Your Biodiverse Native Garden

This series covers what you need to create and sustain an ecological native garden that supports biodiversity, resilience, and beauty throughout the seasons. Take one class or all four, but it is highly recommended that you complete Gardening for Biodiversity (either this term or previously) before registering for any of the three other courses. 

Gardening for Biodiversity: Tuesday, Oct. 7

Get an overview of the biodiversity crisis and why gardening with native plants is essential for reversing species loss. Discover how native plants, insects, birds, and fungi have evolved together in vital relationships that support each other’s survival. Learn how cultivating native gardens using ecological practices can restore biodiversity, boost landscape resilience, and help slow climate change—all while creating a beautiful, thriving garden for you to enjoy.

Creating an Ecological Garden: Tuesday, Oct. 14

Learn how to create a habitat that provides year-round food, shelter, and support for pollinators, birds, and other beneficial species. Explore essential elements such as food and water sources, shelter and nesting sites, and ways to protect the habitat by building healthy soil, removing invasive plants, avoiding chemicals, minimizing nighttime light, and reducing lawn areas. See the visual beauty of a thriving habitat through the seasons.

Choosing Native Plants: Tuesday, Oct. 21

Discover how to select native plants by balancing your aesthetic preferences with ecological guidelines and plant traits. Learn to assess your site conditions, plan your garden, and choose plants that thrive in your space while bringing you joy. Get tips on sourcing native plants affordably, caring for new plantings, and detailed recommendations for starting a native plant garden.

Maintaining a Life-Supporting Garden: Tuesday, Oct. 28

Explore the complex networks of relationships among species that a healthy ecological garden supports. Discover how native gardens naturally change over time—with volunteer plants, shifting plant height and spread, changing light and moisture, and climate impacts. Learn how to manage these changes for your enjoyment and to benefit the ecosystem.