Discover how one Wisconsin family transformed their yard with native plants like prairie dropseed, swamp milkweed, and cardinal flower. This pollinator-friendly garden reduces runoff, supports monarchs and hummingbirds, and highlights the beauty and benefits of landscaping with plants native to Wisconsin. Continue reading "An Enchanting Garden Created with Plants Native to Wisconsin"
In 2023, most of Bell Bowl Prairie in northern Illinois was removed for airport expansion. Conservationists salvaged its topsoil, moving it to Cedar Cliff Nature Preserve, where seeds and soil life are regenerating native plants from this rare, ancient Illinois ecosystem. Continue reading "When Advocacy Fails: Lessons from the Loss of Bell Bowl Prairie"
July Native Plant News features native plant wins, threats, and research from across the U.S. Learn how Michigan climate studies are reshaping plant science, why wild parsnip outbreaks are raising alarms, and how a New Jersey traffic circle became a native garden. Plus, recovery success in North Carolina, biodiversity efforts in Illinois, and alpine plant conservation in New Hampshire. Continue reading "July 2025 Native Plant News"
A buzzing, thriving native plant garden supporting pollinators in the heart of a major city — it may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s not. As Jessica Glowinski Garfield discovered, small urban gardens can host a myriad of bees, birds and butterflies while also overcoming challenging conditions with native plants. And it’s not just her […] Continue reading "Member Garden: A Garden Grows in Chicago"
May Native Plant News highlights innovative restoration and conservation projects across the U.S. Discover strategies to control toxic poison hemlock invasions, and restoration efforts along the Colorado River by the Quechan Tribe. Learn how Cook County is addressing native seed shortages, the changing bloom times of trilliums in Pennsylvania, medicinal plant research in California, and the effectiveness of diverse flower strips in pest control. Continue reading "May 2025 Native Plant News"
Many of us have fond memories of a favorite tree from childhood- one that provided shade on a hot day, a sturdy trunk to climb, or a quiet place to sit and dream. Trees have long held symbolic meaning in our lives, from the “Tree of Life” to “Our Family Tree” and “Our Roots.” The […] Continue reading "Champion Trees: A Celebration of Giants"
April Native Plant News journeys through resilience, restoration, and rediscovery. In Rhode Island, the Norman Bird Sanctuary burns invasive plants to rebuild critical grassland habitat. Wyoming celebrates Native Plant Month with student art and community plantings, while Iowa students help launch the state’s largest Miyawaki forest. A global biodiversity study introduces the concept of “dark diversity,” revealing hidden losses—and opportunities to restore what’s missing. From Georgia’s ethnobotanical gardens preserving Indigenous knowledge, to Canada’s large-scale native plant rescues, communities are taking action. Plus, meet spring’s earliest bloomer—the skunk cabbage—and learn why Amur honeysuckle has to go. Continue reading "April 2025 Native Plant News"
With an acre nestled in the gentle hills of an unincorporated area north of Chicago, Kathy Hamill and her partner, Teece Bowman, could have left their property to be just another massive lawn. But thanks to an epiphany that came with a volunteer project in their neighborhood, they decided to restore their landscape to a […] Continue reading "Member Garden: Time-Warped Gardens"
Frustrated by urban plant choices, botanist Jeremie Fant sets out to create a thriving native plant container garden on his balcony. Through trial and error over 15 years, he discovered what works—and what doesn’t. Explore his journey, top-performing native plants, and tips for growing native species in small urban spaces. Continue reading "Native Plants for Urban Balconies"
“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.” — Michael Pollan Author and environmental thought leader Michael Pollan (Author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Second Nature) reminds us that a garden is more than a collection of plants—it is a place where people and nature work together. This idea perfectly […] Continue reading "Announcing the 2025 Wild Ones Seeds for Education Grant Winners"
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