Environment

April Tip From the Environment Committee

Want to know one simple thing YOU can DO to benefit our natural world?

Support local wildlife by creating a pocket garden filled with native plants. It’s okay to start small: replacing a strip of lawn with native species, or adding some native flowers to your garden beds, creates an attractive rest stop for pollinators and birds, and contributes to the health of the environment. It will also make your gardening life easier, since native species, once established, require less care than lawns and non-native ornamentals. Win-win!

Don’t have a lot of space? Try container gardening. Set a few pots of native plants on a balcony, terrace, or rooftop. Hang baskets of plants from trellises or porch railings. Create a miniature pollinator garden in a window box. Even a single planter can make a big difference.

Why does this matter? Across the country, native fauna are increasingly under threat as their preferred food sources are replaced with non-native species. Fortunately, more and more people are responding to this problem by creating their own pocket gardens. Please consider joining that growing movement.

The People's Garden Initiative

NC Master Gardener Program

Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants

Homegrown National Park

Pocket Gardens Guide