why you should do it

Designing a native garden by yourself is a great activity. Even if you're not in a position to make it right now, designing your own garden can help you realize what you want to do in the future. By focusing on native plants, your garden will support a diverse ecosystem in our community.

how you can do it

1. Evaluate your site. Look at your landscape. Is it sunny or in the shade? Is the soil clay or sand? Evaluate these elements and choose plants that will thrive in the microclimate of your yard.
2. Think about the seasons. Choose plants that will bloom in spring, summer and fall.
3. Keep your plants in scale. Choose plants that don’t grow taller than half the bed width. So if your display bed is six feet wide, choose plants that are no more than three feet tall.
4. Visualize your garden. There are online planners, but you can sketch on paper too. This will help make your vision come alive!
5. Make a spreadsheet of native plants that you appreciate and build out your dream garden from there.