STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Warmer weather, which we're certainly having in Washington, D.C., generally means more time spent outside. And for some, that time is spent in the yard, which may look a little sad with patchy grass or weeds. Ecologist Doug Tallamy thinks yards can become little national parks, lush with beautiful plants.
DOUG TALLAMY: I think it because I've seen it happen. It's happening right at our house.
INSKEEP: Tallamy is the co-founder of Homegrown National Parks (ph). That's an organization that encourages people to grow native plants in their yards. He says his home in Delaware is a prime example.
TALLAMY: I started with oak trees because there was a white oak down the street that had dropped a bunch of acorns. And we really had pretty much a blank slate, so I just grabbed those acorns and stuck them in the ground. Didn't cost a thing.
INSKEEP: And he got some additional help from the neighbors.
TALLAMY: There are blue jays bringing in acorns and beechnuts. There are gray squirrels and red squirrels and ants and all kinds of wildlife moving seeds around all the time.
INSKEEP: Not sure I'm thrilled about the ants, but the yard is thriving and making a home for the birds.
TALLAMY: I've been counting the number of birds that have bred on our property. We're up to 62 now.
INSKEEP: Tallamy says there are plenty of resources to help you figure out what to bring in.
TALLAMY: You can find out what the best plants are for the county you live in by going to a National Wildlife Federation website called Native Plant Finder and putting in your ZIP code. So you don't have to guess. Now you know what they are.
INSKEEP: Native plants can also be cost effective.
TALLAMY: You don't need fertilizer. You don't need extra water after they're established. And in the long run, that's environmentally much, much better. And yes, it will save you money.
INSKEEP: So I've actually looked up this website. It is interesting. In my ZIP code, you can get goldenrods, strawberries, sunflowers, Joe-Pye weeds, violets. Although, in my yard, I'm more likely to just go for three-leaf clovers and plain old weeds. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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