North Branch Natives

05/05/2026

A well-designed native planting reduces w**d pressure over time. Here are combinations of that work together to form a layered, w**d-resistant groundcover, courtesy of North Branch Natives 🌼🌿🐝

A well-designed native planting reduces w**d pressure over time. Here are combinations of native species that work together to form a layered, w**d-resistant groundcover.

01/13/2026

This year NBN is testing out some new gardening strategies 🎉 —including seeding into new plantings. It’s a great way to really fill the space while increasing plant diversity and keeping costs down.

Want to give it a try in your own garden? Sow easy to germinate species like Monarda (bee balm), Schizachyrium (little bluestem) and Symphyotrichum (asters) into areas with exposed soil and see what grows. Happy gardening! 🐝👏

More tips: https://www.northbranchnatives.com/

01/08/2026

IT'S PLANNING SEASON!
Now is a fantastic time to plan a new native garden and we have some tips on choosing the right trees and shrubs that will help feed and house a host of insects and birds👏
🦋 Check it out! https://www.northbranchnatives.com/blogs/news

12/03/2025

The ground may be frozen, but your garden plans don’t have to be!

Our Consultation with Garden Action Plan can be booked and redeemed anytime—even in winter! Now is the perfect time to dream, plan, and get ready to plant when spring hits.

When you book, an NBN professional horticulturist will walk you through your space and create a custom Garden Action Plan with:

1-hour site visit (in person or virtual)
Concept diagram & design ideas
Foundational native plant list with photos
Prep + planting guidance
Garden Start-Up Guide
A clear, step-by-step roadmap to make your garden goals real

🦋 Book now and save $150 with code: HOLIDAY25

Learn more about or services, explore our free resources, and join the Plant Posse newsletter at northbranchnatives.com

11/08/2025

Hey —nice job, Chicago!
Just dropped off my (soon to be) compost for the first time at one of the City’s composting locations. It was clean, easy and FREE!! 💪

You can too! Find a location and compost those food scraps ppl: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/chicago-recycles/home/food-scrap-drop-off.html

11/03/2025

A fabulous end to our 2025 planting season —with sunshine and amazing friends 💚

We’re looking forward to the quiet season (with plenty of dreaming and planning) —you too?? Check out our free resources online to learn how to garden for bees and butterflies. And, if you need our help getting it all sorted out, we’re here for you 🙂

https://www.northbranchnatives.com/

11/01/2025

Fall gardens can be so magical! Echinacea and aster seed heads become bird feeders for finches and other seed eaters traveling through the area, and the orange, gold and green tones really glow.

💪TIP: Looking to bump up your garden’s function and beauty? Switch out things like invasive burning bush and barberry for Aronia and Diervilla (both pictured here). Super easy upgrade!

Check out more tips here: https://www.northbranchnatives.com/blogs/news

10/30/2025

Photo: Planting day at Beaubien Elementary School last weekend –how adorable is this!!

Each year NBN pulls some of our native plants aside at the end of the season for our Annual School Gardens Giveaway, and this year, we had such an inspiring group that signed up to organize their communities to come out and plant native habitat at their schools. Thank you, leaders and community members from Portage Playcircle, Grover Cleveland Elementary, and Jean Baptiste Beaubien Elementary in Chicago and Oakton Elementary and Nichols Elementary in Evanston. It’s teachers like you that make all the difference!

We 💚 community projects! Are you connected to a school, park, or organization looking to wilden up their space and plug into the local ecosystem? We can help!

Head to northbranchnatives.com to explore free resources and learn more about what we offer. And make sure to join the Plant Posse for seasonal tips and exclusive opportunities right in your inbox!

10/24/2025

It’s that time of year when our bee friends settle in and get cozy for winter. 🐝
Now’s a great moment to think ahead—plan your spring garden, pull up some turf, scatter seeds (bees will thank you for adding early bloomers like columbine and golden alexander), and practice simple winter garden care: leave the leaves, keep the twigs, and dream up next year’s additions.

Looking for help choosing the right plants for your space? We’re here to help.
Book a Garden Consultation for expert guidance on turning your yard into a thriving native garden oasis.

Learn more and join the Plant Posse mailing list for tips and exclusive access to workshops, sales and resources at www.northbranchnatives.com



Photo: Steven Severinghaus

10/17/2025

Fall is one of the best times to get hands-on in your garden—and it’s prime time for seed saving! 🙌

Tips for saving + sowing:
-Collect dry seeds.
-Clean off chaff, pods + fluff.
-Store in a paper bag or envelope + label everything!
-Research what each plant needs. Many require cold stratification, a process that mimics Chicagoland’s fall rains, winter freezes, and spring thaws.
-If direct sowing: clear a space, loosen up the top layer of soil, sprinkle seeds, then pat/step down to secure them.
-Be patient! Some take a year (or two!) to sprout.

💚 Read more about seed saving, germination and sowing on our blog at northbranchnatives.com