Native Plant Yard Tour Draws 75 Guests to Explore Beautiful, Eco-Friendly Landscaping

On Tuesday June 24th, we welcomed more than 75 guests to a suburban Westfield yard transformed with native plants. This yard tour offered a chance to see firsthand how Indiana native plants can be thoughtfully incorporated into a traditional neighborhood setting—even within the constraints of a homeowner association (HOA).

Visitors wandered through a vibrant front and back yard filled with blooms, pollinators, and practical ideas for sustainable landscaping. Native plants not only support local birds, bees, and butterflies, but they also create beautiful, lower maintenance yards that fit seamlessly into suburban environments.

Neighbor- and HOA-Friendly Landscaping Tips:

• Design with intention and elements of care: Use mulch, edging, and defined beds to create a neat, maintained look that appeals to neighbors and HOAs. Fun signage that conveys the intention and ecological benefits of the plants educates neighbors. Yard elements like benches, yard ornaments, ornamental fencing and more also so intention and care.
  • Programs such as the Indiana Native Plant Society Grow Native program offer certification programs for your native garden.  The free certification allows you to purchase their colorful "We Grow Natives" sign.
• Start in the back: If you're not ready to tackle the front yard, begin with a backyard pollinator garden or replace turf with native groundcovers.
• Choose showy natives: Plants like purple coneflower, butterfly weed, and prairie dropseed offer curb appeal and ecological value.
• Connect with your municipality: tell them what you are planning and they might be able to provide a designation or inform code enforcement about the benefits of native plants for your community.

Small Steps to Start with Native Plants:

1. Replace a small bed or corner with native perennials or grasses.
2. Swap out one non-native shrub for a native alternative like ninebark or spicebush. The SWCD's native tree and shrub sale each fall is a great place to get woody natives AND perennial plants.
3. Try a native plant kit or seed mix designed for beginners and small spaces. The SWCD offers native plant kits each spring that take the guess work out of plant selection and sourcing.
4. Avoid invasives: Remove problematic species like burning bush or Callery pear and replace them with natives. The Hamilton County Invasives Partnerships offers great native alternative selections. 

Get started with the SWCD's free example landscape plans for home landscape and for HOA entryway areas.

Free landscape plans

Thank you to all who attended, asked questions, and left inspired. Events like these show that native landscaping is not only possible in a typical neighborhood—it can thrive and become a model for others. Slowly shifting the perception of what is acceptable and beautiful in our neighborhoods takes time, patience, and YOU!  If you missed the yard tour, check out this video tour of the property created last year by Westfield Green Together. 

Stay tuned for more upcoming tours and workshops!

Learn more about Westfield Green Together, Hamilton County Invasives Partnership, and the Indiana Native Plant Society Central Chapter for more resources!