Creativity, Conservation in Full Bloom

“My whole mission is to make gardening more approachable, to make it more fun.”

—Brandon Carbary

Brandon Carbary is stoked about native plants, a passion that prompted the start of Ecoplantia, 1781A N. Market St., where you can purchase all sorts of vegetation that feel right at home here. He and partner Laura Gaige also are involved with Homegrown National Park. 

“We have beautiful national parks,” Carbary says, “but they’re like islands. We want homeowners to bridge those islands with their own gardens,” creating more of the good stuff, whether it’s happy bees pollinating crops or a gorgeous feast for the eyes right outside your door.

Carbary lived in Frederick in his 20s, relocating to the University of Maryland as the lead groundskeeper, a job that led to enrolling as a student and earning a degree in horticulture. He went to work for a country club and when an injury sidelined him, started a native plant business online. The idea of a regular store brought him back to Frederick.

In addition to a nursery, Ecoplantia also offers templates for gardeners to lay out eco-friendly flower beds, along with the starter plants. Made of paper, the templates keep down the weeds and eventually decompose, making food for earthworms. The kits are also available at several area garden centers and through the company’s website, www.ecoplantia.com. 

The templates are catching on with regional gardeners as well, which makes Carbary even more thrilled. “I’m telling you, it’s not hard to get out of bed in the morning,” he says.