What are native gardens?
Native gardens are areas dedicated to restoring a landscaping with native plants to the local environment. These plants are those that occur naturally in the region in which they evolved, and are vital to the local ecosystem. Everything in our world is connected and relies upon each other to survive. For example, Monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves, and therefore are dependent upon milkweed plant species to survive. The caterpillars eat the milkweed and then are able to metamorphosize into a beautiful butterfly which will then pollinate other plant species or become food for birds, other insects or small animals. With rapid urbanization and agriculture, we have lost millions of acres of previously thriving ecosystems that used to support the food chain. There is simply not enough natural and undisturbed habitats left to sustain wildlife populations without conscious efforts by our communities.
What are the benefits of native plants?
Native gardening is a wonderful way to reconnect to our lands and support a healthy ecosystem of which all life relies upon. Native plants have many benefits including:
- Providing critical and essential food and shelter for insects and animals
- Require less maintenance and water as they are adapted to our local climate
- Often have deeper roots which prevent soil erosion and help filter and manage rainwater runoff
- Promote healthy soils with deep root systems and connections to soil macro and micro organisms
- Help build resiliency to climate change for humans and wildlife
So - native plants are a big deal. How can the average person help tackle this monumental task of restoring our ecosystems? Good news! Every person can make an impact! Whether it is planting a native garden, swapping a few exotic to native plants each year, advocating for native plants in public or private spaces or with your friends and family and advocating for the reduction of pesticide use are all wonderful ways to help. Luckily, our region has a plethora of free resources created by professionals to help you on your native garden journey.
Free Resources!
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Willoughby Farms
- Willoughby Farms is a great example of native gardens at work! Willoughby has several different demonstration gardens including pollinator gardens and rainscaping with native plants. Visit Willoughby from 9 a.m. to dusk 7 days a week and keep an eye on their calendar for native plant classes.
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- Program through the Missouri Prairie Foundation that provides a wealth of resources about native plants, starting from the very basics of native gardens, to providing you free native garden designs for different types of projects! Grow Native also hosts a variety of free webinars or classes to learn about native landscaping topics.
- Grow Native Free Landscape Plans
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- Wild Ones is a group with chapters across the country that promotes environmentally friendly landscaping that promotes and preserves biodiversity. Wild Ones provides many free resources such as sources for native plants and local events. You can join Wild Ones with a membership to receive a newsletter, join like-minded people for workshops, garden tours, seed exchanges and participate in the Certified Native Habitat Program.
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- Homegrown National Park is an initiative started by American Entomologist, Ecologist and Conservationist, Doug Tallamy, that raises awareness and sparks urgency for everyone to address the biodiversity crisis of our country.
- Doug started Homegrown National Park after recognizing that our parks, preserves and remaining wildlands, are far too small and segregated to sustain the native trees, plants, insects and animals on which our ecosystems (and humans) depend upon. The goal of this national movement is to restore 20 million acres of private land with natives.
- The premise is simple. Plant native and remove invasives! Anyone and everyone can get involved and make a difference. Homegrown National Park hosts a map with all reported native plant areas to track the program's goal of 20 million acres. Currently, out of over 2.2 trillion acres in the US., 107,218 acres are reported of restoration and native plant initiatives, with Illinois at 2,883 acres and 2,128 users.
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Partners for Native Landscaping (PNL)
- PNL is a collective of local organizations that come together to present programs to inspire and help people create beautiful gardens that function as a healthy habitat. Partners include BiodiverseCity St. Louis, Grow Native!, MSD Project Clear, Missouri Dept of Conservation, Shaw Nature Reserve, St. Louis Community College Horticulture, and Wild Ones St. Louis, St. Charles and Southwest Illinois!
- 2025 Webinar Series
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National Wildlife Federation
