🦋 Why Grow Native Plants?
Many groups have answered this question far better than I could:
Recommended Video: Doug Tallamy explains the importance of natives.
Watch on YouTube
📱 Plant Identification Apps for Your Phone
Picture This
Take a picture of any plant and get the name, plus lots of other information. Scroll down to map to see if it is native to eastern US.
$30/yearSeek
Get plant (or bug) in focus to light up 7 dots. When all are lit you have identified your subject. Click photo to learn more about that plant. The "kid" version of iNaturalist.
FreeiNaturalist
Several steps for ID, but used worldwide for scientific study.
FreeGoogle Lens
Part of the Google suite: take a picture and identify anything — plants, animals, furniture, etc.
Free🌿 Free Garden Design Resources
Whether you're starting from scratch or expanding an existing bed, these guides and tools will help you plan a garden that works for your space and supports local wildlife.
A curated design by Larry Weaner with 21 native species, plant list, and methodology. Covers three ecozones relevant to the DC region.
Four downloadable layout templates for different conditions (sunny/dry, sunny/moist, part sun/dry, part sun/moist) with plant counts and bloom timelines. Maryland-specific.
15+ metro areas nationwide with curated native plant palettes.
Pollinator Pathway: Native Garden DesignsNortheast restoration guides and planting toolkits, including small yard and container strategies.
Beginner Pollinator Garden: The 3 × 3 × 3 SystemSimple framework: 3 spring bloomers, 3 summer, 3 late-season — plant 3 of each in an 8×4 ft bed.
Native Garden PlannerDrag-and-drop planner with a database of 2,000+ native species and PDF export. Paid service.
Blazing Star Gardens: Design a Pollinator Garden ToolFree drag-and-drop Google Slides tool with illustrated plant graphics. Desktop only.
FWS: How to Build a Pollinator GardenUS Fish & Wildlife Service guide covering planning, planting, and maintenance at any scale.
🤝 Organizations That Promote Native Plants
Maryland Native Plant Society
https://mdflora.orgFriends of Native Trees in Takoma (FONTT)
https://fontt.org/🍂 Why You Should Leave the Leaves
Leaving leaf litter over winter protects beneficial insects, adds organic matter to your soil, and requires less work in spring. Here are some references:
