grounds of the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead (see map). We grow native trees and shrubs for use in our planting projects and for sale to the public.
The sale of native trees and shrubs from our nursery helps fund many programs at Macphail Woods. These include a children's program, school tours and talks, guided walks, breeding bird survey and plantings at schools, on community land, for forest restoration, and within riparian zones.
We offer a number of workshops and guided tours at the Macphail Woods Nursery and it is an excellent opportunity to learn more about collecting, propagating, and growing native species of shrubs and trees. Check out the Events Calendar for more information. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.
