Step into a living demonstration garden on the Parkway.

Outside the Academy of Natural Sciences, a new landscape replaces brick and concrete with vibrant native plants. Created to celebrate Botany of Nations: Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery, this garden brings the exhibition, and the importance of sustainable landscapes, to life.

The plantings for the Parkway garden are a combination of in-ground curb strips adjacent to the sidewalks and roadways, as well as raised beds constructed from curvilinear coir logs. Coir logs are rolls typically used for erosion control. The coir twine netting, made from coconut husk fibers, is absorbent and considered environmentally friendly since the material is fully compostable and biodegradable.

Initiated by the Garden Club of Philadelphia and designed by Forrester Landscape Studio, the space highlights plants native to Northeastern North America. These species support local wildlife, thrive in our climate, and offer simple, sustainable beauty that we can bring to both public and home gardens.

Inspired by the Academy’s Lewis and Clark Herbarium and the deep interconnections between Indigenous communities and plant life, this garden shows how plants shape culture, ecosystems and everyday life.

What are native plants?

Native plants have evolved in specific regions over long periods of time, becoming integral to the local ecology. The plant species in this garden all occur naturally in Northeastern North America, where they have been growing for thousands of years.

While the plants and seeds collected during the Lewis and Clark expedition and described in the Botany of Nations exhibition belong to Plains, Prairie, Columbia Plateau and Pacific Coast ecosystems, Native Plants on the Parkway tells the story of plants that belong to our local mid-Atlantic bioregion, where they have long played important roles in Indigenous communities and support a wide variety of wildlife species, especially pollinators.

Native plants are hearty, beautiful and require little maintenance, making them the perfect choice for every garden.

Why should I grow native plants?

• Native plants support wildlife, including birds and pollinators in all stages of life.
• Native plants help stabilize soil and control erosion, better filtering groundwater and improving the health of our ecosystem.
• Native trees, shrubs, perennials and vines are beautiful, varied and easy to grow, often requiring minimal maintenance and irrigation to look their best.
• Native plants will not become invasive in a landscape.

How can I help?

• When selecting ornamental plants, choose native over exotic species, especially when choosing trees.
• Where possible, reduce areas of lawn and replace with native species.
• Eliminate pesticide and herbicide use, which can harm wildlife that are attracted to native plants.
• Encourage your community to commit to growing native plants

Here are some resources to help you learn more about native plants.

Local Resources

• Mt. Cuba Center
• Jenkins Arboretum
• Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
• Brandywine Conservancy’s Native Garden Hub
• Natural Lands
• Willistown Conservation Trust
• Penn State Extension
• Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
• Choose Native Plants for Philly

National Resources

• Xerces Society
• Homegrown National Park
• National Wildlife Federation
• National Audubon Society
• Pollinator Pathway
• Sierra Club
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Garden for Birds Initiative
• Wild Ones
• Monarch Watch Monarch Waystation Program