Now that we've gotten a bit of rest (and the soil out from under our nails), we're thrilled to share a recap of our wild and wonderful start to the 2025 gardening season. We’re overflowing with gratitude for the people we met, the spaces we helped transform, and the buzzing, blooming power of native plants.
In just three short months, we planted over 7,400 native plants, adding 21 new gardens across 14 different neighborhoods and suburbs. From McHenry to Hyde Park, we brought pockets of prairie, shady woodland edges, and pollinator paradises to yards, parkways, and front steps all over the Chicago area.
💪 This season wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing garden crew—armed with planting drills, caffeine, and sunscreen—who averaged 40–50 plants per hour, per person. Our biggest day? 1,700 plugs in the ground (followed immediately by snacks and naps).
But our favorite part? You!
These gardens came to life with the help of 23 incredible home gardeners who planted alongside us. Each project was a chance to share our horticultural expertise and help people feel confident stewarding their space. We spent over 20 hours this spring following up to ID weeds, troubleshoot challenges, and offer words of encouragement.
We don’t just plant—we plan for long-term success. That means dense, thoughtful plantings, clear guidance for care, and ongoing support from us. We love getting your questions, seeing what’s blooming, helping with the unexpected, and cheering on your wins. Native gardens are an investment—and we’re in your corner to help that investment grow.
Spring with North Branch Natives by the numbers:
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32 custom garden plans
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21 new gardens
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14 different neighborhoods/suburbs:
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North Park (4)
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Evanston (3)
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Sauganash (2)
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Irving Park (2)
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Belmont Cragin
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Forest Glen
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Wicker Park
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Lincoln Park
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Albany Park
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Hyde Park
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Andersonville
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Portage Park
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Wilmette
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McHenry
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23 gardeners joined us for planting
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7,400+ native plants planted
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Averaged 40–50 plants/hour (per person)
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26 participants in our Grow Wild Native Gardening Series
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8 community events led—from library talks to garden clubs and plant giveaways
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20+ hours of one-on-one follow-up support
A few projects we especially loved:
This season gave us a chance to partner with a wide variety of gardeners and green spaces. We loved every single project, but here are just a few standouts:
🌼 We collaborated with local elementary schools to design and plant native gardens tailored to each school's needs. These spaces now serve as outdoor classrooms and pollinator habitats, supporting both education and ecosystem health.
🏢 We installed shared native gardens at apartment buildings and communal living spaces, creating vibrant biodiversity corridors in urban settings. These plantings help bring people together and foster a shared sense of place and stewardship.
🏡 We transformed traditional lawns into layered native gardens—in front yards, backyards, and along parkways—offering year-round structure, color, and habitat. Each one was thoughtfully designed to reflect the homeowner’s goals and microclimate.
Miss the spring window? Fall is for planting, too!
If you didn’t get a garden in the ground this spring, don’t worry—fall is an excellent time to plant. Cooler temperatures are gentler on roots, and fall plantings get a strong head start, emerging with vigor in the spring.
Here’s how to get started for fall:
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Book a Consultation before the end of August.
We’ll help you see your space as a whole and develop a cohesive, long-term plan. You’ll walk away with a detailed site prep checklist and clear next steps. -
Set a planting date and prep your space.
After your consultation, reserve your planting by submitting a 50% deposit and completing your prep. We’re booking plantings for September and October. -
Plant!
On planting day, we bring everything needed to install your new garden. Join the crew to learn as we go—ask questions, get care tips, and set your garden up for long-term success.
Fall planting spots fill up quickly, so if you're dreaming of a pollinator-friendly yard, shady understory bed, or a vibrant low-maintenance garden, book your consultation now and let’s make it happen!
Why native gardens (and our approach) stand out:
Looking for where to get native plants in Chicago? You’re in the right place! And here’s why native gardening is such a powerful choice:
Native plants have evolved in harmony with local insects and wildlife for thousands of years. One milkweed plant can support the entire life cycle of a monarch butterfly. Even better? A well-planned urban or suburban garden with native species can support over 100 species of beneficial insects, birds, and pollinators.
We’re fans of adapting to local needs (the native plant way!), which means meeting gardeners where they are and offering expert support at every step. We help you choose plants that match your microclimate, and when it’s time to get things growing, we bring the tools, the plants, and the team to make it happen.
We don’t just plop a few plugs in the ground. Our planting service includes densely spaced, ecologically sound designs tailored to your space. We balance color, size, bloom time, and texture to create gardens that feel intentional, wild, and beautiful with room to grow, and always something to offer for passing pollinators.
It’s an incredible value: a custom, professionally installed native garden that fills in over time, blooms across the seasons, and supports wildlife from the first flower to the last frost.
More ways to get started:
🌿 Browse Our Plants: Explore the Plants section of our website to learn about what might thrive in your space based on light, moisture, and soil. Get inspired by what’s possible.
📚 Take Our Free Course: New to native gardening? Learn the basics with our free online course—designed specifically for Chicagoland gardeners and taught by local experts.
📅 Download the Garden Guide: Our Month-by-Month Garden Guide will walk you through what to expect, what to do, and how to care for your garden all year long.
👏 Thank you to everyone who joined the movement, trusted us with your space, told a friend, or simply waved from the porch while we tucked your native plants into the ground. We’re so proud of what we built together—and we can’t wait to see how it continues to grow.
—The North Branch Natives Team 🌿