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Gardens Gone Native Tour

Sat, Jul 13

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This tour will be of eight private gardens.

This tour will showcase native gardens throughout Will County.

Gardens Gone Native Tour
Gardens Gone Native Tour

Time & Location

Jul 13, 2024, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

This tour will be of eight private gardens.

About the event

The Nature Foundation of Will County is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and for the last 10 years, thousands of native plant sale supporters have been bringing nature home! The Nature Foundation would not be what it is today without the support of so many individuals committed to increasing biological diversity by using native plants in their home landscape. It's time to celebrate!   Gardens Gone Native puts the focus on native plant gardening as it celebrates all the years of support you have provided and hard work you've put in! It demonstrates why native plants are essential to ecosystem health, while showing off their incredible beauty.  Gardens Gone Native is also an opportunity to learn from each other and grow our knowledge of how to best use native plants in a garden setting. Each garden is a work in progress, and we celebrate the fact that we are all at different points in this journey. What better way to learn and grow than from each other!

Cost: $20 per person

Purchase tickets today

***The deadline to purchase tickets is 4 p.m. on Friday, July 12 and can only be purchased online.***

Native plant gardens are a living canvas, thoughtfully designed to harmonize with nature. Immerse yourself in the beauty and resilience of native plants as you wander through a special selection of home landscapes that showcase the rich biodiversity of our surroundings. Gardens Gone Native is not just an aesthetic experience but a celebration of conservation and sustainable gardening practices. Learn about the importance of preserving local ecosystems, promoting biodiversity, and creating havens for native wildlife right in your backyard.​

Experience the magic of native plant gardening through the Gardens Gone Native Garden Tour. This unique journey showcases the wisdom and skill of eight seasoned gardeners with over 135 years of combined experience. Witness firsthand how uninspiring urban and suburban yards have been transformed into vibrant, life-giving landscapes. Discover a unique garden dedicated to nurturing monarch butterflies and a cottage-style oasis intricately blending native plants, herbs, perennial and annual cut flowers, and food crops. You'll also step back in time with a pre-settlement recreation of an Illinois prairie and explore a large-scale restoration project, spanning savanna, woodland, wetland, and prairie habitats. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to explore the beauty in your local communities of Mokena, New Lenox, Homer Glen, and Joliet. All gardens are privately owned.   Your ticket includes admission to the garden walk. Ticket holders will receive a tour map and additional garden tour information 2 days prior to the event. The garden tour will take place rain or shine. Sorry, no refunds. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable clothing. Participants must provide their own transportation. Water will be provided. Lunch is on your own. Funds raised above event costs will support the Forest Preserve District's conservation, education, and recreation programs and services.

A very special thank you to the team at the Sacamento Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society for agreeing to share their event name with us! Their Gardens Gone Native tour, now in its 11th year, has been an inspiration to us as we've embarked on this journey. We hope we can offer you an equally wonderful experience!

Sponsor this event

If you'd like information about how you can support The Nature Foundation of Will County's first native plant garden tour, take a look at the sponsorship levels we offer!  Thank you to Enbridge and Nicor for Investing in Nature by supporting this event!

(Photo courtesy of Phyllis Schulte)

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