Sacred Grounds Project

Why Plant Native

Enjoy a Beautiful Landscape

The many textures, colors and habits of native plants can be combined in attractive designs. Choose a natural-looking or more formal style. Once established, native plants reduce the time and money on landscape maintenance.

Preserve Maryland’s Biodiversity

Many native bees provide their nests with pollen from flowering native plants, while butterflies and moths eat native species at the larval stage. Birds rely on an abundance of caterpillars from butterflies and moths to feed their young. Going native supports this whole food web.

Improve Water Quality and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Conventional gardens often employ fertilizers, pesticides, supplemental water and fossil-fuel-using machinery – resulting in poor soil health, erosion and polluted storm water runoff. In addition to supporting the whole food web, native plants require less maintenance and can be used to filter storm water runoff. In this way, streams and rivers will be cleaner.

You Can Make a Difference

Private residential property makes up approximately one-third of the urban landscape and studies show that the impact of wildlife gardening is substantial.
In 1972, US Forest Service researchers published results of the “Backyard Project,” a study showing that the tools wildlife managers use to support wildlife (providing food, water, cover, and places to raise young) also work on a smaller scale in backyards by homeowners,
Research was conducted as part of an ambitious four-year study American Residential Macrosystem: Yard Futures, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Preliminary results from this ongoing nationwide study show that yards containing wildlife-friendly native plants in large metropolitan areas collectively draw more species of birds and other wildlife than traditional lawns. Watch a presentation of this research on the National Wildlife Federation web site Garden-for-Wildlife
We need more wildlife-friendly yards to create the amount of habitat necessary to support most of our threatened native wildlife. Read the “Landscaping Ideas”, below, for resources and inspiration for your garden.
Read about Attracting birds to your garden

About Sacred Grounds Project

The Sacred Grounds project, facilitated by the National Wildlife Federation, promotes planting native plants at home and at places of worship. Oseh Butterly pollinating purple flowers Shalom is participating in the second year of the project. This program aims to educate faith communities about the importance of, and how to care for, our local waterways and environment by planting native plants. NWF secured a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Prince George’s County to conduct this project.

Studies prove that adding native plants to our Oseh Shalom campus and our homes helps local waterways and wildlife and reduces lawn maintenance. Native plants need less care because they are more resilient. Native plants reduce storm water runoff and improve the quality and quantity of water heading to the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Native plants also provide food for birds and butterflies.

We encourage everyone to plant native plants at Oseh Shalom and in their personal spaces, home, yard, or containers. Together, by caring for creation, Sacred Grounds will enable us to ensure our children and our community have a clean and safe environment well into the future.

Contact Sue Burger or Linda Solomon at sacred.grounds@oseh-shalom.org if you have any questions.

Pledge to Plant Native

We want you to fill out the form to Pledge to Plant Native.

The 2025 Native Planting Hope plant-giveaway is just beginning. We hope our wonderful Oseh Shalom community, neighbors, extended family and friends will pledged again to plant more native plants at home.

The 2025 Spring Plant Giveaway is Sunday, May 4, 2025. We need volunteers to help with garden maintenance tasks, also.

54 Pledges as of May 4, 2025

Events and Learning Opportunities

Native Plant Sign for sale, $10. Contact sacred.grounds@oseh-shalom.org to purchase a sign. Pay using this form
April 6, 2025 – Build a Vibrant Garden, 10 AM to 11 AM
- Join the conversation as Sacred Grounds hosts Jimmy Rogers, Native Gardener and Owner of Vibrant Gardening LLC, as part of OSRS Good Deeds Day. Learn how to design an easy and beautiful native plant garden.
- Register to attend and submit questions
April 9, 2025 – NWF How to Garden Virtual Workshop, 7 PM to 8:30 PM
- Garden design, plant selection, garden preparation, how to plant, care, maintenance
May 4, 2025 – NWF Planting Hope: pick up native plants, 9 AM to 11 AM
- Plant pickup day for Startup kits; Oseh garden maintenance
- You can Pledge to Plant Native

Landscaping Ideas

Interested in planting a Maryland Native tree? Plant one of these native trees:

Red Bud Tree in bloom

White Oak
Black Cherry
Red Bud
Dogwood
Serviceberry
Willow Oak
Maryland Government Tree List
U of MD recommended native plants and trees
MD Dept of Natural Resources Recommended Tree list

Interested in Planting Maryland native perennial flowers? Plant one of these native plants:

Goldenrod
Asters
Milkweed
Cone Flowers
Sun Flowers (Helianthus)
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium)
Black Eyed Susan
Wild Flowers in Focus
Deer resistant plants: Maryland Extension

More Resources that list Maryland Native Flowers, Shrubs and Trees

Maryland Native Plant Society publishes Landscaping with Native Plants
US Fish and Wildlife Service publishes Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping
Maryland Native Plants
NWF Garden for Wildlife
NWF native plant finder
And more

Gardening Design ideas:

Creating a wildlife garden that neighbors will like
Live Green Howard pollinator garden templates and resources
Live Green Howard landscaping
Native Plant Pollinator Garden Templates
Montgomery County landscape design Templates
NWF Wildlife Garden Design
Rain Gardens
- NWF Storm water Guidance
- Design a Rain Garden
- Howard County Rain Garden via CleanScapes | Howard County Storm water (cleanwaterhoward.com)
- Montgomery County Rainscapes (click “Rewards Rebates” under “Get Started” for
  homes and “Congregations” under “RainScapes Communities” for congregations)
  The RainScapes Rewards Rebate Program of Montgomery County, MD offers rebates to property owners
  and faith communities who install RainScapes techniques such as rain gardens, rain barrels,
  conservation landscaping and other approved projects that help control storm water. Rebates
- Prince George’s County Rain Check program for homes & for congregations
  The Rain Check Rebate Program of Prince George’s County, MD offers rebate incentives to homeowners,
  businesses, and others to install practices that will improve storm water runoff quality, reduce pollution,
  and improve local stream and river health
Labeling plants:
- The importance of labeling native plants
- Do it yourself plant labels

Learn More/Resources

Garden path with Native plants

On the Web

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Sacred Grounds Program
- NWF Sacred Grounds Garden-for-Wildlife
- NWF work and programs
Laurel For the Patuxent promotes environmental stewardship in Laurel, MD.
University of MD Extension—Native Plants
Howard County:
- Rebate to install a Rain Garden via CleanScapes | Howard County Stormwater (cleanwaterhoward.com)
- Lauren’s Nursery supports CleanScapes
- LiveGreen Tree Programs provides free trees.
- LiveGreen Howard County – Planting Natives
Maryland Native Plant Society
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Patuxent Wildlife Refuge
Audubon Native Plants Database (search by zip code!)
Chesapeake Natives, Inc.
Here is the Homegrown National Park map An interactive map that shows where native pollinator-friendly planting is happening.

Videos

“Yes, You CAN Make a Difference Planting Natives 2023”. View the presentation on YouTube here.
“Why Plant Native Webinar 2022” hosted by the NWF. View the video on YouTube
“How-to Plan Native Webinar 2022” hosted by the NWF. View the recording here
View You Built It and They Came: The Science Supporting Your Wildlife Habitat Garden

Facebook:

Petitions:

Petition Brookside Gardens to eliminate invasive species

Local Native Plant Nurseries

Let us know about other Nurseries promoting native plants. Thanks, in advance.

List of Maryland Nurseries selling native plants (from MD Native Plant Society)
NWF sells native plants Garden for Wildlife
Howard County
Montgomery County
- Stadler’s Nursery
- White’s Nursery
Prince George’s County
- Chesapeake Natives, Inc
- Ecoasis Garden Center
- Patuxent Nursery – Bowie, MD;
Washington, D.C.
- Izel Plants

Caring for Creation: Bird Houses and Bird Feeders

Video: How to attract Birds to Your Yard
Learn about hummingbirds and how to attract them to your yard: hummingbirds
Backyard Naturalist – The Backyard Naturalist is a store located in Olney. They specialize in encouraging the public to put out proper bird feeders and houses that support birds.

- https://thebackyardnaturalist.com/wordpress/
- How to support birds in our backyards: https://thebackyardnaturalist.com/wordpress/backyard-habitat-birds/
- Bird houses: https://thebackyardnaturalist.com/wordpress/portfolio-items/wild-bird-houses-2/
Bottle Store Bird Feeders and Tips: https://www.bottlestore.com/make-your-own-plastic-bottle-bird-feeder
The Cornell Lab https://feederwatch.org/learn/feeding-birds/
Lowes – Bird Feeders, Food, and Care https://www.lowes.com/n/how-to/bird-watch-build-a-bird-feeder
Feeder Watch https://feederwatch.org/learn/feeding-birds/