I’ll be honest—I didn’t even know Native Plant Month was a thing until recently.
I understood the basics. A few years ago, there was widespread concern about bees disappearing, and that really stayed with me. It felt alarming because I knew how crucial they are—for cross-pollination and food production.
But I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do about it other than occasionally telling my dog, “don’t eat the bees… we need the bees.”
Wanting to Help…But Not Knowing How
That was kind of where I stayed for a while.
I cared and paid attention, yet it still seemed like a distant, abstract issue—something happening elsewhere, not something tied to my own backyard.
Aside from bees, I have always been fascinated by hummingbirds. There is something truly magical about them.
Yet, I began to notice… I rarely see them. It took me a while to fully understand that I am the reason.
The Shift
At some point, it clicked.
It’s not that the hummingbirds disappeared. It’s that I wasn’t giving them a reason to stop.
No nectar sources. No native plants timed to bloom while they are here. Nothing really inviting them in. Simply filling a dirty feeder ever few years wasn’t going to cut it.
The same goes for bees, butterflies, and everything else. I began to understand—it wasn’t only about what I noticed…it was about what I was (or wasn’t) planting.
The Good News: It’s Actually Pretty Simple
The part that surprised me most is how small the starting point can be.
I’m one of those who wants to rip everything out and start new, and that’s a daunting task for someone without much free time.
I’ve finally come to terms with feeling like I don’t need to redo the entire yard all at once. I can simply add one native plant at a time…swap things out over time…start paying attention to what blooms when so I can have the vibrant, colorful yard I want, year-round.
That’s it.
Noticing the Difference
Now I can’t really unsee it.
I notice invasive wisteria taking over in downtown Columbia…I notice Bradford pear trees lining the highway in Marion, crowding out everything else.
But I also notice the good.
The native goldenrod lighting up roadside ditches in the fall…yellow jasmine climbing along fences in early spring…a small but mighty blue violet popping up right in the middle of my yard.
It’s all there—I just wasn’t really paying attention before.
Where I am Now
So that’s where I am with Native Plant Month.
Still learning and noticing things I hadn’t before, but also realizing it doesn’t take a huge change to start making a difference.
If you’re in the same place I am, just start small. I can’t wait to see where we grow from here.
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