How to Turn My Backyard Native?

Has anyone turned a grass lawn into one filled with native plants? I'd like to do it with my small (about 15' x 20') backyard but online research is overwhelming this ignorant gardener.

Can anyone direct me to an idiot-proof step-by-step guide? Also, if anyone out there has hired someone to do this, can you give me an idea as to the price I should expect to pay?

We did something similar in our backyard, apparently just a little bigger than yours. The Chalet, in Wilmette, did an excellent job. But you know, as they say, if you have to ask the price .... etc. etc.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Has anyone turned a grass lawn into one filled with native plants? I'd like to do it with my small (about 15' x 20') backyard but online research is overwhelming this ignorant gardener.

Can anyone direct me to an idiot-proof step-by-step guide? Also, if anyone out there has hired someone to do this, can you give me an idea as to the price I should expect to pay?

We've naturalized large swathes but not the whole yard. It can be hard to keep undesirable plants out, such as thistle, nettle, and the occasional buckthorn or mulberry tree. We put in two hazelnut bushes, which put out a lot of nuts, but the squirrels are willing to harvest them green, I only got six last season.

I recommend Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin - they'll ship to here, everything's been alive when we got it, and they'll guarantee the plants.

In the warmer months we’ll often take a ride to a gardening center on a Saturday. In terms of selection of native plants the best we’ve found is Growing Place in Aurora and Naperville. The Aurora location is bigger. Also Possibility Place Nursery isn’t normally open to the public, though they ship, but they do have public sales once or twice a year.

JoelF wrote:

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Has anyone turned a grass lawn into one filled with native plants? I'd like to do it with my small (about 15' x 20') backyard but online research is overwhelming this ignorant gardener.

Can anyone direct me to an idiot-proof step-by-step guide? Also, if anyone out there has hired someone to do this, can you give me an idea as to the price I should expect to pay?

We've naturalized large swathes but not the whole yard. It can be hard to keep undesirable plants out, such as thistle, nettle, and the occasional buckthorn or mulberry tree. We put in two hazelnut bushes, which put out a lot of nuts, but the squirrels are willing to harvest them green, I only got six last season.

I recommend Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin - they'll ship to here, everything's been alive when we got it, and they'll guarantee the plants.

They also have a helpful guide and faq on their website.


https://www.prairienursery.com/resources-guides/getting-started-with-native-plants/

If you are looking to do something cheaper (which it sounds like you aren't, but perhaps someone else is) using seeds instead of plants, Prairie Moon in Winona http://www.prairiemoon.com

Also there’s a fun tv show Kill Your Lawn on EarthXTV. Host is Melrosem Park native Joey Santoro of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, his botany YouTube page.