TNI Native Plant Sale returns this spring
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Doug Tallamy, author and expert on the interactions of plants and insects, has written several books describing the importance of native plants in our ecosystem. One of his projects, homegrown national parks, encourages homeowners to plant native plants in their yards in order to bring wildlife back to our more urban areas. This year, The Nature Institute is helping to make that dream a reality by providing many species of flowering plants at the Native Plant Sale. All of these plants will help make your yard a habitat hotspot for pollinators, birds, and other animals.
The Nature Institute (TNI), located in Godfrey, IL, has provided the community with native plants at its annual plant sale since the year 2000. On Saturday, May 17, 2025 from 9 am to 12 pm, TNI will provide many species of native plants to the community at its annual native plant sale. This year the sale will occur at the greenhouse space at the corner of Levis Lane and South Levis Lane. Sam’s Native Nursery will be selling alongside The Nature Institute.
This year we have many favorite species and some new ones. They will range in price from $5 to $10 each. Check out our list below for some of the available species this year. (This is not an exhaustive list.)
Shining Blue Star
Columbine
Swamp Milkweed
Butterfly Milkweed
Blue Mist Flower
Smooth Blue Aster
Purple Coneflower
Grey-headed Coneflower
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
You will be able to take your plants home and put them directly into the ground. New plantings will require water while getting established. You will want to monitor your plant’s needs from day to day, but once they are established, they will be happy in the hot, dry summer weather of the Midwest. Native plants require less water than non-native ornamental plants. Because native plants are adapted to local soil types, the addition of compost and fertilizers is not necessary. Further, native plants have co-evolved with insect herbivores and can grow despite light to moderate insect damage without the use of insecticides. More benefits to wildlife and less maintenance make native plants perfect for any yard. Once you have established a plot of native plants, they will sustain themselves through reseeding without much effort on your part.
The showy flowers of native plants provide nectar and pollen to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the growing season. In spring, songbirds feed their babies the insects collected from the native plants in your yard. After native plants have bloomed, birds and other wildlife rely on the seeds of native plants as a source of food in the fall and winter months.
In addition to the Native Plant Sale on Saturday, May 17, Yoga + Hike will start at 8 am, The Great ARTdoors will start at 11 am, and in the evening, you can come back for our second Classic Flicks for Conservation film of the season starting at 8:30 pm.
For more information about TNI’s Native Plant Sale and the other programs happening, visit www.TheNatureInstitute.org
