Nurseries and Landscapers

Annual Native Plant Sales

Several regional organizations, including Wild Ones South Bend, host annual native plant sales. Check out their websites for more information:

Fernwood Botanical Gardens ([email protected])
Friends of the Dunes (dunefriends.org)
Friends of the Sands (friends-of-the-sands.com)
Prophetstown State Park (www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/prophetstown-state-park)
The Botany Shop (https://www.botanyorbust.com/home)
Wild Ones Gibson Woods Chapter (gibsonwoods.wildones.org)
Wild Ones Kalamazoo Chapter (https://kalamazoo.wildones.org/)

Native Plant Nurseries

  • Wildtype – wholesale plant nursery with select retail days
    Mason, Michigan

Native Plant Mail Order Options

  • Natural Communities – wholesale seed, plants, bare root trees and shrubs
    Batavia, Illinois 

Local Native Plant Landscapers

  • The Botany Shop
    In addition to its retail store in South Bend, The Botany Shop helps homeowners convert their conventional lawns into vibrant landscapes and plant communities.
  • Ecometrid
    Ecometrid is not a traditional landscaping company. Rather, they design and implement ecological solutions for public and private spaces including habitat assessment, restoration, management, invasive plant control, and plant and wildlife monitoring.
  • Indigo Gardens and Design 
    A full service design-install-maintenance business dedicated to beautifying outdoor spaces while limiting impact on the environment.
  • Naturally Native Nursery
    A small South Bend nursery specializing in Indiana native plants; landscape design and installation services offered. 

When Buying Native Plants

Most nurseries don’t specialize in native plants, but will have some native plant options.  However, this can be misleading. Often these plants are cultivars, are not actually native to this area, or are grown using neonicotinoid pesticides – all unfavorable. If you must buy from a nursery that is not a reputable native plant nursery, inquire with a salesperson (or their manager) about the nativity of the plant you are buying. It is good for nursery owners and box-store garden centers (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) to hear that informed consumers are only interested in buying locally native, straight-species that have not been treated with neonicotinoids (or received “NST”).