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Really Native Nursery

Updated: April 20, 2025

Looking for a restorative business to launch? What about a "really native" nursery!

What is a Really Native Nursery?

It is more than just a place to buy native plants — it's a full-service restorative landscaping company dedicated to helping homeowners rewild their yards in ways that restore local ecosystems and support biodiversity. By restoring native habitats in urban and suburban areas, we can reconnect fragmented ecosystems, support pollinators and wildlife, and beautify the places we call home.

Proposed Services

1. Help Customers Discover Their Ecosystem:
   Using advanced GIS tools and ecological databases, help homeowners identify the natural ecosystem of their property (such as riparian, prairie, oak savanna, or coastal sage scrub) based on their address. This knowledge forms the foundation of the restoration plan.
2. AI-Powered Landscape Planning:
   Using AI-assisted design software, generate custom yard plans that combine beauty, function, and ecological integrity. These plans include native plants that thrive in the identified ecosystem, arranged in attractive and low-maintenance layouts tailored to the homeowner’s preferences.
3. Native Plants for Sale:
   Once the plan is finalized, customers can order all the native plants they need directly from your nursery — ensuring species accuracy, local provenance, and high-quality, pesticide-free stock.
4. Onsite Restoration Support:
   For homeowners who need extra help, offer a trained ecological landscaping team to provide onsite consultations, non-native (especially invasive) plant removal, soil prep, installation, and maintenance services to ensure a successful restoration and the long-term health of the ecosystem.

Why This Matters: Biodiversity Benefits

• Supports native pollinators, butterflies, and birds that depend on local plants for food and shelter
• Improves soil health and fosters resilient mycorrhizal networks
• Reduces reliance on water, fertilizers, and pesticides
• Eliminates invasive species and restores balance to urban/suburban landscapes
• Creates habitat corridors that help wildlife survive and move safely through developed areas

Resources to Help Launch a "Really Native Nursery"

• USGS National Map Viewer: Offers various topographic and ecological layers, including hydrology and vegetation types.
• EPA EnviroAtlas Interactive Map: Offers ecosystem services, land cover, habitat, and other environmental data by location.
• LANDFIRE Viewer: Shows ecological systems and vegetation types across the U.S., great for restoration planning.
• Calflora (California-specific): For California properties, Calflora includes tools like their “What Grows Here?” and observation maps to determine native species by ecosystem and microclimate.
• NatureServe Ecological Systems Explorer: A tool for identifying ecosystems by location
• NWF Native Plant Finder: Find plants by ZIP code that support local wildlife
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Plant databases and region-specific guidance
• Homegrown National Park: Inspiration and education for rewilding your yard
• National Geographic – Ecosystem Overview: Clear explanations and visuals of ecosystems.
• Bioregions: Explore bioregions around the world.
• NatureServe – Terrestrial Ecological Systems: In-depth profiles of ecosystem types.
• Land F/X: Professional landscape design software with smart tools for planting plans, irrigation, and native plant integration.
• Autodesk Landscape Design: A suite of powerful CAD and 3D modeling tools (including AutoCAD and Revit) used by landscape architects to design sustainable outdoor spaces.
• Pro Landscape: Intuitive design software made for landscapers and garden designers, offering photo imaging, CAD, and 3D visualization features.
• Native Seed Network: A searchable database of native seed suppliers focused on ecological restoration and conservation.
• PlantNative.org – Nursery Directory: A nationwide directory of nurseries that grow and sell native plants for ecological landscaping.
• North Creek Nurseries – Wholesale provider with a native plant focus
• Larner Seeds: Dedicated to California native seed and plant restoration
• Garden for Wildlife: backyard Certified Wildlife Habitat certification program by the National Wildlife Federation to support native wildlife
• We Are the ARK: offers support for returning gardens to their true nature through Acts of Restorative Kindness
• Homegrown National Park: Support for planting native plants and rebuilding ecosystems
• Ecological Landscape Alliance: Professional resources and education

Examples of Similar Nurseries & Initiatives

• Prairie Nursery: Specializing in native Midwest plants and restoration services
• WRA Restoration Landscaping: A licensed contracting business specializing in sustainable landscaping, ecological restoration, and open land management solutions.
• Restorative Landscape Design: Founded by a Denver-based permaculture designer with a passion for landscaping with native plants.
• Monarch Waystation Program: Encouraging creation of milkweed and nectar plant habitats

A really native nursery helps to bring local land back to life - one yard at a time! And it helps to restore homeowners' bond with the natural environment.