This is the time of the year when winter teases us with warmer weather and melting snow and native plant nurseries tease us with catalogs and pretty pictures. So what better time to let your imagination run wild and to start thinking about the planting you’re going to do in the spring.
DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED PICKING THE RIGHT NATIVE PLANTS FOR THE RIGHT SPOT?
If you’re looking for some help in creating a garden design or simply picking plants, here are some suggestions for you.
- To begin, survey your site or look at photos, consider bloom times and colors, put your design down on paper and then prepare your order. There is a good section on design in the Wild Ones Landscaping with Native Plants book, both editions. You can find printed copies of the newest edition at the WILD Center Store or at Landscaping with Native Plants, 4th Ed and Wild Ones Handbook, 1st Ed
- Wild Ones continues to work toward saving America’s favorite butterfly through the Wild for Monarchs campaign, and they also promote efforts to save our pollinators through gardening with native plants. Plan to attend monthly chapter programs to learn more about native plants, natural landscaping and biodiversity or check out some of the Wild for Monarchs campaign materials. Also, plan to attend Wild Ones chapter natural landscaping conferences in your area.
- There are a number of organizations that provide awesome information on monarchs and pollinators. Check out Monarch Joint Venture and Monarch Watch – Bring Back the Monarchs and Pollinator Partnership to learn more about what plants pollinators and monarchs look for and at what time of the year.
WHERE TO GET NATIVE PLANTS AND SEEDS?
Here are some local Midwestern nurseries you might find helpful:
Agrecol LLC, Evansville, Wisconsin
Bluestem Farm, Baraboo, Wisconsin
Door Landscape & Nursery, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
Johnson’s Nursery, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Monches Farm, Colgate, Wisconsin
Prairie Nursery, Westfield, Wisconsin
Stone Silo Nursery, DePere, Wisconsin
Natural Shore Technologies, Maple Plain, Minnesota
Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, Minnesota
Prairie Restorations Inc, Princeton, Minnesota*
Shooting Star Native Seeds, Spring Grove, Minnesota*
Natural Garden Natives, St Charles, Illinois
Pizzo Nursery, Leland, Illinois
Possibility Place Nursery, Monee, Illinois
Red Buffalo Nursery, Hebron, Illinois
Missouri Wildflowers Nursery, Jefferson city, Missouri
Cardo Native Plant Nursery, Walkerton, Indiana*
*Also have other Midwestern locations.
If you know of other nurseries to add to the list, please add a comment or send me their name and their website and I’ll expand the list on a separate page.
Thanks for sharing this guide. It was very helpful especially to persons like me who are seeking help for garden designs.
You’re welcome, Dan. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions about natural landscaping and native plants.