Native Gardening and Ecological Resources:
Wild Ones — https://wildones.org/
Lake to Prairie Chapter — https://laketoprairie.wildones.org/
Prairie Moon Nursery (in MN) — https://www.prairiemoon.com/
Native seeds, both individual species and seed mixes, and plants (shipped to you).
LOTS of great, detailed information and photos for over 700 species of native plants as
well as other topics related to native gardening and restoration.
Pre-Planned garden plans for a variety of site conditions
One of my go-to sources for species information.
Prairie Nursery (in WI) — https://www.prairienursery.com/
Native seeds, both individual species and seed mixes, and plants (shipped to you).
LOTS of great, detailed information and photos for numerous species of native plants
as well as other topics related to native gardening and restoration.
Pre-Planned garden plans for a variety of site conditions too.
Johnson’s Nursery, Menomonee Falls, WI—Knowledge Base https://kb.jniplants.com/
LOTS of really helpful information here—individual plant species, growth habits,
requirements, wildlife connections. One of my Go-To resources for info.
Doug Tallamy — https://homegrownnationalpark.org/doug-tallamy/
“Dr. Doug Tallamy is an entomologist, conservationist, and professor at the University of
Delaware, whose work has transformed our understanding of the relationship between native plants
and wildlife.” —from the Homegrown National Park website
Homegrown National Park — https://homegrownnationalpark.org/
Non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the use of native plants in private
property settings. An off-shoot of Doug Tallamy’s work as an entomologist.
National Wildlife Federation — https://gardenforwildlife.com/
The Humane Gardener — https://www.humanegardener.com/#
Xerces Society — https://www.xerces.org/
“The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization
that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a
science-based organization, we both conduct our own research and rely upon the most up-to-date
information to guide our conservation work. Our key program areas are: pollinator conservation,
endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.”
Pollinator Partnership — https://pollinator.org/ https://www.pollinator.org/guides
Pollinator Pathway — https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/
An organization whose focus is “de-fragmenting” our national landscape by encouraging
and supporting citizens to grow native plants in their home landscapes, avoid the use of pesticides,
and be the connections between parks and preserves in order to provide pollinators with all the life
sustaining elements of their habitats.
Audubon Society — https://www.audubon.org/great-lakes
The Mosquito Bucket—Home Grown National Park and Wild Ones https://wildones.org/mosquito-bucket/
FaceBook Groups focused on Native Gardening/Native Ecology:
These are groups I am a member of and have found very informative, supportive of learning
and growing, and offer reliable and accurate information through other members and admins who
are experts/extremely knowledgeable.
• Wisconsin/Midwest Bumble Bee Observers
• Native Gardeners of Lake County IL and Northern Cook
• Northern Illinois Native Plant Gardeners
• Native Plants of Wisconsin
• The Thoughtful Monarch
YouTube:
Doug Tallamy:
National Wildlife Federation “Native Keystone Plants for Wildlife”
Native Plant Channel “Doug Tallamy: You are the Future of Conservation!”
Homegrown National Park “Doug Tallamy’s Home Native Landscape”
Native Plant Channel “Ecological Landscaping—Ideas for ALL Homeowners”
North Carolina Wildlife Federation “Oaks: The MVP of Native Trees”
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden—13th Annual Conservation Symposium Keynote
“Nature’s Best Hope—Doug Tallamy”
Wild Ones “Next Steps for Nature with Doug Tallamy”
Podcasts:
The Joe Gardener Show with Joe Lamp’l
#409 The Bad Naturalist with Paula Whyman
#413 Easy Actions Anyone Can Take to Support Wildlife
#421 Doug Tallamy Answers “How Can I Help?”
#429 One Garden Against the World
#430 The Land Ethic in Action with Darrel Morrison
#462 Plant This Not That: Native Swaps for Popular Plants and Trees
#463 Ecological Gardening Essentials for Working in Concert with Nature
#466 Mimicking Natural Habitats to Support Wildlife in Gardens
#471 Caring for Wildlife in Home Habitats
#474 What to Know About Ticks, with ‘The TickGuy’ Dr. Thomas Mather
#477 Preventing Weed Overwhelm
#478 Wildr Places App Offers Ecological Gardeners Guidance and Motivation
#479 Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything with Kate Bradbury
#482 Insect Safari: The Wondrous World of Everyday Bugs
A Way To Garden with Margaret Roach
July 31, 2026 JJ Apodaca on Welcoming Amphibians
July 3, 2026 Lea Johnson on Conservation Meeting Horticulture
June 5, 2026 Elise Howard on Native-Plant Adventures
May 22, 2026 Paul Bannick on Owls
May 8, 2026 The Wildr App, Guide to an Eco-Journey
April 3, 2026 Becca Rodomsky-Bish on Bird Gardens
March 27, 2026 SHaun McCoshum on Creating Habitat
March 13, 2026 Elise Howard’s ‘Plant This, Not That’
Books:
Branhagen, Alan. Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden.
Diboll, Neil and Hilary Cox. The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants.
Henion, Leigh Ann. Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark.
Holm, Heather. Pollinators of Native Plants.
Howard, Elise. Plant This, Not That: Over 200 Plant Swaps for a More Sustainable, Pollinator-Friendly Garden.
Patlak, Margie. Insect Safari: Exploring the Wondrous World of Everyday Bugs.
Sorenson, Sharon. Planting Native to Attract Birds to Your Yard.
Tallamy, Doug.
Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.
Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard.
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees.
Vogt, Benjamin. Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design.
Sources for Native Plants:
Possibility Place, Monee, IL https://possibilityplace.com/
• Pick up there or shipped to your home
• Trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses, and sedges, ferns
Johnson’s Nursery, Menomonee Falls, WI https://www.jniplants.com/
• Public inventory available to view online
• can filter your search to “Native”
• offer a discount to Wild Ones members on native plant purchases in the month of June
• Trees, shrubs, grasses and sedges, forbs, ferns
• Really healthy, sizable plants
RootDown WI https://www.rootdownwi.com/
• located in Wauwatosa, WI
• can preorder and pick up there or shop in person occasional Saturdays
• very healthy, well rooted plants; nice selection of natives available
Local Native Plant Sales:
Land Conservancy of McHenry County — https://conservemc.org/ Spring and Fall—trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses, and sedges. Can pre-order and pick up AND/OR shop in person
Lake County Forest Preserve, Spring Sale in person at Independence Grove (May) Also—shop online all spring/summer/fall (Possibility Place), See their website for a link to the online sale
Libertyville High School—fundraisers for their ecology groups and campus ecology projects. Spring and Fall, forbs, grasses, and sedges, Pre-order and pick up and/or shop in person
Wild Ones Root River Chapter in the Racine area — https://rootriverarea.wildones.org/Spring Pre-order and pick up and/or shop in person