A Yard in Every Yard

What is “A Yard in Every Yard?”
Creating a pathway for pollinators across Mount Horeb, WI by planting beautiful 3’ x 3’ native gardens in every yard

Why should I participate?

1 out of every 3 bites of food you eat depend on pollinators! If you want butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, songbirds, and bumblebees (the dopey, friendly guys – not the wasps that sting!), this is the project for you.

It’s good for you, good for the environment, and fun.

How long will this take?

About 10 minutes of effort in the summer, and about 15 minutes of effort in the fall.

How do I participate?

STEP 1 – Pick a spot in your yard that gets sun for most of the day.

Any type of dirt will do – no need to add compost. Consider the strip between sidewalk and street, around your mailbox, or close to your veggie garden.

STEP 2 – Stake down your plastic bag on top of the grass

Use one stake in each corner and one on each side. Forget about it for the rest of the summer!

Take a photo and tag #yardineveryard on Instagram or email it to us and let us know where you are putting your patch. 

We will add it to our map! (We won’t share your name or specific address on the map unless you ask us to.)  

STEP 3 – After Thanksgiving, put down your seeds

Pull up and discard your black plastic and stakes (or save them for next year!). Rake the dead grass over to one side. Distribute seeds from your packet evenly. Spread the dead grass back over the top of your seeds. Stomp all over your plot to get the seeds pressed against the soil. Leave it uncovered for the rest of the winter.

STEP 4 – Next spring and summer

Watch for sprouts! Check the “pull this, not that” updates for tips on what to weed out. 

Water occasionally if it gets really dry. 

If you spray your lawn or put down weed-n-feed, cover your plot with a plastic bag first!

STEP 5 – Be patient and stay in touch!

A native garden can take up to 3 years to really get going. For the first year (or two!) it may look like nothing is happening, but it will grow. Native plants grow slowly because their roots go really deep. The first year (2027), they look like little sprouts. The second year (2028) they are bigger and some will start to put up flowers. The third year (2029), they will be full size!

Check the Yard in Every Yard pilot plots in Grundhal, Sunrise, Waltz, Liberty, Viking and Station parks to see how your plots will look next year, or visit our website. Take photos along the way and tag #yardineveryyard to show us your sprouts! We will be cheering for you and giving tips. 

But, I don’t want to be patient! I want flowers this summer!

Awesome! You can purchase already-started flowers at your local garden center. Here are some to look for:

• Anise Hyssop (Agastache Foeniculum)
• Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba)
• Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
• Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)
• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
• Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum leave)
• Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
• Wild Bergamot or Bee Balm (Mondara fistulosa)

Keep them well watered for the first year, and you will have a jump-start on your prairie garden. And you can always put down seeds AND plant already started flowers in the same patch.  

Yard in Every Yard starter kits with information, a plastic bag, and seeds are available at Isaacs, Jangle, and Open House Imports.