A continually updated list of the websites we recommend for learning about plants, native gardening, and other related topics.
Homegrown National Park
Started by Dr. Doug Tallamy, renown entomologist and author of several must-read books on ecological sustainability in landscapes, Homegrown National Park is an organization that aims to spread awareness of the current ecological crises and to spark interest among the general public in planting native plants with the purpose of increasing biodiversity and sustainability.
Their philosophy is that anyone can be part of the movement, and every little bit contributes. Cofounder Doug Tallamy writes:
“Our National Parks, no matter how grand in scale, are too small and separated from one another to preserve (native) species to the levels needed. Thus, the concept for Homegrown National Park, a bottom-up call-to-action to restore habitat where we live and work, and to a lesser extent where we farm and graze, extending national parks to our yards and communities.”
Paddle Creek Gardens is registered on Homegrown National Park, and we suggest signing up and adding your garden as well!
Visit: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/
National Wildlife Federation Native Plants Finder
Based on the research of Dr. Doug Tallamy, The NWF Native Plants Finder is an excellent tool for finding the most important-to-plant native plants for your ecoregion. All you have to do is enter your zip code, and you have instant access to tons of information on native plants, plus the ability to create lists.
The plants are sorted by default by the number of species of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth caterpillars) they support. Focusing on plants that host a variety of Lepidoptera gives your garden a chance to provide the most food at the base of the food chain, rewarding you with the sound of songbirds and the liveliness of thriving flora and fauna right in your own yard.
You can also register your garden to be a Certified Wildlife Habitat, giving you the option to post signage in your garden.
Visit: https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/Plants
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Ecoregions of North America
An official website of the U.S. Government, there is a treasure trove of information to be found. You can drill right down to your local ecoregion, which helps you to find the best native plants for your specific region. Paddle Creek Gardens is located in the Eastern Temperate Forests, in the Eastern Corn Belt Plains, in the Loamy High Lime Till Plains. The EPA describes our ecoregion:
The Loamy High Lime Till Planes ecoregion contains soils that developed from
loamy, limy, glacial deposits of Wisconsinan age; these soils typically have better
natural drainage than those of Ecoregion 55a and have more natural fertility than those of
Ecoregion 55d. Beech forests, oak-sugar maple forests, and elm-ash swamp forests grew on
the nearly level terrain; today, corn, soybean, and livestock production is widespread.
What Ecoregion is your garden in? Follow the link below to find out!
Visit: https://www.epa.gov/eco-research/ecoregions-north-america