Specimen Collection

These are examples of what is found in Native Suburbia. Keep in mind that we are allowing all plants native to the area to have a place in our yard.  It is surprising how many native plants are commonly listed as weeds.  Open your mind to the important benefits of diversity while browsing these pictures and consider that every living thing has some purpose in our world.  If you would like to see pictures of non-native plants, check out the Invasives page.

• Forbs:small, upright soft-stemmed or non-woody plants with broad leaves
• Grasses & Sedges:family of plants with long, narrow leaves, jointed stems, flowers in spikelets and seed-like fruit.  Sedges are grass-like plants with a triangular stem.
• Trees & Shrubs:perennial, woody plants

2004

• Before Native Suburbia:In the beginning there was a typical suburban landscape.
• Site Preparation:The first steps in the Native Suburbia project.
• Stone Path:Deciding where to walk.
• Seeding Time:Sowing the seeds with so much hope and enthusiasm.

2005

• First Growth:Things started out a little more slowly than we had hoped. The fact that we experienced a terrible drought did not help matters.
• Late Summer:The summer was not a complete failure. We have found plenty to look at and keep us interested. Take a quick tour through Native Suburbia as it reaches the end of its first summer.
• Buckthorn Removal:The time had come to remove the insidious glossy buckthorns. It was an excuse to buy a chainsaw and an opportunity to plant native shrubs.

2006

• Winter:Not much is happening at this time time of the year, but we were out on a sunny winter day, so we decided to take a few pictures.
• Spring:The beginning of a new growing season. We were a little worried that everything was dead after the long winter. It was great to see the first brave sprouts making an appearance in early April.
• Rain Garden:A special project that we undertook this Spring was the creation of a rain garden. We were interested in doing something more fun with the water from the sump pump and this turned out to be a great idea.
• Mass Planting 05/2006:We had high hopes for being able to start everything from seed, but despite the many warnings that it could take several years to get results, we thought it would be different for us. The lack of growth in a shady area and the new excavation for the rain garden finally pushed us to buy plugs and have a planting weekend.
• Early Summer:Like parents with a new baby, we just cannot stop taking pictures. Native Suburbia is growing up so fast that we just want to document every step before it passes us by. Hopefully, you share some of our enthusiasm and enjoy this set of pictures.
• Midsummer:Another update. This set shows the latest growth as well as our recent lawn smothering and path building activities.
• Late Summer:Lots of plants in bloom as August and September are upon us. There are a ton of pictures in this set. This was a very exciting summer for Native Suburbia.
• Autumn:It is the end of another growing season in Native Suburbia. Take a final stroll around the yard with us.

2007

• Winter:Last summer's plants are still standing through the snow, the rain garden pond provides interesting scenery, and the animals brave the cold.
• Wasp vs Caterpillar:Guess who wins when wasp (Polistes dominulus) meets caterpillar (Nymphalis antiopa).
• Spring:Another exciting spring rolls around. Take a look as Native Suburbia awakens from its winter slumber.
• Midsummer:The backyard is really starting to show some maturity this year. Things are filled in nicely and we continue to find something new every day.
• Late Summer:Another summer winds down. So much happened during this growing season. It is difficult to accept that we are reaching the end. Take a look at these pictures to see what Native Suburbia looks like at the end of its third summer.
• Later Summer:Maybe we called the end of the game a little prematurely. There is still plenty happening in September.
• Autumn:The growing season is over, but there is one last splash of color to keep visitors to Native Suburbia interested.

2008

• Winter:These pictures are a lot like last year's, although there are a few more dried plants sticking up through the snow. I continue to post sets like this to document the complete progression of Native Suburbia over the years and through the seasons.