If you’re gardening with native plants I think it’s essential to observe these species in their native habitats among their interconnected communities. It’s inspiring and way more educational than simply reading about it. If you’re lucky enough to find a virgin remnant that would be the first place to start rather than a reconstructed restoration. Last weekend I visited two of the rarest ecosystems on the planet - a Black Oak Savanna and a Black Soil Prairie. Both are in northwest Indiana. These photos are from The Nature Conservancy’s Hoosier Prairie (the highlight is the savanna portion), Miller Woods in the Indiana Dunes National Park and Shirley Heinze Land Conservancy’s Cressmoor Prairie. Both of these ecosystems are like rivers, you can never step in the same one twice! It’s like a symphony of successional blooms. Also, the sounds of the insects and the Finches was better than any human constructed sound IMO. #choosenativeplants #blackoaksavannah #thenatureconservancy