Swap in native plants

A spring garden swap is gaining traction in Massachusetts: replace some familiar ornamentals with native plants that feed local bees, butterflies, and birds. (wgbh.org) Gardener Elise Howard made that case on GBH’s April 20, 2026 story on sustainable spring planting, urging homeowners to choose plants adapted to local conditions instead of default nursery staples. Howard’s new book, *Plant This, Not That*, was published March 3, 2026 by Workman. (wgbh.org) (hachettebookgroup.com) The pitch lines up with a broader state campaign. Massachusetts’ Growing Wild program says residents can help by planting native species, reducing pesticide use, and adopting more eco-friendly landscape practices. (mass.gov) Native plants are not just flowers with local ZIP codes. Mass Audubon says they support pollinators and “the entire local food chain,” because many insects can eat only native plants as larvae and many birds rely on those insects to raise young. (massaudubon.org) That matters in a region where pollinators are specialized. WBUR reported that New England has more than 350 bee species, and said up to 45% of native bees evolved to collect pollen only from certain plants. (wbur.org) For homeowners, the change can be small and specific. UMass Amherst highlights Massachusetts-friendly natives such as wild geranium, which blooms in April and May, and butterfly weed, a milkweed that flowers from June through August and feeds monarch caterpillars. (umass.edu) Mass Audubon’s starter lists add other New England natives that garden centers increasingly carry, including clustered mountain mint, cardinal flower, New England aster, goldenrods, and lowbush blueberry. (massaudubon.org) The advice extends beyond what to plant. UMass Amherst said in its November 2025 Hort Notes that leaf litter is an important overwintering habitat for bees, butterflies, native flies, and wasps, and even a small area left alone from November through April can help. (umass.edu) National groups give similar guidance. The Xerces Society says leaves a couple of inches thick can mimic natural habitat for overwintering invertebrates, and Pollinator Partnership offers ZIP-code-based planting guides so gardeners can match species to their ecoregion. (xerces.org) (pollinator.org) The result is less a garden makeover than a series of swaps: fewer imported ornamentals, fewer chemicals, and a little more room for leaves and stems to do their work. In Massachusetts this spring, that is increasingly being framed as yard care and habitat restoration at the same time. (mass.gov) (wgbh.org)