More Nature. Now. Dear PiW Community, 2020 has just come to an end. I wanted to give that sentence space to represent the pause I take just thinking about what a year it was. 2020 brought us the pandemic of course, but it brought us outdoors too, with a 66% increase in the number of people finding refuge in nature. We had wildfires on the West Coast (and Australia) and the warmest year on record. But the $226 billion New York State pension fund is divesting from fossil fuel companies, signifying oil’s winding down and the winding up of clean energy. And we have our first woman of c ..read more

   A Time for Reflection and Gratitude ? Dear Members of the PLAN it WILD Family, We at PLAN it WILD can feel the change and electricity in the air as we enter a new era of equity, respect, and appreciation for each other and the diversity of our nation. For this, and so much more, we are grateful. We are grateful for first responders and health care workers, and for all those who have helped and supported someone who has been sick or isolated with covid. We are grateful for nature which has taken on a significant role during the pandemic. Our yards have provided a safe refuge to be ..read more

 PLAN it WILD is proud to be named Best of the Hudson Valley 2020 Way to Create a Native Garden!    Thanks to Hudson Valley Magazine for this honor and your support! Click on the link here to check out all of the winners!  ..read more

  Get ready for GROWTH in the New Year ? Dear Members of the PLAN it WILD Family, Fall is here bringing breathtaking, vibrant foliage and the scent of falling leaves. It's the perfect time for a seasonal install and to get your yard in order for the winter. Quick question: Do you know when the best time is to plant natives so they can thrive next year? NOW! PLAN it WILD is here to make this happen. We will identify an area in your yard to create your natural masterpiece, bringing back native habitat and its incredible biodiversity. Check out our sample pricing, then book a free site visit ..read more

Bedford 2030 hosted a highly engaging and educational Dig In virtual gardening series this past year, and Plan it Wild’s Amanda Bayley and David Baker go over how to put your garden to sleep this fall. Learn how to manage the fall leaves and prepare the garden for winter in the most environmentally conscious way. Watch the 5-minute video here ..read more

The video of our lawn to meadow virtual rewilding event is now available! On September 16th, 2020 PLAN it WILD hosted a virtual backyard meadow conversion event at the Bedford, NY home of Murray Fisher (founder of the Billion Oyster Project and the New York Harbor School). Murray Fisher first lead us through his meadow, giving us a show and tell of what he’s planted, why he chose certain native plants, as well as identifying pollinators along the way. He then interviewed landscaping experts Amanda Bayley (CEO and co-founder of PLAN it WILD) and Filippine Hoogland of Healthy Yards Westchester ..read more

PLAN it WILD’s Director of Horticulture, Missy Fabel, will be teaching a class on Effortless and Evergreen groundcovers at Westchester Community College Native Plant Center’s Back to School with Go Native U program on September 25th from 1:15-2:45pm. Move over pachysandra, myrtle, and mulch. Discover the many native groundcovers that are easy to grow, shunned by deer, and offer year-round interest. Create a living mulch that provides seasonal beauty, is beneficial to wildlife, and moderates soil temperature and moisture. Click here to learn more and to register for the Go Native U ..read more

We are happy to report that Plan it Wild was recently featured in a blog for Redfin, a national real estate website. Check it out here ..read more

  Common Ground Dear Members of the PLAN it WILD Family, I hope that this finds you and your family safe and well! It has been a few months since our last PLAN it WILD Newsletter. We’re all experiencing a bit of the rug being pulled out from under us. The pandemic has changed so much about our lives. Mixed with politics, it seems like things are coming apart. PLAN it WILD sees itself as part of our long and storied American tradition of environmental conservation. Despite the “feel-goodness” and values of our field, it is as tainted by prejudice as other professions and facets of our c ..read more

“Make Your Hudson Valley Garden More Sustainable With Rewilding “ By Melissa Dempsey Croton-on-Hudson’s Plan It Wild restores local lawns to promote biodiversity in the region. Sprawling green yards have long been evocative of a well-kept home or business. But a lush, weed-free lawn requires constant upkeep — mowing, raking, watering, fertilizing — often to the detriment of local ecology; harmful chemicals seep into watersheds, sprinklers use excessive resources, and without local fauna and pollinators, native and invasive plants alike can grow uncontrollably. As studies continue to show the n ..read more