r/grandrapids • u/Ok-Singer-4466 • 6h ago
Thinking about adding native plants to your yard? Come see what's possible!
Hi Neighbors! Two years ago I started replacing part of my front lawn with native plants and flowers. I didn't rip everything out overnight and I'm still changing things every year.
What surprised me most wasn't the butterflies or the birds. It was how many neighbors stopped to ask what I was doing. Those conversations eventually inspired me to start Kind Hearts Bloom, a GR nonprofit focused on using gardens to grow both habitat and neighborhood connections.
Which brings me to this year's West Michigan Native Plant Yard Tour.
The tour features 11 residential gardens across the West Grand and Walker areas, and they're all different. Some are mostly native. Others blend native plants with vegetables, cut flowers, and traditional ornamentals. Some have been evolving for years. Others are much newer.
I think that's what makes the tour valuable. It shows you don't have to start from scratch or have a "perfect" native garden to create more habitat for birds, butterflies, and pollinators. You can simply start where you are.
The best part is that you'll get to meet the homeowners (like me!), ask questions, hear what worked (and what didn't), and leave with ideas you can actually use in your own yard.
If you've been thinking about replacing even a small patch of lawn, I think you'll find plenty of inspiration.
Tickets are $15. 17 years and under are free. Proceeds support both Kind Hearts Bloom and Kent Conservation District!