New York 2025

Before

After

Mixed light site with lots of nooks and crannies for new natives to support birds.
Two sets of wren young reared in this garden. The deer enjoyed the “green salad” a bit.
This established garden will get some new native plants this spring.
Homeowner added more natives including Jacob’s ladder, butterfly weed, vervain, white turtlehead, Joe Pye weed, and cardinal flower. They saw bee and butterfly activity.
Homeowner started focusing on natives a few years ago and wants to keep going eventually only having native varieties.
This garden is now attracting lots of pollinators, and a male Monarch feeds on Swamp Milkweed
Native shrubs and blueberries will be planted in this site as the snow melts.
Native shrubs will fill out and provide excellent foraging, nesting, and perching opportunities for birds.
This new garden is prepped and ready to add new native plants that were seed-started by the homeowner.
Plants are establishing. Warblers were seen foraging for insects and goldfinch were caught enjoying the seeds.
Property owner is adding an American mountain ash to go with nannyberry and gray dogwood that was added last year to continue to grow a robust habitat for birds and biodiversity.
This property had a Bobolink stop by and check out the new resources (pictured). The black plastic marks where more perennials will be added next year.
A site with a lot of potential for new native plants.
The newly planted unlawn area is still establishing but they saw first Cape May Warbler this fall! Less lawn = more life.
A wildlife pond is being dug by hand in this spot.
After just one summer, birds (as well as other wildlife) are already attracted to the water source. It is a work in progress.
Property owner is going to increase their numbers of milkweed plants as a part of monitoring monarchs for the Monarch Watch Group.
What an incredible offering of common milkweed was added to this garden! Milkweed-dependent species are delighted.
This new sidewalk and wall project destroyed the existing garden so they used it as an opportunity to add native plants. They planted Virginia Bluebells, Golden Alexander, Red Baneberry, Golden Ragwort, Round-Leaf Ragwort, Blue Cohosh, Blue Wood Aster, Spotted Crane’s Bill, Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod, Wild Sarsaparilla, Red Columbine, and Zipzag Goldenrod–what a wonderful list!
This garden had mixed results with geranium, columbine, ragwort, and golden alexander thriving. The baneberry, cohosh and sarsaparilla struggled to establish.
Native plants for bird and pollinator ecosystems will be added. Homeowner is looking forward to eliminating the mowing on this steep bank.
New garden is underway! Plants thrived despite the hot, dry summer on this well-drained hill. This fall additional bee balm, pearly everlasting, and wild pink and bearberry were added. Sure to be vibrant additions next year!
Homeowner loves nature and believes people need to do more where they can.
Flowers attracted bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The frost took them next year they’ll add even more plants for the birds.
New building needs new gardens–native plants to the rescue! this is in 2022.
In just three short summers, the native plants have filled in supporting an immense diversity in wildlife. Pictured is the garden in summer 2025.
This property owner is adding native plants to provide cover and food for birds and pollinators. These plants will be shade tolerant.
New native plant additions will surely fill-in next year providing more valuable resources.
Homeowner is adding native plants to this wet drainage area to create a rain garden for pollinators and birds.
Drainage filed had golden alexander, cardinal flower and blue lobelia added.
Owner is adding perennials to this bird island that are deer resistant and black walnut tolerant.
This garden experienced a hard year with a very wet spring, hot, dry summer, and a chicken invasion. None of the swamp milkweed survived, but there’s always next year.
Lots of space and potential for new native plants to provide habitat.
Beauty Berry, phlox, coneflower, bee balm, orange glory milkweed, dogwood, pussy willow, sweet spire , yellow stonecrop, Heucher a and honeysuckle on the trellis. Lots of birds were detected, including brown thrasher and towhees
Beauty and vertical interest will be increased with the addition of an eastern redbud in this spot.
Homeowner noticed the leaves had notches, likely from leaf cutter bees using this new resource already for building their nesting cavities.
The goldenrod in this garden will be removed in favor of milkweed and other native plants for pollinators.
This new garden space will only have natives Monarda punctata (dotted bee balm) and others flowering plants.
Coreopsis, monarda, asters, Jacob’s Ladder, Gaillardia, lobelia, wild geranium, and more have been added to this bed. More birds nested than ever before, including blue jays, bluebirds, robins, catbirds, and cardinals.
Nothing like a spring garden palette awaiting the artist’s attention. New natives are being planned.
Last year this garden had 3 native plants and now a total of 44! What a beautiful transformation. They’ve seen Red-belled Woodpecker and Northern Flicker fledglings this year, in addition to a Great Crested Flycatcher.
Property is adding native plants to increase diversity and provide more food and shelter for birds.
This newly planted shrub bloomed in spring. and this gardener was inspired to start another rewilding wildflower meadow. They saw Wood Thrushes for the first time and Northern House Wrens moved in
Brown-eyed Susans and asters will be added here to help the environment and birds.
In addition to adding lovely color, more bees were seen using these new native plant additions.
Homeowner wants to mow less and support more biodiversity.
A mix of native and nonnative flowers were added here, providing color and nectaring opportunities for pollinators.
New plantings next to existing red osier dogwood will add more resources for birds.
New plants for the birds are establishing well.
More native plants = more pollinators.
A portion of garden where bee balm, butterfly weed and Jacob’s ladder were added in 2025. One fun change was a hummingbird was seen daily feeding on the bee balm.
This gardener is making the most of containers and gardens in a small city garden. Coralberry and native perennials will be added this year.
Blue Lobelia, Pycnanthemum and Wild Geranium were added to this pot. This gardener is going from 0 – 50 % native plants.
Homeowner is excited to add native plans as growing them, “is the only way!”
This gardener was excited to add an additional flowerbed under a white pine to give any pupating insects a “soft landing”. Wild Bergamot and ryegrass seedlings have been added, with more to come.
Monarda plant will be added to help bees, butterflies and other wildlife.
Monarda did well
The lawn and overgrown lambs ear will be be removed and cardinal flower, bee balm, and milkweed, will replace them.
All the plants are thriving, and bees have visited the milkweed blooms.
This homeowner is evaluating their current plants to learn what is native and what is not. They will add one new native plant this year.
Native plants have been added among common garden non-native plants, with more to come later.
This trellis of Norway spruce branches will be used for coral honeysuckle plants that attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Golden Alexanders, Prairie Dropseed, and Butterflyweed were planted, while a few other native species self-seeded. A birdbath was added, and the spot was visited by Chipping Sparrows, House Finches, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Mourning Doves and Downy Woodpecker.
Plants will be added here to help support monarch butterflies.
Plants are still setting into their new spot. They are sure to be more vibrant next year.
Coneflowers are going here this year! Goldfinches will be delighted.
Coneflowers are in!
The goal for this swampy spot is to add natives to help with water management from flooding.
Too wet, then very dry, caused some timing issues, but this new bed has been established with Cardinal Flower, Blue Lobelia, Purple Coneflower, Sweet Fern, Swamp Rose, and was visited by Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Common Grackles and more. This gardener hopes others will do the same.
Native plants are the only way!
Swamp Milkweed, Wild Bergamot, Slender-leaved Mountainmint, Coneflower, Yarrow, Liatris grown from seed. Few flowers this year – the flags marking seedlings will have to suffice for colour for now!
Property is adding natives to shady spots near window for ease of watching wildlife.
Shade-loving lady fern and foam flower were added to this spot along with water. A nice refuge for birds and humans as the spot is right outside a window for easy viewing.
Either a pagoda dogwood or serviceberry will be added to this spot to help birds.
New Pagoda Dogwood and serviceberry will provide food and cover for birds.
Here’s another spot awaiting some new native additions to bring color, vibrancy, and resources.
Rudbeckia, Yarrow and Penstemon filled out and supported lots of small butterflies.
Property wants to attract birds and pollinators to the yard.
New winterberry is establishing well and produced berries in its first year–sure to feed several birds this winter.

Remaining Before Photos

Natives are going in around this spring-planted tree.
This elementary school added a native plant garden to teach kid about ecosystems, birds, and butterflies.
Property installed a fence, removed quince, and will now add chokeberry, goldenrod, and blue stem. They are slowly removing original plants in favor of beneficial native plant species.
Weedy patch needs some improvement. Native plants to the rescue!
This property is continuing to add more and more to invite and support birds.
Lots of potential space for new native species that help local biodiversity.
Adding trees, shrubs, and forbs to improve habitat offerings for wildlife.
Many trees have been added, but there is space to add more to support biodiversity.
Dappled light spot will get some new native additions.
After having success with another ninebark, an additional one will be added. These shrubs are low maintenance and grow well in this site. They also provide shelter near bird feeders.
Homeowner is adding another native to their bird island this summer.
A wind storm broke off this tree and invasive plants moved in. They will be removed and native plants will be added.
This family is adding native plants as they are interested in creating habitat for birds.
This homeowner wants to increase awareness on the harm of some modern landscaping practices while using native plants and avoiding pesticides to make quality habitat for birds, butterflies and all wildlife.
This Bradford pear is coming down and a native species will replace it.
Mulched spot is ready to have a native plant added.
Partial sunny spot next to a running creek has lots of native plant potential.
Slow and steady wins the race. This property started transitioning to natives a few years ago and will be adding more this year.
Sunny yard has a lot of potential to support more biodiversity by removing the lawn and adding native plants.
Each year this property adds new native plants, including a chokecherry that will be grown in this pot until it is bigger and ready to be transplanted.
Flagged areas will receive native plant additions.
Rodents ran a muck in this garden, so the homeowner resolved that issue and planted Wild Pink Silene, Blue Harebell, and Orange Butterflyweed.
Sweet raised bed will be planted for the birds and biodiversity.
Conversion from grassy areas to natives is underway!
There were gardens planned in this spot for this year, but this project motivated the homeowner to focus on native plants as they already have feeders and other features to support birds.
Homeowner wants to add a beautiful option to provide cover and resources for birds.
This will be a pollinator garden for bees and butterflies. The native plants will include bee balm, swamp milkweed, and blue aster.
Homeowner is converting non-native grass areas to plants and shrubs for birds.
Homeowner is converting non-native grass areas to plants and shrubs for birds.
Homeowner is working to enhance the habitat for birds and wildlife in area.
Nonnative grass be gone! Native plants welcome.
This lawn will be removed for the birds.
Intentional plants that attract pollinators will be added in these raised bed.
Homeowner is adding native plants that help birds and insects while also considering attractive plants that can spread and fill the garden.
Homeowner is thinking about what to do this site to help butterflies, birds and other wildlife.

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