Michigan State University’s Beal Botanical Garden holds the prestigious title of being the oldest continuously operated university botanical garden in the United States. It is the first and only garden in Michigan accredited by Botanic Gardens Conservation International. But many aspects of what makes this beloved space in the heart of campus a globally recognized model of species conservation are things that you can do in your own backyard.

Here, experts from Beal share their top tips for a beautiful, sustainable yard and garden — because even the smallest green spaces are part of the larger ecosystem that we all share.

Tip 1: Plant local with native species

by Collections Manager Katie Fry

Michigan has an abundance of native flowers, grasses, trees, shrubs and more! By embracing our state’s native plant diversity in your home gardens, you’re not only supporting our local ecosystem’s animals and crucial pollinators, but you’re also increasing local climate resilience! They are adapted to the environmental extremes of our region and evolved to withstand the changing weather the Midwest is known for. They’re also good for your wallet. Native plants are adapted to a region’s climate and require less maintenance, less water and no fertilizer, which saves you time and money. They are naturally pest resistant, reducing the need for harmful pesticides.

Beal Botanical Garden’s rewilding initiative supports incorporating more Great Lakes native plants into our collections, supporting our local biodiversity. Some of our favorite native plants are butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) and sand coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata).

Tip 2: Out with invasive species

by Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator Carolyn Miller

Invasive species are something we actively tackle within the garden and throughout MSU’s campus. Invasive plants spread aggressively, outcompeting our crucial native plants. Our location along the Red Cedar River means Beal staff have to pay special attention to which plants are in our collections. The garden actively evaluates the species in our garden to prevent the spread of unwanted seeds downstream.

To help your own community, you can learn how to identify common invasive plants such as dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis), common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and how to remove them from your own yard. And if you want to come help out here at Beal and see some of these invasives up close so you can better identify them at home, you can join us for one of our Campus Natural Area workdays, where we remove and treat invasive plants in our natural areas.

Tip 3: Work with your environment

by Director Alan Prather

Beal Botanical Garden believes in working with the landscape, not against it. Part of this means choosing the right plants for the right place. For example, Beal is in a naturally wet area. By choosing water-loving plants and incorporating more water features and wetland habitats into the garden, we help address saturated ground and standing water issues.

You can take this idea and apply it to your own yard, too. Choosing plants that are more suited to your environment reduces fertilizer and herbicide usage, watering costs, and maintenance. You can always order an affordable test to learn more about your soil but, in general, remember to think of native plants that belong in this area. Also think about native groundcover plants like wild strawberry, wild geranium and native violets as great lawn alternatives that are more adaptable to the Great Lakes region. In other words, leave the turfgrass on the stadium and the clover in your yard. Working with your environment sets your garden up for success.

Tip 4: Leave some leaves

by Lead Horticulturist Bethany Troy

Before you buy even more lawn bags for your yard waste, consider the ways in which some of those leaves might actually be helpful to both the health of your garden and to the local ecosystem! At Beal Botanical Garden, we add leaves or leaf mulch to our garden beds to help enrich the soil. They even prevent frost damage and suppress weeds, which is great for our perennial plants. Leaves are natural habitats and important insulation for the animals and insects that hide within them or the soil beneath them. And because we rely on our pollinators, the leaves also help our native bees who use them for nesting material.

Consider leaving the leaves in your garden beds. You’ll save yourself some work and create some quality natural habitat.

Tip 5: Go electric!

by Community and Sustainability Coordinator Angelica Bajos

At Beal Botanical Garden, we were recently able to transition most of our garden maintenance tools from gas-powered to electric, thanks to generous gifts we received for Earth Day. Using electric tools, both for the garden and for your own homes, means no emissions from gasoline and no last-minute running to the gas station for fuel! They also require less messy maintenance and winterizing, so we can put them away for the season, and they’ll be ready to run again in the spring.

Electric tools also mean a quieter, more restful environment for our visitors. Whether you’re enjoying your own garden at home or your home-away-from-home in the heart of MSU’s campus, you deserve a tranquil experience.

By Jennifer Hunnell