Native Plants

Awareness & Understanding

Have you ever noticed how many plants in Salt Lake City yards and parks come from far away places? Non-native plants can crowd out the wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses that Utah wildlife depends on for food and shelter. In this first step, you will explore what "native plant" means and why it matters right here in the Salt Lake Valley. Visit the Utah Native Plant Society website at unps.org to browse photos and learn which plants belong here naturally. Take a walk around your neighborhood and notice what you see growing. Write down three plants you spot and wonder whether they are native or introduced. You are ready for the next step when you can name at least two reasons why native plants matter for local birds, bees, or other wildlife.

Research & Investigation

Now it is time to dig deeper and find out which native plants would actually thrive in your yard or community space. The Utah State University Extension offers free guides at extension.usu.edu that cover plants suited to the Wasatch Front climate, soil types, and water needs. The Red Butte Garden at the University of Utah also has a free native plant list on their website. Look up your neighborhood's sun exposure and soil conditions — is it sandy, clay-heavy, or somewhere in between? Make a list of five native plants that match your site conditions. Note their bloom times so you can plan for pollinators all season long. You are ready for the next step when you can explain why each plant on your list fits your specific yard or space conditions.

Planning & Preparation

Planning is where your native plant garden starts to feel real. Sketch a simple map of the space you want to plant — it does not have to be perfect, just useful. Mark where the sun hits longest, where water tends to pool, and any existing plants you want to keep. Decide how many plants you can realistically buy, grow from seed, or get through a plant swap. The Wasatch Community Gardens organization in Salt Lake City sometimes offers native plant starts and workshops — check their calendar at wasatchgardens.org. Write out a planting schedule that matches each plant to the right season. Gather your tools: gloves, a hand trowel, and a watering can are enough to start. You are ready for the next step when you have a sketch, a plant list, and a planting schedule ready to follow.

Taking Action

This is the step where your hands go in the dirt. Prepare your planting area by removing any weeds or invasive plants first — do not just cut them, pull the roots if you can. Follow the planting instructions for each native species, paying attention to spacing so plants have room to spread. Water deeply right after planting and then follow a smart watering schedule: most Utah native plants need less water once they are established, which saves money and helps the watershed. Take photos of your new plants on planting day so you can track their growth. Share your progress with a neighbor or post a photo to a community board. You are ready for the next step when your plants are in the ground, watered, and you have a plan to check on them weekly.

Leadership & Expansion

You have grown from curious beginner to someone with real native plant experience — now it is time to lead. Organize a neighborhood plant swap where you bring divisions or seedlings from your garden and invite others to do the same. Connect with the Utah Native Plant Society to volunteer at a restoration event in the Wasatch foothills or Jordan River corridor. Teach one friend or family member how to identify a common Utah native like Gambel oak, sagebrush, or scarlet gilia. Create a simple one-page guide with photos you have taken and share it digitally or print copies for your community center or library. You are ready for the next step when you have shared what you know with at least one other person and taken a leadership role in a planting or restoration activity.

Impact & Reflection

Look back at where you started and measure how far your patch of Utah has come. Count how many native plants you established and estimate the square footage of habitat you created or improved. Document what worked and what you would do differently — this reflection is valuable for your next project and for others who want to follow your lead. Write a short post for a neighborhood app like Nextdoor or a community Facebook group describing what you planted and what you noticed about wildlife visiting your garden. Submit your project photos to the Utah Native Plant Society or Red Butte Garden for their community gallery. Your restored corner of the Salt Lake Valley is now a small but real part of a healthier ecosystem. You are ready for the next step when you have documented your results and shared them publicly in at least one place.