Thanks for visiting our native garden demonstration!

The Village of Libertyville native garden serves as an example of the sustainability and ease of care of native plants. Native plants contribute not only a beautiful landscape year-round, but food and shelter for wildlife, rainwater absorption and flood protection, and low maintenance care beneficial for water conservation and a reduction in pesticides.

We hope our native garden inspires you to add a few native plants to your own.

The native garden is supported by the volunteer efforts of the Sustain Libertyville Commission

Bergamot

Also known as "bee balm," monarda fistulosa, is a member of the mint family. This herbaceous perennial is a favorite of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Characterized by pink-purple flowers, bergamot typically blooms from June to August. You'll find wild bergamot in every region of the continental United States.

Big Leaf Aster

Eurybia macrophylla is a plant accommodating to shady and imperfect soil. While they prefer moisture early in their growing season, they tolerate the dry conditions that characterize the later season. With its clusters of white-rayed flowers, this native can thrive even in dry sand and heavy clay soils!

Butterfly Milkweed


You guessed it - Asclepias tuberosa is a favorite of butterflies! This native serves as a larval host plant for Illinois's state butterfly, the monarch. While butterfly milkweed does best in full sun, it is capable of growing in moderate shade. While the flowers of the milkweed bloomed in mid-summer, these seed pods are getting ready to spawn the next generation of flowers.

Great Blue Lobelia

Also known as Lobelia siphilitica, the blue-violet teardrop flowers of this native is a frequent supplier of nectar to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. These flowers last from late summer to early fall, providing a beautiful vibrant hue as other blooms begin to fade.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

If you're a fan of bouquets, you're familiar with Hydrangea quercifolia! Known for its white cone-shaped flowers, hydrangea bloom in late spring. While the foilage is currently a leathery green hue, it will soon turn to bold shades of purple, red, and bronze. 

Wild Ginger

These heart-shaped leaves are key to identifying Asarum canadense! Found on the eastern half of the country, wild ginger tends to prefer shaded areas. This makes it a perfect addition beneath trees and awnings that would otherwise go bare! Fun fact: ants are carriers of wild ginger seeds and often eat them underground!

Zigzag Goldenrod

What's in a name? With its bold yellow hues and spike of stunning flowers, Solidago flexicaulis serves as a larval host to a number of moths. The pollen from these flowers is transported by visiting pollinators. The flowers of this Goldenrod last well through the fall, often until the first frost, making them a stunning pop of color as the seasons begin to change!