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Thank you to everyone who came to our 2024 Native Garden Tour. We hope you left impressed, inspired and certified! In order to respect the privacy of our generous hosts, we have taken down our map and address page. If you missed the tour, you can still see the gardens here. Ready to certify your outdoor space with the National Wildlife Federation? Habitat HP will pay your registration fee! Email us at gghpinfo@gmail.com for details.

Interested in learning more about starting a native garden? Keep scrolling to find out why and how you can start creating your very own Certified Wildlife Habitat.

Gallery of Gardens 2024

Here are some of the many strategies that we saw in action in the five gardens selected for the 2024 sustainable garden tour—

Plant a tree to help purify our air and reduce heat and native plants, which have deep roots and require less water

Reduce or eliminate use of gas-powered lawn mowers and equipment

Start a compost pile that nurtures your plants and reduces landfill contributions that produce methane

Plant organic seeds or seedlings for native plants

Set up a rain barrel to conserve water and water strategically, relying on early morning efficiencies

Use fewer chemical-based fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides

Replace grass with easy-care plants, wildflowers, stone, pavers or other materials to reduce watering and mowing

Grow native plants in containers for a smaller scale experiment

Not all the gardens in this year’s tour will employ all the above strategies, but you can ask your neighbors how they decided to try out some of them and how they are working out.

Native Garden Tour 2024

Click here to see the Gardens on the Tour

Native Landscapers & Plant Sources

2023 Edition

National Wildlife Federation Registration

Click here to certify your habitat

Habitat Highland Park is a grassroots initiative dedicated to obtaining National Wildlife Federation (NWF) recognition and certification of Highland Park as a Community Wildlife Habitat. It is a joint project of Go Green Highland Park and the League of Women Voters of Highland Park-Highwood.  You are invited to help us meet our goal to provide safe and healthy habitats for insects, pollinators, butterflies, and birds in a collective effort to strengthen local biodiversity at all levels and reverse the alarming decline in pollinators in the US. Register your home and Highland Park earns points towards our NWF Community certification goal. START HERE.

  • Stupey Cabin grounds before garden installation
  • Stupey garden progress

With the blessing of the Highland Park Historical Society, assistance from the Park District of Highland Park, generous funding support from the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood, the Stupey Cabin site was cleared by volunteers starting on May 1, 2022 (Arbor Day Rain Date).  Planting one “woodland/shade” and two “sunny” demonstration gardens took place in the weeks following.  Thanks to Habitat HP Steering Committee member Chris Wren and Sue Becker for the designs and plant selections you see at left.  Pictured: “before” clearing (photo by Anne Loshbough), HP Historical Society President Rob Rotering and Chris Wren (designs by Wren and Becker; photo by Bryna Gamson). (Click on desired image to stop rotation and enlarge.)

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Habitat Highland Park Steering Committee Expansion
The Habitat HP Steering Committee is seeking additional members!  Our group meets on Zoom once every 6 weeks to discuss increasing the number of pollinator-friendly gardens in Highland Park. Our goal is  to become a NWF Community Wildlife Habitat.  Steering Committee participation involves sharing ideas to increase pollinator awareness and supporting events that help Highland Parkers learn how to plant and certify pollinator-friendly gardens (even small ones, in pots!).
If you are interested in learning more please contact: Candice Dalrymple.

Habitat HP Blog

04 Jul 2024 In GoGreen, Habitat HP

“Northern Illinois Trees” July 10

Learn more about the value of various types of trees and planting a diverse set of trees in your landscape.  Extension Master Gardeners will review alternatives to invasive or non-native trees and shrubs suitable to our northern Illinois conditions.  They will share best practices about how to care for and …

A Must Share Article!

Fall is a great time to plant natives in your garden. Read this informative article from the Washington Post with kid-friendly graphics to see how important one little oasis of native plants can be to our pollinators. You will be entertained and inspired by Sergio Pecanha’s “You — yes, you! — can help the planet. Start in your backyard”

Share freely!

Get Involved

Interested in learning more? Find information on the community certification program and its benefits at this site. Most properties in our town are capable of meeting the 4 basic elements required for habitat registration. Habitat Highland Park is eager to welcome all residents and organizations interested in participating in this initiative. Register your wildlife habitat here.
Please contact Candice Dalrymple at cdalrymple@jhu.edu to learn how you can join the Habitat Highland Park army!