NANPS Garden Award Background

We want to hear about your native plant project and what makes it special…to discover what wonderful and interesting things you are doing that support native plant habitats in small gardens or large restoration projects across the continent. To share and celebrate these efforts, NANPS has created the Native Plant Garden Award.

What NANPS wants to celebrate:

NANPS is looking to celebrate a member’s project that best reflect NANPS’s mandate to study, conserve, cultivate and restore North America’s native flora.

Using this principle as a guideline, submissions should address:

  • Plant communities and habitat creation. Good plant combinations are more than just aesthetically pleasing…they provide continuity and sustainability for a host of organisms throughout their life-cycles. If the plant combinations in your project mimic natural plant communities found in your area…tell us! Plants form the basis of habitat and we hope to learn how your project reflects that.
  • Suitability. It is important that your planting fits into its location or environment. As well, this construction should not disrupt or destroy other environments (eg. The obtaining of materials from a natural area, such as rocks from an escarpment or alvar, in order to recreate a similar area in your backyard).
  • Diversity. Does your creation offer a range of species or habitats?
  • Genetic Provenance. A native plant is only truly native when obtained from locally originating stock. While a species be native to your area, if the parent plant originated more than 200 km from your location, slight differences in genetic makeup may make it an unsuitable choice for your garden and may weaken gene pools of nearby wild stock.
  • Ethics. Seeds and plants are ethically obtained (ie. Plants are not dug from the wild unless via a plant rescue).
  • Aesthetics. Community and neighbourhood acceptance of native plants is key to their long term survival. Your project should attempt to project a positive image of indigenous species. It might even serve as a “demonstration garden”, reflecting possibilities for the integration of native species back into your piece of the planet.

What NANPS will do with your submission:

NANPS will review all submissions and, where feasible, arrange a site visit.

Please submit nominations to info@nanps.org by July 31.

Photos and descriptions of the best entries will be posted on NANPS website and in the Blazing Star. How often or how many entries will be posted will depend on the quantity and quality of your submissions.

Award recognition will include a garden plaque, certificate, and pewter NANPS logo pin.

Official recognition and the presentation of the certificate and plaque will be made at NANPS Annual General Meeting.

Please note:

Submissions, including photos / other documentation, will not be returned.

Submitter must either own or have written permission of the owner to enter.

Submitter confirms that the information sent in is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge.

Submissions become the property of NANPS and may be used in its website or other publications.

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