Wild Ones Natural Landscapers is making a native garden plan for the Chattanooga ecoregion available for free to the public.
Landscape architect Caleb Melchior based the design on the premise that using native plants in landscaping can be beautiful, promote wildlife and be achievable for gardeners of all skillsets and budgets.
“After working in Chattanooga for several years, I was excited to have the opportunity to design gardens that demonstrate how homeowners can use native plants in a residential garden. I’m excited to see Chattanoogans continue to build biodiversity and delight in their residential gardens.”
Additionally, the garden design allows gardeners to take an incremental approach in developing their plan, adding new areas and native plant species as time and funds permit.
Wild Ones Honorary Director Doug Tallamy, author of “Nature’s Best Hope,” says one of the common misconceptions about conservation is the idea that nature is something people set aside in preserves and parks instead of making it a part of their daily lives.
“We can no longer leave conservation to the conservationists,” he stresses. “Native plant gardens in our own backyards are our best hope for saving our environment.”
The Chattanooga design is a part of a larger Wild Ones initiative to create native garden plans in a variety of ecoregions that are free for the public to use so those new to native landscaping have the tools and knowledge they need to get started.
The project includes eight designs in the ecoregions of Boston, Chattanooga, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Tallahassee and Toledo. The designs can be downloaded from nativegardendesigns.wildones.org.
Each garden design includes a variety of region-specific native plants that can be downloaded and printed for reference while selecting plants at a local nursery.
In addition to the native garden designs, Wild Ones also recently published “Native Garden Design Guide” both in print and in digital format to help first time native gardeners in any region of the country get started.
The website and guide were supported by a grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust.
Wild Ones Executive Director Jen Ainsworth says she hopes these resources inspire, encourage and motivate individuals throughout the U.S. in their native garden journeys.
“Native gardening not only provides beauty and respite in our personal spaces but is a critical part of restoring natural landscapes and wildlife habitats.”
Wild Ones is a nationally recognized, membership-based nonprofit organization with a mission to promote environmentally sound landscaping practices and preserve biodiversity.
Chattanooga hosts the Wild Ones Tennessee Valley Chapter, which includes members from Tennessee as well as Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.
More information at wildones.org.
Source: Wild Ones