Native plants are good for the garden
and good for the environment.

Easy Care– Native plants take care of themselves.

Adaptability– Native plants are adapted to local conditions – dry, wet, shady, or clay.

Three-season Bloom– Native plants bloom earlier in the spring and later in the fall than most cultivated plants.

Animal Magnetism– Natives produce bloom, berries and seeds that are enjoyed by birds and wildlife.

Preservation– Natives support endangered butterfly, insect and plant populations.

Conservation– Natives use less water, conserving precious resources and eliminating the need for chemicals.

Beauty– Native plants make the Fox Valley and Illinois communities unique – something we all can be proud of.

Bring Nature Home with You

The Natural Garden has been growing native plants since 1979. These plants were propagated from seed collected within a 90 mile radius of St. Charles. Now our primary seed source is from well-established stock beds. Our secondary source is a group of reliable suppliers who have either gathered seed from their own plantings, or, with permission, from restorations or wild populations. We offer over 250 species of natives, including the Chicago area’s largest selection of sedges, ornamental grasses and prairie forbs (perennial flowers).

Native Seed Stock

Our seed is hand harvested and cleaned, resulting in few, if any, weed seeds. We choose hand harvesting over mechanical methods not just to avoid weed seeds, but also because a native plant's seeds ripen at different times. By hand collecting, we harvest only the seed that is ready and ripe, assuring the best germination. Sometimes, the collection period of just one species can extend over several weeks. In contrast, mechanical devices used to collect seeds, like combines, harvest entire fields of prairie plants at one specific time. It may be more cost-effective and less time-consuming, but many of the seeds will not be ripe.