Wild Thing, You Make My Yard Sing

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” James Hunsucker is one who cannot. That’s why this quote from author Aldo Leopold is his favorite, and also the namesake for Wild Things Nursery in Carthage. Wild Things just opened to the public a few weeks ago. It’s full of flowers, trees and shrubs that are all native to North Carolina.

“I’m of the mindset that you either do something with all your heart or you don’t do it all,” James says. Thats how he and his family ended up with a 108-acre farm dedicated to promoting the way the southeast would’ve looked hundreds of years ago. He hopes to help others learn about vanishing ecotypes and the importance of native species. “Pollination is the key to it all, the key to our survival, as trivial as it may seem,” says James. “It’s not just about selling plants, it’s about selling the idea.”

The nursery (which all came together since January of this year, BTW) was built with areas to play and gather. He hopes it will help showcase what you can do in your own backyard, both aesthetically and ecologically, and inspire golf courses and other businesses to branch out to native landscaping. “Land use is changing. I hope to slow down the progression,” says James.

Right now you’ll find around 50 native grass and wildflower species and about 50 native species of shrubs and trees at the nursery, with more coming next year. James can talk you through the best time to plant and how to care for them. You can stop by Wild Things from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or 1-6 p.m. on Sunday. See upcoming events on Facebook.