What if ...
they say yes?

Wa-hoo!! You did it!

Your idea got approved! This is awesome!

Now’s the time to get busy – so here’s what you have to do next:

1) Say thank you!!

Be sure to thank the group that approved your project. If you can, a handwritten thank-you note is very nice, but an email works, too. Let them know how much you appreciate their work and that they have approved your project. 

2) Develop a plan.

You may have already created a plan as part of getting your project approved. But if you haven’t, now is the time. Think about all the steps involved and how much time each is likely to take. Think about what help you will need (like borrowing a truck) or what weather you will need to watch for. The more detailed your plan is, the easier it will be to make your native plant project a reality.

3) Make a budget.

You may also have already made a budget as part of getting approval. If not, make one now. Think of everything you will need to create your native plant garden and how much that will cost. You may be able to borrow some things (like shovels) but others you will need to source and buy (like seeds). Here are some items you will want to consider for your budget:

• Transportation

• “This is a pollinator garden!” sign (so passersby understand what’s different about your garden)

• Shovels, sod cutters, hose, and other tools

• Soil

• Compost

• Cardboard (to block weeds)

• Native plants – seed, plugs, and/or potted plants

• Water

4) Assign tasks.

If you are working with a group, you need to make sure everyone knows what they are expected to do. Even if you are doing a solo project, it is still helpful to plot out all the tasks ahead of time so nothing gets forgotten. Your task list might be:

• Determine best native plants for your location’s sun/soil requirements

• Determine how much soil and compost you will need

• Design the layout of the plants

• Borrow 3 shovels

• Borrow hose

• Get cardboard (ask neighbors and grocery stores if they have any to spare)

• Decide on day/time to create the garden

• Set up carpool

• Buy seeds for: (list plants)

• Buy plugs for: (list plants)

• Buy potted plants for: (list plants)

• Try to get donation of soil and compost (if not, buy it)

• Dig the garden

• Lay down the cardboard

• Lay down the soil

• Add the compost

• Plant the seeds, plugs, and potted plants

• Water the garden every day for 2 weeks

• Check on the garden weekly for 1 month

5)  Share your progress on social media!

Take photos and videos of your progress and share on social media. Let people see your team preparing the ground and doing the planting. And definitely share photos as the garden grows – especially with the group that gave approval for the project. Let them see how beautiful it is!

Depending on your project, sharing on social media may be your main task. For instance, if your goal was to encourage a property manager to add native plants around an office complex, you won’t need to build the garden yourself. But sharing gives support to the property manager and spreads the word about native plants and pollinators!

6)  Keep an eye on it!

The beauty of native plants is that they grow well in their native climate, so they don’t need a lot of upkeep. But you will still want to be sure they are doing okay – especially when they are newly planted. Check to see they have enough water. Make sure the edging is neat. Pick up any trash. Keep the plants from sprawling onto the sidewalk. Keep the garden pleasant and attractive so people – and pollinators – will enjoy it!

Your Opportunity to Educate

Native plant gardens tend to be more wild looking than traditional gardens – and that can make some people uncomfortable. That’s why an explanatory sign can be so helpful. Let people know what a pollinator garden is and why you don’t cut it back in the winter.

The more beautiful and pleasant your garden is – and the more you educate people – the more support you will gain for native plants!