Native Landscaping: Start Planning Now

It may be wintertime, but now is the time to start planning your garden for next year. It may not seem like it now, but spring will be here before you know it, making this a great time to start planning your garden and yard.

The DuPage Forest Preserve District is excited to offer our Native Landscaping program series to help you create a beautiful garden and yard with native plants that benefit native wildlife.

So if you’re looking for inspiration, ideas or helpful advice, we’ve got a program for you!

Native Landscaping: Challenges Q&A
Sip a drink in the clubhouse or enjoy from the comfort of your home as you discuss common challenges faced in native gardening and find answers to questions that have arisen from your personal native-landscaping experiences. Ages 18 and up; must be 21 or older with valid ID to purchase alcoholic beverages at Oak Meadows. $10 per person. Register online or at 630-933-7248.

Native Landscaping: Creating Your Garden Design
Share drawings or photos of your yard in advance, and then get customized one-on-one advice at a one-hour meeting with a plant expert who will help you select native plants to match your goals and growing conditions. Ages 18 and up. Online is $30 per meeting; in-person is $20. Register online or at 630-933-7248.

Once you've mapped out your native landscaping, you can shop in person for native flowers, shrubs and trees at our annual Native Plant Sale May 13 and 14 at Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook! 

Support the Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and purchase a ticket for an exclusive in-person Native Plant Pre-Sale on May 12. 

This year's sale will be in-person only. Details, including a list of plants and info on tickets for the May 12 advance event, will be available at dupageforest.org/native-plant-sale after March 1. Tickets go on sale April 11 at 8 a.m. for the exclusive advance shopping event.