Helpful Resources
We do love beautiful plants. But most of what is available in the commercial trade is not only of little ecological value, many are invasive and take up important, vanishing space that natives could be using.
What native plants can substitute for some of our favorite ornamentals?
These lists were reproduced by permission of Bill Fontenot from his book, Native Gardening in the South, which we sell in our online store and at our monthly meetings.
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Local Resources
These local providers of plants and services have accepted our invitation to be listed here. Contact us if you would like to post your services here.
Local Services
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Bill Fontenot (337 852 5576) or is available for design consultation for projects big and small.
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Jackie Carlisi offers design and installation services in the Lafayette area. Call (337 277 0027) for a consultation!
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Steve the Native Ninja can help you if you're interested in environmentally friendly landscaping, pollinator beds, pocket prairies, and butterfly gardens (337 278 9068, native_ninja2020@yahoo.com).
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Katie Kogler at Let It Bee Landscaping can help with habitat creation and maintenance in yards and small prairies around Baton Rouge and Prairieville. She works closely with local native seed and plant sources to incorporate into designs that work with you and the natural world. Call (225) 284 5167 to schedule a consultation for your property.
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Contact Steve Nevitt at nevittii@gmail.com or visit his website (www.LouisianaNativeSeed.com) to ask questions about establishment or management of prairies to request consultation or to inquire about custom seed mixes.
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Matthew Boutte, the owner of Boutte Landscapes, is a licensed horticulturalist and native plant specialist offering landscape designs, both natural and formal, gardens for pollinators and birds, maintenance, revamp and new installations. Free quotes. 337 258 7019. bouttelandscapes@gmail.com
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RouxGaroux Gardens, contact Ben Besson, 337 280 8157
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Willow Grove Landscape, contact Benton Williams, 985 646 9388; williams@willowgrovelandscape.com
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Dionne D'Mello Ddmello@NOCP.org
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Ground Up Landscaping Services, LLC, www.groundupnola.com, 504 327 7341
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Swamp Fly Ecological Designs and Rewilding Solutions is a woman-owned environmental firm offering consultation design installation and maintenance services serving the Baton Rouge (225 610 3490), and New Orleans (584 475 4740) areas.
More Native Plant sources
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Gail's Native Garden, located north of Breaux Bridge, is a new source for native plants. Text or call Gail for a visit or ask about current inventory 979 877 4186.
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L. J. Delcambre at Cajun Native Plants Nursery in Abbeville is specializing in native plants for sale by appointment. L. J. does offer some non-natives and will help you with your landscaping, butterfly garden, and pollinator bed designs. Call 337 256 7152 to schedule.
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Robby Maxwell at Soggy Prairie Stalks and Seeds in Iowa propagates many prairie species. His list is here. Message on facebook or email robjamax@gmail.com.
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The Urban Naturalist (open 24/7, 216 Madison Street, Lafayette) for Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon tenuis), Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea), Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella), rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) and other natives.
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Baton Rouge: Clegg's Nursery and Hilltop Arboretum. Greenhand Nursery. Andeab and Mila Berhane are regular vendors at Red Stick Farmer’s Market. Mila: 225 278 1689. greenhand@cox.net, Greenhand Nursery on Facebook
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Almost Eden Plants online carry more native plant species than most traditional nurseries.
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Betty and L. J. Miley at Maypop Hill Nursery Norwood, Louisiana. Open by appointment only, visit maypophill.com.
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Lastrapes Nursery in Opelousas carries a variety of native trees and shrubs including cypress, oaks, maples, magnolias, beautyberry, and Virginia sweetspire (Itea).
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Eric Scallan of Scallan's Tree Company in Plaucheville has bare root and larger seedlings of native oaks, baldcypress, cedar elm, mayhaw and others. The seeds for all trees were collected locally! Bare root trees are available until mid March and potted trees until April. By appointment only. 318 481 1041. 198 Eric's Lane, Plaucheville LA 71362.
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Louisiana Iris Farms, LLC offers native Louisiana irises (the straight species), registered species of Louisiana irises, and Louisiana irises by color. Contact James Leonard at 337 232 0823 or visit the website at louisianairis.com
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Some other nurseries carry some popular natives. Ask for them! If you're finding native species in your local garden centers, let us know! If you or someone you know has local ecotypes of native plants available for sale, email Dona Weifenbach at marshgirl64@gmail.com to see if we have space for you at our next plant sale.
Learn more
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Greauxnative.org is a treasury of good information, as is Wild Ones, Audubon's Plants for Birds, http://www.bonap.org/, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Louisiana Native Plant Society and https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/.
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Want to learn to ID plants? Get on Dr. Charles Allen's email list and class schedule by emailing native@camtel.net or visit https://www.allenacresbandb.com/.
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Betty Miley has produced Putting Nature First on your Southern Land, a free online book.
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We also recommend Bill Fontenot's Native Gardening in the South (for sale at our greenhouse, at every meeting or email us at mail@greauxnative.org, or order from Bill directly, 337 852 5576)
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We recommend Douglas Tallamy's Bringing Nature Home, Nature's Best Hope and The Nature of Oaks for your library.
Books, Blogs, and Organizations
Here are some of our most helpful reads and favorite friends!
Click each image to read more about the resource.