​Services

Every square foot of landscape that is planted with native species provides essential ecosystem services for the entire food web. 

Landscape Design

A well designed landscape can greatly increase the curb appeal of your home. Our design process focuses on native plants which support ecological functions to benefit nature. Native Plants provide food and shelter for insects and animals throughout the year, increasing the diversity of insects, birds, butterflies, mammals that will be utilizing your landscape. 
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*We do not provide any hardscape services or lawn care. 

Consultation

Before you begin restoration work on your property, it is always good practice to record the existing conditions. What plants are currently growing on your property? Are there any invasive species present? What birds or bees currently use your landscape? These are questions that can be answered by doing a site survey. Once baselines are established, we can create a Sustainable Land Management Plan to help you set achievable goals and place efforts where they are needed most to be successful.

Land Management

Have a natural area on your property and not sure how to manage it in a sustainable way?  We have the knowledge to inventory the existing conditions to determine what species are present. This includes invasive species as well. Once an inventory has been completed we create a management plan that will give you the needed guidelines to prioritize any major problem areas. Native Roots can assist with effective removal of exotic species while having minimal impact on the rest of the property. Not all invasive species are created equal and require different management techniques. 

Insect Surveys

With the decline of our natural spaces over the decades, our insect populations have also seen a decline. These include, but are not limited to, our bumble bees and butterflies. The Rusty Patch Bumble Bee was listed as endangered in 2016 and the Monarch Butterfly is close to being listed as well. However, these are not the only insects that need help and can benefit from humans incorporating native plants into our landscapes. Native Roots is staffed with knowledgeable staff that can conduct insect surveys for Bumble Bees, Butterflies, Monarch Larvae, and Odonata. We also document other insects that we find while working in our landscapes. It is exciting to see these beautiful native plants supporting so much diversity of our 6 legged friends!

Workshops & Public Speaking

Are you part of a group or organization that is interested in learning more about native landscaping, invasive species control, or green infrastructure? Owner, Danielle Bell, is always excited to discuss using natives in the landscape with the public, i.e. gardening groups, Friends groups, or nature centers.  Please send an email to [email protected] or fill out the contact form.

Winter is the perfect to get out your pencils and paper to start working on planting projects for the upcoming season. If you need some inspiration for selecting the appropriate plants, join us for one of our upcoming winter lectures.

Providing for our Feathered Friends - Saturday March 1, 2025 8:00-Noon
Nestbox Seminar - Horicon Marsh Education Center 
Birds need more than store-bought birdseed and birdbaths to thrive; they require suitable nesting sites, nutritious food, and insects to feed their young. Native plants provide these essential resources while adding beauty to your landscapes. They also support pollinators like bees and butterflies, creating a healthier, more diverse ecosystem. In this talk, we will explore how you can attract a variety of bird species to your yard using native plants. We’ll also highlight specific native plants that are crucial for providing food, shelter, and habitat for migrating and residential birds throughout the year. 

Elm Grove Book Club (Nature's Best Hope) - Wednesday, ​March 12, 2025
Elm Grove Beautification Committee - Elm Grove Women's Club 5:30pm
The theme of the evening is connections - bringing together community by helping people form relationships with others and a connection to a natural world. Presenters Neil Diboll, president of Prairie Nursery, and Michael Yanny of Johnson Nursery will provide an interactive conversation about the book Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy. Register at Friends of Elm Grove Library website, Fee $6.00.

Rain Garden Workshop - Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District (MMSD)
March 15 2025 10:00am - 11:30am, Atkinson Branch Milwaukee Public Library 
March 22, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am, Tippecanoe Branch Milwaukee Public Library
MMSD is holding two Rain Garden workshops for the general public to learn about the importance of catching rain water where it falls. We will discuss simple ways every homeowner can keep stormwater runoff on their property including installation of native plants in a rain garden. Topics will include how to site the rain garden, what species are best for home landscapes, and how to create a design plan. Attendees will also be able to purchase native plants directly from MMSD through their annual plant sale to install on their property. 

From Turf to Habitat Wauwatosa  - Saturday, ​April 5, 2025
Wauwatosa Garden Club - Wauwatosa Public Library Firefly Room 10:00am - Noon
Too often native plants in the home landscape get the image of being unruly and messy. The truth is there are 5 simple steps you can do to incorporate native plants into your landscape to bring in a diversity of pollinators and wildlife to your property. We will discuss which native species are best suited for the home landscape and how to incorporate them as new beds or within existing plantings. This talk will provide you with the tools to create a landscape plan that is not only beautiful but will bring your gardens to life! We will also discuss how to certify your landscape as a Wildlife Habitat through National Wildlife Federation to help Wauwatosa become a Wildlife Habitat Community.
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Going from Turf to Habitat - Saturday, ​April 13, 2025
Wild Ones Milwaukee Chapters - Schlitz Audubon Nature Center at 9:30am & Wehr Nature Center at 1:30pm
It can quickly become overwhelming to convert your existing landscape into a pollinator haven. What native plants should I choose? How do I get rid of the grass? Where should I place my plantings so I don't upset my neighbors? This talk will provide you with the tools to not only design a native landscape plan but also how to take those first steps to implement the plan and bring your yard to life!


We have partnered with the Wild Ones Fox Valley Native Plant Certification Program to be an instructor for some of their elective courses. There are many great course opportunities in addition to ours to learn about the importance of native plants and how they interact with wildlife.
Check out their website for more information and how to register. The following are the classes that Danielle Bell will be teaching.

Identifying Native Trees and Shrubs in Winter (5 hrs) - Saturday, February 22, 2025
Mequon Nature Preserve (8200 W County Line Rd, Mequon, WI 53097)
At first glance, all trees can look the same in winter. However, if you look at them in detail you can identify a tree to species by examining the buds, bark, and site conditions. Each species has a unique bud that holds the future leaves and flowers that will emerge in the spring and they know the ideal time to emerge. First we will look at the anatomy of twigs and how buds can be used to identify woody species. Then we will go outside to look at plants in their environment to look at bark and overall structure of the plants. To register click here.

Creating a Native Plant Oasis Design Plan (6 hrs) - Satuirday, November 15, 2025
Mequon Nature Preserve (8200 W County Line Rd, Mequon, WI 53097)
To combat the effects of climate change and pollinator decline, we need to incorporate native plants into our home and business landscapes. There is a wide palate of native plants that are capable of handling tough urban environments and provide essential ecological roles. This class will teach students how to understand microclimates of a site and how to properly select the correct native plants for those areas. We will learn which plants provide habitat requirements for specialist insects as well as those that fill large niches to benefit many species from insects to mammals. A portion of the class will be held outside for students to see structure of plants in their natural environment. To register click here.

Restoring Our Upland Plant Communities - Friday, August 1 & Saturday, August 2, 2025
Saukville Field Station 3095 Bluegoose Rd Saukville, WI 53080
Plant communities are always in a state of transformation. They can be either moving toward the next phase of succession or regressing due to disturbance. Due to fragmentation and invasion of exotic species, our woodlands and prairies are being threatened. Our actions as land managers can greatly impact the quality of our remaining natural habitats to restore them to their original beauty. In this workshop, we will discuss various management practices that work to restore our native prairie and woodland ecosystems to remove invasive species and increasing diversity of both plant and animal inhabitants. This class is not available for college credit but can count towards continuning education credits. Click here to register.


If you are interested in learning more about native plants, invasive species, management techniques or pollinators and insects please reach out! We are happy to spread the importance of native plants in the landscape at any scale. 

Recorded Webinars

Wild Ones - Meet the Designers
Wild Ones Racine Chapter - Companion Planting
​Wild Ones Menomonee River Area - The Forgotten Layer
Climate Change Realty Podcast​
​WGTD Radio - Native Plant Landscaping

Native Roots, LLC
Glendale, WI 53209
920.382.6108
[email protected]