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. Now the majority of my garden is full of native plants 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!

It’s been less than 3 years since we started planting native, eliminating invasives, shrinking our lawn, leaving the leaves, etc. and we’ve already noticed an increase in butterflies, birds, and so much more. We’ve even had neighbors ask us how we have so many more fireflies than everyone else. Our yard looks more beautiful than ever without the need for constant maintenance. The environmental issues facing our world can feel so overwhelming at times, but focusing on what we can do in our own yard has been empowering and energizing and we can see the impact it’s made every day.

I’ve been amazed at the sheer diversity of insect life I’ve seen over the past year. It’s been immediately rewarding to witness the rush of biodiversity into what was just a mowed lawn a year ago. It lights my entire family up to find something new crawling up a flower stem.
I initially starting planting native for additional wild habitat and for ease of maintenance. I’ve been rewarded instantly for even the limited amount of rewilding we’ve completed.

- Devin Lackey | Commerce, GA

After realizing how much nature could move in when humanity takes just a few steps back, I decided to make my yard a host for as many diverse native animals as possible. Providing water, shelter, and native plants, I can see the incredible variety of gorgeous butterflies, birds, salamanders, and so many more that can now call my home their home, too. My community has expanded to include them, and I get so much peace and clarity from knowing that I am doing what is right for my tiny corner of the planet.

Over the last decade of planting natives, this practice has deepened my connection to my home in an immensely satisfying way. It’s also reinforced my belief that we can have a positive effect on the environment based on how we care for our own outdoor spaces—whether large or small. The living proof for me is witnessing the increase in biodiversity in my yard. I’ve identified almost 300 different species of insects, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and other species that dwell in the yard or visit—a dynamic web of life, in a healthier ecosystem that I helped create.

- Mary Johnson | Sammamish, WA

Many of us are anxious about the unprecedented environmental challenges facing our world.  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! 

- Jim Scott | Abbotsford, BC