After completing construction on our house, my wife and I embarked on a journey to create a native species landscape on our 0.8 acre of surrounding property. Our goal was to have zero lawn and to build a habitat where birds, bees, butterflies, and all types of native insects could thrive in a functioning ecosystem. Six-plus years into this journey, we have a beautiful ecosystem and constantly receive compliments from neighbors and friends. Often, the follow-up question is, "How can we create this on our property?" I'm now taking this to the next level by enrolling in various courses and certification programs for native landscape design and ecosystem restoration. My goal is to help others create their own native habitats. Humans need nature, and nature needs us to be good stewards. Together, we can make a difference for the planet and future generations!

We have a garden club in a HOA community. Because we have a passionate manager we were able to put in a native demonstration garden. Our residents can see which plants do best by visiting the garden. These plants have held up well to the hurricanes that have come through the area. In one spot of the garden we have plants that host butterflies. We have multiplied the populations over the years. We also have a plant sale once a year. The sale features cuttings that we have nurtured from the native plants. We also start plants from seeds. Every year we help residents with their landscapes by providing a design for them to follow. We have 8 residents that have installed native plants in their landscapes thus far.

I have eastern redbuds, southern magnolia, sycamore, red maple, native oaks, eastern primrose and other flowering natives in the yard, I haven’t mowed the lawn for over a year now. The difference in wildlife, butterflies moths bees wasps birds and more is night and day, I can tell the yard has become an oasis for wildlife. Instead of allowing myself to be amongst ‘natural things’, it is becoming more and more I am experiencing a natural life with natural life forms around me. If you can afford to play host to native ecosystems and plant native species to your area, do it, you are improving if not saving local ecosystems, which will enrich your life and others in so many ways.

I’m a high school senior, and I fell in love with native plants during my freshman year, spending countless hours by my local creek, where I found peace and healing. This journey ignited a passion for ecology, which inspired me to start Nurture Natives, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young people through initiatives that promote native biodiversity. Since 2022, Nurture Natives has engaged 9,600 young people, distributed 58,400 seedlings, and planted 2.2 million seeds. Witnessing the native plant movement blossom across Southern Maryland—driven by the enthusiasm and hands of our generation—fills me with hope. I’m so excited about the journey ahead and the impact we can make together right in our own backyards!

Our path into planting native trees and plants grew from our love of birds. When I learned that native trees such as white oaks host up to 500+ species of small caterpillars that birds need for breeding season without harming the tree itself, I was sold. We have planted over 800 trees, starting in 2020 and we can see the small holes the insects make (but never the insects themselves! They are nocturnal). The birds are thriving on our little piece of heaven. We even host bluebirds all year long.

As I turn my 5 acres from mostly lawn to mostly prairie, I have enjoyed watching the new insects that have appeared, locked onto one or two species, as well as seeing a pheasant move into my prairie. By adding native plants to our courtyard at school, in the middle of town, we have gotten to see hummingbird moths as well as a menagerie of bees. If you plant it, they will come!

We own a meadow that was historically mowed twice a year. We have had this property for almost two years. We let the dormant soil seeds grow and let nature express as she pleased. We are battling invasives and adding more natives to our beloved meadow. We always have something gorgeous to see or listen to. It can be a bird, an insect, a new flowering plant, a fungi, or a bear poo full of seeds, the leaves in the wind. It is our temple, where we connect with nature and feel peace and love. Planting natives and learning from them is anchored to your reality as a human being and the role you play in creating a healthy ecosystem.

I recommend exploring native planting because it transforms your garden into a vibrant, living laboratory where you can learn about and connect with the diverse species we share our space with. It’s also incredibly rewarding to recognize a plant from my garden thriving in the wild—it deepens my relationship with the local landscape and enriches my understanding of the place I call home.

Throughout Florida and the entire Atlantic Seaboard, native plants are helping us mitigate the worst effects of hurricanes and other major storms. High winds and flood conditions confront us every year, but well-established native trees and shrubs help buffer many properties from heavy weather. Adaptation and resilience are successful botanical strategies, well-demonstrated by native plant species in every part of the world. We humans can follow this example as we come to terms with rapid climate change. Planting native trees everywhere may also be the only rational response to the climate trauma we are experiencing. On a very real psychological and emotional level, planting now is an act of simple optimism as we work towards a more favorable future. The beautiful birds, butterflies and pollinators that flow alongside native plants may convince many, even the estranged, that there is shelter from the storm.

Planting a native garden in my front yard has transformed my life as much as it has supported the native wildlife that rely on these plants. The nature of native gardening invites me to learn deeply about local flora, and, by extension, the fauna it attracts. It’s a space of biodiversity and resilience, attracting not just bees and butterflies but curious neighbors who stop by to ask questions. This garden has become a community builder and a place of spiritual connection, allowing me to practice a form of reciprocity with the Earth. I feel linked to generations before me, especially Indigenous traditions of tending the land to create a flourishing environment for all of us.

Planting natives in my yard was a stepping stone to a world I'd never really imagined. All of a sudden I wasn't just learning about native blue porterweed or how to divide muhly grass but about the native sweat bees, bumblebees, and butterflies that suddenly showed up, as well as their roles in supporting other creatures in the environment - other insects, birds, bats, and more. It also helped change how I saw myself and my efforts. It reinforced my responsibility as a caretaker and steward and instilled a sense of reciprocity.

I plant native to have an impact on the environment around me, in a world where everyone is stretched thin on issues they may not have the ability to solve. By planting native, I can have a direct impact and see immediate change while inspiring those around me. I believe that planting native is an amazing opportunity for all to enjoy the wonders around us while participating in a globally important movement. Being able to see all the types of wildlife around me has provided an experience that is wholly real and unmatched in a world that can be plagued with parody and bleakness. Becoming more in tune with what the environment has to offer me and what I can offer in return has made me appreciate the beauty of the natural world. All of this has been accomplished by simply planting native plants around my home. Truly a magnificent experience.

I'm a pastor whose love of native plants has spread to my congregation. In 2019 we planted 2 acres of prairie around our building known as "Faith Community Pathways" that has become a hub, not only for pollinators and other amazing insects, but for neighbors and community groups, including the neighborhood elementary school. I'm grateful to see how much the culture of a community can be transformed by collectively caring for land and ecosystems. The view from my office window includes not just the ever-changing landscape of plants and wildlife, but the many people who pass through and discover the wonder for themselves.

Many of us are anxious about the unprecedented environmental challenges facing our world. We are paralyzed with fear about what the next four years will mean for the environment and for society. Joining the Homegrown National Park initiative is a way of channeling our anxiety into productive action and hope for the future. By joining the movement, we are empowering ourselves to do something rather than to sit back and wait for the inevitable to happen. And as we create a network of restored green spaces with native plants, we also form a network of fellow citizens who are concerned about repairing our relationships with the natural world and with each other. We need to spread the word about the movement as if our lives depend on it—because they actually do!

I began my native plant journey about five years ago when we moved into our current home. It was a pretty boring lawn and fence setup at the time. I started to add a bit of landscaping based on what I could find at the big box stores and most of the plants eventually failed. As I began to pay attention to gardens that were going well, I noticed they were full of native and well adapted plants. Now the majority of my garden is full of these and I can honestly say not only is it beautiful but it’s also resilient and more sustainable. The pollinators, birds, and reptiles that now come to visit the garden bring me as much joy as the garden itself! I just did a 1300 sq ft lawn reduction (on YouTube!) and replaced it with large beds of native and well adapted plants.

As I aged, I wanted to babysit plants less and admire them more. Adding native shrubs, trees, and perennials provided less maintenance, no diseases, and more insects and birds in the garden. The colors of native plants and their consistency, resilience, and beauty should be made known.

Native plants not only provide essential resources for our native pollinators and other wildlife, but it has also provided me with a sense of connection to the land I live on. It also consumes less water resources on my property. I recommend others plant native, not just because of the water they’ll save, but because there is something intangible that one gains by understanding and connecting with their native landscape.

Incorporating native plants into the landscape brought my garden spaces to life. It all started with hosting swallowtail caterpillars and planting nectar sources for them and our local bees. I had no idea it would also attract beetles, wasps, frogs, spiders, turtles, lizards, and a variety of cool caterpillars and birds. This has helped keep the cricket, grasshopper, and other actual pest bug population down and brings entertainment for my cats and I as we watch the garden from the bedroom windows. Also, we are the only house that doesn't spray our lawn and I've noticed only our house gets gophers and moles, which is great because we have a lot of clay soil and need them to help with water drainage, and robins in late winter. I am now very passionate about supporting life with our native landscape. The rewards are SO worth it, I highly recommend!

Gardening with native plants opened my eyes to the endless connections and relationships within the natural world. Each discovery of the life we’re supporting, from finding caterpillars on host plants to watching birds forage for nesting materials, has renewed my sense of wonder and shown me that nothing in nature is wasted. It has also taught me about the importance of land stewardship and citizen science. No matter what background or experience we have, there is a place for all of us to learn together in this growing, important movement. Our gardens matter, our observations matter, and no action is too small to make a difference!