Want a gorgeous garden that practically takes care of itself? Trade in your mower and invasive flowers for low-maintenance native plants that help your local ecosystems thrive. Native plants typically require no fertilizer, no pesticides, and far less water than non-native species.
Have problems with flooding? Native plants do a superb job of absorbing stormwater and keeping your house and yard safe from flood water. You may even have native plants growing in your yard already without realizing it! To identify these plants, you can use free online databases or apps to determine whether they should stay or go.
While starting a native garden can seem overwhelming, getting started is often the hardest part. The most time-consuming step is researching and selecting plants that are well-suited to your local climate, soil, and growing conditions. Fortunately, the resources below can help you find garden designs, choose the right plants for your area, and answer questions throughout the process.
If you are an organization seeking to add native plants to your landscape, the Township of Lyons offers assistance. We have a first-come, first-served reimbursable grant program and our interns can help maintain the plants during the summer. Once you plant the garden, we will include you on our Township of Lyons native plant map! Contact our Sustainability Coordinator, Rose Naseef, at rnaseef@lyonsts.com to learn more.
How to Plant and Maintain Native Plants
Native Garden Designs – Wild Ones
Not sure if you have native plants? Don’t know which ones you want? These plant guides and data bases are filled with thousands of beautiful native plants to Illinois including trees, shrubs, flowers, berries, and so much more!
