News
Keystone Plants: more than a pretty face
By Dee Salomon, Board President, Homegrown National Park Original, full article published in The Ungardener Some plants do more than look beautiful. They hold ecosystems together. These are keystone plants – the species that wildlife depends on most. Not just for pollen or nuts, but for something more fundamental: their leaves. Butterfly and moth caterpillars, […]
What Runs the World?
By Tim Snyder, Executive Director Est Read Time: 5 min Can you spot these Hoboken, NJ keystones in the cover image? Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata), White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum), Scarlet Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) My son Tenzin gave a TED-Ed talk at his school not long ago. He is […]
Native Plants in Containers: Tiny Ecosystems on My Front Porch
This post is adapted from an original article by Krista De Cooke, Director of Partnerships & Strategy at Homegrown National Park. View the full post here. All photos by Krista De Cooke in East Tennessee. Est. Read Time: 5 minutes One of the things we hear often at Homegrown National Park is “I don’t have […]
Less Lawn More Life Challenge
This spring, we’re joining the Less Lawn More Life Challenge, and we want you with us! It’s a free 12-week program that guides you through turning your outdoor space into a thriving habitat, one small action at a time. On May 7th at 7pm ET, Robin Wall Kimmerer – botanist, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, and […]
Native Culinary Herbs: Nourishing People and Wildlife
By Sarah Sorci Est. Read Time: 7 minutes Cover photo: Pepperweed leaves top egg salad and toast. I often sense an air of martyrdom around planting native species. We selflessly devote a portion of our gardens to supporting wildlife-space that could have grown tasty veggies or eye-catching ornamentals. As we get to know native plants, […]
The Movement Grows
What We’re Learning as the Homegrown National Park Movement Grows Est. Read Time: 7 minutes Cover Photo: Anonymous Contributor | Brooklyn, MI As spring approaches and gardens begin waking up again, something else is becoming visible: the Homegrown National Park movement is starting to take shape in ways we couldn’t see just a few years […]
HNP Volunteer Spotlights
Kayla Armstrong Steers the direction of HNP Biodiversity Map The future of the HNP Biodiversity Map is looking brighter and clearer than ever, and we have an incredible volunteer to thank for helping steer the ship. Kayla Armstrong has stepped up into a vital role, acting as a product manager to help shape the direction […]
To Mow or Not to Mow
By Dee Salomon Originally published in The Ungardener Est. Read Time: 5 minutes Love it or hate it, there is no denying the several blankets of snow this winter were beautiful, especially as they visually muffled some of the damage they caused in the first place. There appears to be tree damage – some minor […]