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Restoring healthy ecosystems, one garden at a time!
Restoring healthy ecosystems, one garden at a time!
Wild Heart Gardens (formerly Nature's Haven Nursery) is the project of Anne Cooper. The mission of WHG is to make native plant gardening the new norm in our urban and suburban landscapes.
Wild Heart Gardens (formerly Nature's Haven Nursery) is the project of Anne Cooper. The mission of WHG is to make native plant gardening the new norm in our urban and suburban landscapes.
Why? The benefits of native plants are many. Compared to non-native plantings typically seen in home landscapes, native plants support an abundance of life. Insects rely on native plants for food and as host plants for their larvae. The precipitous decline of insect populations worldwide is very worrisome for the health of the planet and all of us who live on it. Insects form the foundation of animal food webs. As they decline, so do all the creatures that eat them. When we plant native, we help to restore these food webs that sustain life on Earth.
Why? The benefits of native plants are many. Compared to non-native plantings typically seen in home landscapes, native plants support an abundance of life. Insects rely on native plants for food and as host plants for their larvae. The precipitous decline of insect populations worldwide is very worrisome for the health of the planet and all of us who live on it. Insects form the foundation of animal food webs. As they decline, so do all the creatures that eat them. When we plant native, we help to restore these food webs that sustain life on Earth.
While worldwide ecological crisis (which goes hand-in-hand with climate change) can seem overwhelming, one bright spot is the fact that we can make a difference, simply by choosing native plants. Since my family started gardening with native plants about a decade ago, we have witnessed a transformation in our yard. The diversity of insect life is amazing. On any sunny summer day our "pollinator patches" are buzzing with life. Bluebirds, chickadees, wrens, and more nest in our yard, finding plentiful insects to feed their young. The difference is clear - our gardens are now part of the ecosystem that evolved here. Plant native and see for yourself.
While worldwide ecological crisis (which goes hand-in-hand with climate change) can seem overwhelming, one bright spot is the fact that we can make a difference, simply by choosing native plants. Since my family started gardening with native plants about a decade ago, we have witnessed a transformation in our yard. The diversity of insect life is amazing. On any sunny summer day our "pollinator patches" are buzzing with life. Bluebirds, chickadees, wrens, and more nest in our yard, finding plentiful insects to feed their young. The difference is clear - our gardens are now part of the ecosystem that evolved here. Plant native and see for yourself.
For further reading:
For further reading:
Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy
Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy
Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy
Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy
Garden Revolution by Larry Weaner and Thomas Christopher
Garden Revolution by Larry Weaner and Thomas Christopher
Native Plants of the Midwest by Alan Branhagen
Native Plants of the Midwest by Alan Branhagen
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