Native Plant Sale | Lake County Forest Preserves

Visitors browsing the native plant sale inventory under a pavilion shelter

Check back in early March for details about the 2025 Native Plant Sale.

NPS-EducationPrograms

Education Programs

Interested in expanding your knowledge about native plants? Attend one of our programs today!

Why Plant Native Species?

You can choose from a variety of native ferns, flowers, herbaceous plants, shrubs or woody plants suited to almost any property. Native plants are beautiful, less expensive, easy to maintain and beneficial to the environment. They thrive in Illinois yards and gardens.

No need for fertilizers, pesticides, or water and lawn maintenance equipment.
Native flowering species provide abundant nectar and attract wildlife such as songbirds, butterflies, chipmunks and beneficial insects.
For species information and photos, visit Illinois Wildflowers, Possibility Place Nursery, USDA Plants Database, or the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Browse our native landscaping resources

Conservation@Home

The Chicago region’s popular, eco-friendly lawn and garden program is available in Lake County. If you’re looking for tips to get started with native landscaping, Openlands can assess your property and offer advice. Some fees apply.

LAKE COUNTY SEED COLLECTION GUIDE

Produced by Kelly Schultz and Dale Shields

Photography by Dale Shields

Collecting native seeds is fun! The Lake County Seed Collection Guide is an illustrated guide for seed collectors throughout the Chicago region. The book provides color photographs and descriptions of nearly 600 species of plants in seed, organized by season, habitat and growth form. The guide was designed and written for anyone to pick up and enjoy.

View a snapshot of 60 species to the right as you prepare for the Native Plant Sale.

Proceeds from sales benefit the Forest Preserves’ volunteer program.

View the Guide Purchase a Guide