Gardening has always been a creative outlet for me, although I would never call myself an expert. Living in cities for most of my adult life, there hasn’t been a lot of space or time for it. But three years ago I moved to Nashville from San Francisco and recently bought my first home. I just loved the energy of Nashville. It's such a close-knit community of creatives. I wanted to be a part of that. So I packed up and moved across the country to Tennessee, a place I once called home as a kid.
I’m excited to invite my friends and family over to my new outdoor space once I'm fully moved in and ready to host. When I learned about Garden for Wildlife, which makes it easy to support wildlife (and the planet) through gardening, I was thrilled at the idea of trying it out.
Garden for Wildlife has curated plant collections based on where you live, taking the guesswork out of what to plant. These native plants are neonicotinoid-free (a systemic chemical harmful to wildlife), naturally low maintenance, *and* a GREAT way to attract wildlife like birds and butterflies to your garden. For Nashville, I received four boxes: The Monarch Munchables, Spring Bee Buffet, Hummingbird Heroes, and Pollinator Power. I was excited to get started!
First impression: I was smitten. What I love about Garden for Wildlife is that they make it so easy to plant your spring garden. Each collection of baby plants (not seeds) ships free right to your door. Every package includes 6 to 12 plants (or 3 shrubs for the Butterfly Buffet, which supports 92 butterfly species!), pro tips, and suggestions for how you can design your garden. They’re available in 36 states with more on the way!
It can be intimidating to start a garden; you would have to do so much research on your own. These allow for you to feel like you're doing the right thing, but also not have to do months of research to figure out what you want to plant in your spring bed.
I planted all but the Monarch Munchables in a raised bed. I like the idea of a portable garden I can move around the yard or take with me when I go. It's also more comfortable to garden while standing straight up!
I then planted the Monarch Munchables, which included Foxglove Beardtongue (gotta love plant names), Orange Butterfly Milkweed, and Smooth Blue Aster, in the ground to bring in some happy color to my front yard.
What I enjoy most about this process is that I’m supporting my community. I was into the idea of beekeeping in San Francisco and volunteered at local nature groups. I just love the concept of being able to regenerate at-risk populations. And results can happen quickly (scientific studies show wildlife presence can double within one season!).
The Garden for Wildlife plant collections bloom across three seasons and return every year to help the highest numbers of butterflies, birds, bees, and other important wildlife species thrive. I was so happy with a) how easy this was and b) for colorful blooms to pretty-up my yard and c) of course, bringing all the local wildlife to my garden this year.
The boxes make a great Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift too (you can also order a gift card). Happy gardening season!
Art Direction and Styling: Alonna Morrison
Photography: Jackie Osborne
What are you planting this season? Share with us @Britand Co, and definitely check out Garden for Wildlife for planting flowers native to your hometown this season, no matter what your skill level is!
